Introducing Anywhere But Here
New year, new book incoming!
“Summer isn’t summer without a new Vicki Notaro book.” So said her.ie in a gorgeous article about my forthcoming novel Anywhere But Here, and you know what? I love that! Write it on my gravestone!
My new novel comes out on July 23rd in print, and on ebook and audio and I am SO EXCITED! Three books releasing in three consecutive summers may explain why I have become so lax about writing here, but will hopefully also excuse me. I can’t do everything, and between the books and You Had Me At Hello, I’ve been a busy bee. (Did you see I had Alan Menken on the pod this week?! It was unreal!)
So, what’s it all about? Well, if you’ve read my other two books Reality Check and Long Story, you’ll know that I like to write about people, relationships and friendship with a touch of glamour and a modern, Irish twist. I was inspired to write Anywhere But Here by the very world we live in. I very recently turned the big 4-0 and was struck by the fact that at this age, perhaps for the first time in history, women can really be at any stage in our lives both out of choice and necessity. We’re not limited as we once were by marriage bars or society’s rigid expectations, but 2026 is no paradise either. We all have our problems, with work, money, dating, love, family and technology.
Technically (okay, literally) we are middle aged, but I have friends in so many different positions - some are married with grown up kids, some are divorced, some are newlyweds, new parents; some are happily single, some are not, some are still waiting for their adult life to begin and some are struggling to find their independence because of the state of the housing crisis. Some are seeing stable careers drifting away, most of us are worried and frustrated about the state of the world.
My three main characters are all close friends, but all secretly envious of one another. And when disaster strikes one of them, the other two soon find out they’re not immune to their own worlds going topsy turvy in the blink of an eye.
I also wanted to write about that urge we’ve all had at some point to just escape our own lives. To run away from our problems, preferably somewhere idyllic, and just take a breather from everything going on. To me, there’s nowhere better in Ireland to escape to than Donegal. Having visited Ardara and its environs since I was a child, I’ve always felt like it’s like being on another planet compared to Dublin. Joe and I took a trip up there last February to do some research, and even on the bleakest winter days it was utterly magical. I hope you’re transported there through the pages of my novel.
Here’s the official blurb, courtesy of the fabulous gang at Penguin:
Three friends at life-changing crossroads . . .
Matilda: Living the dream: presenting breakfast TV in Dublin and married to a
man with a mega media career in the UK. But when she turns up in their
London flat to surprise him for his birthday, it’s she who gets the surprise – a
bad one.
Sadie: In the business she always loved – journalism – but it’s dying on its feet.
Meanwhile her house is falling apart, her romantic life is just as ramshackle and
nasty flashbacks to her past are becoming more than just a nuisance.
Jess: The one who was sorted early - married a lovely man, had two gorgeous
babies. But with a distant husband and teenage twins who think she’s tragic,
nothing she believed about herself makes sense any more.
Matilda, Sadie and Jess take off to Donegal to do some serious soul-searching.
But maybe the answers to their problems lie closer to home?
Anywhere But Here is a warm, funny and page-turning novel about finding out
what makes you happy when you thought you had it all figured out.
I’m absolutely thrilled with it, and with the feedback I’ve been getting from early readers. The Ballygobbard Project’s Sarah Breen said “Vicki Notaro lifts the lid on the challenges women face in midlife, from marriage to friendship to career, in her signature sparkling way – full of wit and wisdom with one-liners guaranteed to make you laugh out loud.” I didn’t even have to pay her.
And because it’s STILL January and it’s been a rough month, upon announcing Anywhere But Here I made sure I had some fabulous pre-order incentives to encourage you to buy a gift for Future You.
Those who purchase a copy from Eason will go in to a draw to win a stunning 9ct gold and emerald Claddagh ring by Solvar, courtesy of my friends at McDowell’s Jewellers (aka The Happy Ring House).
And those who buy from Dubray will be in with a chance of winning a night away for two at the 4* Galmont Hotel in Galway city, with breakfast and dinner included. PSST they also offer 15% off for new customers!
You can also buy from Chapters, Kenny’s, Bookstation and Waterstones for NI & UK, and all pre-orders are gratefully received! And of course, you can pre order on Kindle and Audible too. The book will be available in other English-speaking territories too, like Australia and New Zealand, but I’m not 100% sure on dates just yet.
Pre-ordering is a huge show of support for myself and for all authors you love. It generates buzz, lets booksellers knows this is one to stock in droves and all counts towards the first week of the all-important charts. With two bestsellers under my belt, of course I want another one! So if you’re in a position to do so, I would really appreciate it. You’ll be delira when it arrives and you’ve forgotten you even ordered it.
Saying that, here are some amazing Irish authors with books coming out over the next few months that I’ve already pre-ordered for myself! They’re all available from the retailers above too. I’ve finished proofs of 4/6 and they’re all class! The Kenny’s special edition of Our Deadly Summer is particularly gorge.
Thank you as always for your support and kindness. I couldn’t do any of this without the readers who make it possible! And I’m currently bedding down writing number four because I can’t stop, won’t stop. (No, really. I can’t stop, it’s like an addiction, but that’s a newsletter for another day…)
Vicki x