Month: December 2025

“Book marketing experts”

~ Jennifer Barraclough ~ Leave a comment

The first time I received an unsolicited email containing fulsome praise for my recently published novel, and a proposed marketing plan, I felt quite flattered and impressed. I replied explaining that due to personal circumstances I didn’t want to proceed at present but would be interested at a later date. Almost at once another email came, this time including a detailed script for a YouTube trailer about my book. It seemed too good to be true, and my suspicion grew when I googled the sender and found nothing about a book promotion service under their name. Even so, in my naivety it took me a while to realise that my correspondent was an AI.

Since then I’ve received many other emails offering to market either my latest book or a previous one. They lavished compliments on my writing: “the work of someone who deeply understands human relationships, subtle suspense and the power of memory and place” “the story breathes psychological nuance, clarity and compassion” “you illuminate the hidden layers of human conflict, emotion and resilience”.

Some of them did appear to come from a real person, although it was hard to tell, and maybe would have led to a genuine marketing campaign if I had taken them up. But I suspect others were from scammers who might take my payment and never contact me again, or even hijack my financial details for illegal purposes. I will never find out, because I am getting tired of the growing influx of such emails, and have started deleting them unread.

My first weeks of widowhood

Featured ~ Jennifer Barraclough ~ 4 Comments

Brian was 14 years older than me and had a history of heart disease, so we knew it was likely that he would die first. I tried to prepare myself for the event but it was impossible to predict when and how it would happen, or how I would feel afterwards. Much has been written about coping with spousal bereavement but everyone is different and there is no right way to respond to this monumental life experience.

There have been many practical and administrative matters to deal with during these first few weeks. I have had wonderful support from family, friends and former colleagues, being showered with flowers and food and invitations to meals, cards and letters expressing condolences for me and appreciation for Brian. Although my grief is profound I have not been overwhelmed by it, but have managed everything efficiently and kept in good health. Christmas preparations and festivities are underway too, so I have been very busy. I don’t know whether that is a good thing. I’m afraid that after Christmas, when all the activity and attention has wound down, the loneliness and boredom of being without Brian is really going to sink in.

Brian and I had a wonderful life together until the last few months when the nature of his illness prevented any meaningful conversation between us, and made it unsafe for him to be nursed at home where he longed to be. He had very good care in the hospital, and I did all I could to support him there, but his distress could not be relieved and he wanted to die. Thankfully his last 24 hours were peaceful.

I have a few regrets. I wish that when he was still well we had talked more about planning the future, done some decluttering and possibly downsized. And, although it is comforting to look through all my photos of Brian, I wish I had taken more videos of him.