Hello readers and friends!
For the next few weeks my first novel, The Peculiars will be on sale for just R99 in print, or just $3 on Kindle.
What’s the plot?
Phobias abound at the Centre for Improved Living, where Nazma goes for help. She’s crazy about baking and desperately wants to become a pastry chef, but her fear of driving keeps her stuck working in a train-station kiosk, where she sells stale food to commuters while dreaming of butter croissants and fresh strudel.
The Centre is also a lifeline for Sam, who is scared to death of being robbed and spends his days in his pyjamas in front of his computer, his house alarm always armed.
Like the rest of the patients, Nazma and Sam want to face their fears, but will four weeks at the Centre be enough to change their lives? And will the two allow their budding romance to bloom without letting their phobias get in the way?
Meanwhile, the Centre risks losing its funding, a fear that Ruby, the Centre’s eccentric director, must face while she tries to manage the patients’ fears.
Set in a Cape Town as peculiar as its characters, The Peculiars, is Jen Thorpe’s heart-warming and humorous debut.
Why should you buy it?
The Peculiars was published in 2016, and was longlisted for two literary prizes. I’d love it if you could take a read, and leave a review.
Here are two reviews that might convince you it’s worth your hard earned cash.
“This is a fabulous book about people facing the things that scare them, and the knock-on effects that their healing has on those around them. But more than that Thorpe has managed to create a world for her characters that is so real and in touch with the landscape the story plays out in that you feel that you are with the characters…The Peculiars satisfies on so many levels; it works as a love story, as an entertaining story about phobias…it is a fantastic read that will have you thinking… Thorpe is a voice to watch, and I look forward to her next book.” – Cape Times, 2016
Jen Thorpe’s light-hearted debut novel not only makes astute observations about people and human nature in general, its quirky take on Cape Town and the city’s idiosyncrasies are as amusing as her characters. This story is not just about the protagonists facing their own fears, but also asks readers to confront their own inhibitions… The Peculiars is like a bowl of soup – warm, familiar, and comforting. With the winter months upon us, it’s the perfect read to curl up with on a chilly day with a cuppa and a blanket. – And the Plot Thickens, 2016
Where can you get it?
Kindle
You can get it on Amazon Kindle, for just $3. BARGAIN!!!
Get a print copy
If you’re in South Africa you can order a print version directly from me, and make payment by SnapScan. Please use your name and surname, and email address with the reference PeculiarsSALE.
If you’re in Cape Town I can deliver it to you if you’re in the CBD or Southern Suburbs, or you can collect directly from me.
If you’re elsewhere in South Africa, I can post it to your door for an additional R99.
Jen Thorpe 