One of my favourite things is to write about incredible women, and as part of my research into The Fastest Girl on Earth and Swim, I've had good reason to get dusty in search of stories.

So I was thrilled to get the opportunity to write a column for Sussex Exclusive, a website which gets thousands of visitors every day all about incredible women from Sussex!

My first is Octavia Wilberforce - the article is here, and more will follow on a monthly basis.

Always fun to make it into the local paper - particularly the one I worked on as a young journalist!

Full article here

​Local Author Honoured in 2025 Indie Book Awards
Swim by Lisa Brace has been named by the Independent Book Publishing Professionals Group as one of the best indie books of 2025.

Lisa Brace’s book is a finalist in two categories in the 2025 Next Generation Indie Book Awards, the world’s largest book awards programme for independent publishers.

Swim was one of only four finalists in Best Historical Fiction (post 1900s) and Best General Fiction Novel beating hundreds of other entries.

The winners and finalists will be honoured on June 27th at a gala event at The Notary Hotel in Philadelphia, PA, coinciding with the American Library Association Annual Conference.

Lisa, who will be hosting the launch of her second historical fiction novel, The Fastest Girl on Earth, at Waterstones Horsham on June 4th (see here for booking information), said:

“I am overwhelmed to be a finalist in this prestigious awards. Not only has this award been running for 18 years and is hugely well respected in the industry, it’s a real coup for Blue Pier Books, the publishers I run with fellow author D.E White.”

She added: “We set out to create novels that people want to read, and have proven that success doesn’t need to come with a hefty publisher behind you! Swim is a very important book to me, and I can’t wait to have the medals hanging up on my wall alongside the photo of the woman who inspired the novel, Lucy Morton.”

The Next Generation Indie Book Awards are judged by leaders in the indie publishing industry, many of whom have had long careers at major publishing houses. Drawing on their deep experience and love of great storytelling, they recognise books that deserve a wider audience.

According to Catherine Goulet, Founder and Co-Chair of the Next Generation Indie Book Awards, “Like other independent artists, many indie book publishers face challenges that the industry giants don't experience. The indies have to work much harder to get their best books into readers’ hands.”
“Authors and publishers who compete in the Next Generation Indie Book Awards are serious about promoting their books,” adds Goulet. “They aim to stand out from the crowd of millions of books in print.”

To help indie authors and publishers reach a wider audience, the top 80+ books in the 2025 Next Generation Indie Book Awards will be reviewed by New York literary agent Marilyn Allen of Allen Literary Agency (formerly the Allen O'Shea Literary Agency), or one of Ms. Allen’s co-agents, for possible representation in areas such as: distribution, foreign rights, film rights, and other rights.

A complete list of 2025 winners and finalists is available at the Next Generation Indie Book Awards website at indiebookawards.com.
 
 
 

I've just sent off the final edits for The Fastest Girl on Earth, my novel out June 5 2025.

Whilst this is a work of fiction, I've taken inspiration from the most incredible woman called Dorothy Levitt. She drive in the early 1900s and set, then broke, world records for speed as a woman and often competed against men where she won.

She was so inspiring to research, but her story goes very quiet around 1913, and I decided to fictionalise what I think could have happened before her premature death aged 40 in 1922... no spoilers, but all I'll say is, the woman knew how to drive fast, use a gun and fly a plane (ahem spy?).

Anyway, I'll leave it to you to decide if I made the right decision... the novel is out in a few months and pre-orders are up now!

Today is the publication day of my lovely historical fiction novel, SWIM.

I am SO proud of this book and am thrilled it's in the world!

It's a funny one though, when you get to a publication day, because there's all this fanfare online and in the real world...nothing... unless you count the cheeky Costa I treated myself to this morning.

I think it's reflective of being an author in 2024. Sure, this is my second novel. Sure, it's selling well (it is!! I'm thrilled), but also, on with the next thing. There's no time to catch your breath and enjoy what you've achieved because there's....

Social media content to create, post and engage with
PR and publicity to issue (even with a publisher it's on the author to do a lot of the hard work)
Words to get down for the next book
Plans to be made for writing retreats and upcoming writing talks
Tidying up your own website
And...writing a blog because it's been eight months since your last one!!

Still, I wouldn't have it any other way.

Was thrilled to be featured in Karen King's blog, go here for the full interview...

Thrilled to be able to say my novella has now sold over 1000 copies, and not just that - it's gone WORLDWIDE!

I have readers in the US, UK, Brazil, Mexico, India, Poland, Sweden, France and on and on... I'm thrilled and a tiny bit overwhelmed with how Secret Santa has been received, but mostly I'm just super proud.

This novella was a fun thing to do last Christmas and it's just wonderful how it's resonated. 

Looking forward to launching Secret Valentine in late January 2024. 

Thrilled to say my debut novel, Star Survivor is set to be published next year by The Book Guild.
The official announcement is here but below is the gist of it - 
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A for Authors Agency are delighted to announce that Star Survivor, the debut novel by Lisa Brace has been acquired by The Book Guild for publication in March 2024.
Star Survivor is an adventure-packed story centred on four celebrities who agree to take part in a world renowned reality show set in the South Pacific.
However, when a storm takes place and all four are left on a real deserted island without cameras, a means of escape or more importantly their phones, they have to learn to survive on more than some miniatures and Maltesers.
Meanwhile as the world and the press clamour for the missing four, the viewing figures are rocketing, but the show producer is in no rush to find them.
Lisa was compelled to write Star Survivor after a particularly lucid dream where Simon Cowell sat on a beach with her and told her the whole story over cocktails.
She said: “I’m beyond thrilled that The Book Guild are as passionate about Star Survivor as I am and can’t wait to see where they take my novel to.”
Annette Crossland said: “As soon as I read Star Survivor I absolutely loved it.  Think I’m A Celebrity meets Lost meets Love Island, only in my opinion this is a lot more fun!”
The Book Guild said: “We are delighted to be publishing this addictive and laugh-out-loud rom-com, with an unlikely and endearing group of friends at its heart.”
All press enquiries to Sabine Edwards [email protected]
All other enquiries to [email protected]

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I'm so excited for this to come out!! 

It's that time of the month again! 

Time to dig into the latest Lost Lady newsletter here.

I must admit, I think some people may have heard of this one, but it'll be interesting finding out!

Oh, and there's a chance to pre-order my Christmas novella! Yes, yes, I know there's a heatwave...

Thrilled to say my latest newsletter is out, and in it is my lady of the month, Marianne North.

WHO is Marianne North?

Well, I'm glad you asked!

You can take a read all about her here and if you want to hear more from me, sign up to my monthly newsletter via the form on the homepage.