Marie Lott - Writer

Beautiful morning down the beach.🌞

Although sea and sand is not quite the right kind of research for Christmas Town! 🌊🏝️

This evening I’ll be back to pine scented candles and carols! 🕯️🎄

The Familiar Stranger - Part 2 🤐🧥

Catch up on Part 1 here: https://tinyurl.com/543vzrjd

I run so fast it’s like I’m gliding towards the lights that have thankfully turned green. I’ve probably bumped into loads of people. I can imagine the tuts trailing behind, but I don’t notice a thing; eyes still focussed on that seahorse disappearing around the corner.

There’s a slow burn in my chest as I round the same corner; breath catching in my throat making me cough. Clammy sweat snakes down the spine. I stop short. I know this place. The Roman viewing chamber set into the pavement is where we fell in love. A shared fondness of history bound us together.

She halts, looking down into the chamber.

Not only is she wearing what I believe to be my blazer, she’s purposely come to our special place. This must be more than a coincidence. I hear the shout before I realise it’s my voice. ‘Hey,’

She turns.

That’s my gold necklace hanging around her neck.

Part 3 drops Next Friday.

One week to go until the very first edition of my monthly newsletter hits inboxes! 📩

I'll be sharing what the bestseller author Adele Parks thought of my latest Quick Review! 🥰

So if you aren't on the list yet, why not join the tribe, there's still time. Link will be in the first comment! 🔗

Review: Our Beautiful Mess by Adele Parks 📖✨

Adele Parks is the master of the slow-burn explosion. I’ve just posted my 5-star Quick Review of Our Beautiful Mess—a domestic thriller so intense I would have struggled to watch it on screen.

From the "little bombs" of secrets to a holiday setting that acts as a claustrophobic antagonist, this is an unflinching look at family friction.

The full verdict is now live on the blog. Link is in the first comment. 👇

I’m starting something new today. The Familiar Stranger is a three-part thriller about secrets, paranoia, and the things that haunt us.

Part 1 is below:

I do a double take. That’s my black blazer. I know it’s mine; I got bleach on it a few months ago. It doesn’t necessarily mean it belongs to me. But the shape it makes is unique; reminds me of a seahorse. That is definitely the seahorse. Coincidence, surely? But the shape is unmistakable. And one thing I know for certain, that blazer is tucked away in my wardrobe. So how is it on her back?

My skin goes cold; tiny pin pricks make me shiver. Has she been in my house? Thieved? It would explain her paranoia. I pat my pocket for my keys: they’re tucked away safe.

She’s heading for the lights; keeps looking over her shoulder as though she’s being followed. I know the feeling. I’ve always been paranoid, always hated being out on my own. ‘Better safe than sorry,’ has always been my mantra.

I walk slowly behind; eyes fixed on the seahorse.

Passers-by are indifferent to the alarm ringing in my chest. They stand on solid ground, certain of their current state. I feel as though I’m floating. The seahorse reaches the crossing. I must speak to her. She doesn’t even wait for the lights.

She’s bolted.

Will you follow the seahorse? 🧥🔍

Wow. Adele Parks does it again. 🤯

I just finished Our Beautiful Mess and those "little bombs" Adele plants throughout the book really did explode at the end. She doesn't skip over the fallout either—it’s intense. 🤐📚

My Quick Review is landing on the blog this weekend for anyone who loves a mystery that stays with you long after the final page.

🤫 P.S. Part 1 of my new micro-fiction, 'The Familiar Stranger,' launches right here tomorrow morning! Keep your eyes peeled for the 'Seahorse' mystery.

Which are you more excited for: a new story or a new book recommendation? 👇

New followers—Hello! ✍️✨

It’s been a busy day of "unpacking" the latest chapter of Christmas Town (I deserve a Costa). I’m glad to have you all along for the ride.

For those of you who want to see where the shadows began, I have a special gift. You can download my short story eBook, Out of Barrowton, for free when you join my monthly newsletter tribe. 🎁

It’s a gritty, bite-sized look at the events that led Angelo Cole to the streets of Hollow Haze.

Grab your free copy and join the inner circle here: https://subscribepage.io/marielott 🤐📜

Tell me: are you a fan of stories that are a little bit haunting? Drop a 'hi' in the comments! 👇

A quick pit-stop for some 'on-the-job research.' 🍫 Hot chocolates are a staple in Christmas Town, so I’m fuelling up before the real work begins.

Angelo is in for a serious awakening in Chapter 2. But I'm having my writer's treat before Angelo gets his. ✍️✨

What’s your go-to writing, (reading) fuel? ☕️📜

I was just thinking about how writing sometimes feels like shouting into the void... then I got this notification.

1,000 views on my site! 🥂 Proof that someone is out there listening.

To every single person who has clicked, read, or shared—thank you for making the void feel a lot smaller.

Professional nap-taker, amateur muse!