Leaving the Page, Entering the Room:

Now that you’ve gotten to know the tangled histories behind the names in my stories—the quiet burdens they carry, the secrets they whisper, and the mischief they sometimes cause—let’s allow them to live their own lives within the pages for a while. It’s time to shift focus to what’s coming up next.

On Tuesday, the 10th of September at 6pm, I’ll be speaking at the War Memorial Library in Lower Hutt. This wonderful local library has generously invited me to discuss my books, read a few carefully chosen excerpts, and engage in a Q&A session with the audience. The team at the library has even taken care of refreshments and promotional efforts, which I’m deeply grateful for. It’s no small thing to have a library not only carry your books but also champion your voice.

Connecting with readers face-to-face like this is a rare and rewarding thing. Social media, as you know, is a noisy world. Finding real readers in the din of algorithms and metadata dark magic is like catching echoes in a cave. They’re there—but they hide well.

That’s why it’s such a gift when someone like Susan, a reader from the UK, breaks through the static with a simple, heartfelt email. She told me The Birthmark Murders wasn’t just a gripping read but also shifted how she thinks about Finland and its culture. So much so that she now wants to visit and see for herself whether summer festivals really offer as many murder opportunities as my fiction suggests. (Happy journey, Susan. Just remember: Finns aren’t aggressive. We only kill for a good reason—selectively and with remarkable precision.)

So, if you’re near Lower Hutt—or feel like making the trip—I’d love to see you there. Bring your curiosity, your questions, and maybe a friend or two who enjoys a good story… especially the slightly twisted kind.

Until then, let the characters sleep with one eye open on the page. I’ll be out in the world, and I hope to see you there.

— Janus