A Difficult but Necessary Delay for Why the Curlew Cries

I am deeply disappointed to announce that I have had to delay the release of my new novel, Why the Curlew Cries.

The book follows Jack Dawson, a former Garda carrying injuries of both body and mind, as he is drawn into the disappearance of several women in the isolated countryside of County Sligo. What begins as a favour for an old friend leads him towards a remote farm, a family fractured by secrets, and a truth buried far deeper than anyone imagined.

The novel itself is complete. It is now in the final polishing stage, where every sentence, scene and detail must be examined before I am willing to place it in the hands of my readers.

Unfortunately, the past two months have brought circumstances I could never have planned for.

I have experienced the death of someone I loved. I helped save the life of a man following a horrific motorcycle accident, administering first aid and remaining with him after he lost his leg. I helped my beloved sister escape a domestic violence situation in which she had suffered both physical and emotional abuse.

At the same time, I have been dealing with my own health difficulties and preparing for further surgery. I have also been driving my father to and from treatment as he faces cancer.

Each of these events has taken time, but more than that, they have taken an emotional toll. I have tried to continue working through everything, but I have reached the point where I must acknowledge that I cannot rush the final stages of this book simply to meet a date.

Why the Curlew Cries means too much to me for that. Jack’s story deserves my full attention, and my readers deserve the strongest version of the novel I am capable of producing.

To everyone who has been waiting for the book, supporting it, sharing my posts or asking when it will arrive, I am sincerely sorry. Your patience and encouragement mean more than I can adequately express.

The book is coming. It is finished, it is being carefully polished, and I promise that Jack Dawson’s journey will soon be in your hands.

Thank you for staying with me.

J.M. Lane