Not Forever Dead is book 2 in the Dream Die Repeat series and continues the story of Ellie and her magical world.
Having narrowly escaped Seb and the other witch hunters, Ellie keeps moving, but has she travelled far enough to be beyond their reach?
Will she find her birth mother, Anna, her half-sister, Lottie, and her best friends Alice, Lizzie and Sarah? Are they all safe? Will she ever be able to return to Lavender Cottage? Or is her life destined to end the same dreadful way for all of eternity without her being able to change it or even to distinguish between the good guys and the bad?
Not read book 1 in the trilogy yet? Then let’s introduce you to Dream Die Repeat:
Do you believe in a previous life lived?
Ellie is living the dream – a high flying career in London and a luxurious apartment overlooking the Thames as part of a hedonistic lifestyle. So why does a tumbledown, haunted-looking cottage in the bleak wilderness of the North Yorkshire Moors bewitch her? Why does she feel compelled to buy it?
Her life is about to change: a new lifestyle, new friends, the secrets they keep, and the nightmares that haunt her. What can it all mean?
Buy them both from Amazon
It is incredible how quickly September seems to be slipping away from us! October will soon be upon us and with it Halloween! In readiness for the month of spooks, spectres and witches it is the perfect time of year for a chat with Jules Langton about the first two parts of her witchy trilogy!
The first in the trilogy, Dream Die Repeat, was released around this time in 2022 and was followed, much to the delight of her loyal readers, in May 2023 by Not Forever Dead.
We had a chat recently about her writing process and here’s what she had to say…
What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your book?
I only intended to write one book, Dream Die Repeat, but as I was nearing the end of the story it was as if Ellie my main character was sitting on my shoulder and speaking to me. She had more story to tell, and I have never had a day when I have had writer’s block. Ellie’s magical journey has just flowed, and I am currently working on book three, Where Time Goes.
What kind of research do you do, and how long do you spend researching before beginning a book?
I like to physically go to places featured in my writing to get a feel for the atmosphere. Much of Ellie’s journey is based around the UK. I have been to Whitby and the North Yorkshire Moors, Pendle, a Workhouse in Southwell, Haworth, and I recently gifted books at the Whitby Goth Festival. In book two, Not Forever Dead, I had to rely on YouTube videos of Salem for my visuals.
How do you select the names of your characters?
Depending on what era I am writing in I will research names that were around in Georgian England, Victorian England, and modern-day names. With most of my characters I visualise them first and then name them. I also look at the meaning of names to see if the meaning suits my characters.
What is the most difficult part of your writing process?
The editing and proofreading process, until then I have a free reign with my words! In both of my published books, Dream Die Repeat and Not Forever Dead, so many words have ended up on the cutting room floor, and I’ve had to weave a new thread in my story as a result. This is currently happening with book three, Where Time Goes. I sent over 78, 000 words to my editor, she came back with 59,000!
What do you need in your writing space to help you stay focused?
I am not able to write in silence, I either need the radio on or the TV, and often watch something at the same time as I write. In a weird way it helps me concentrate. I will often take myself into a busy coffee shop, listening to everyday conversations, and the buzz in the room.
