I have added a new section to the Unpublished Material page, called Linnet's Tourguide for Young Ladies of Awia. They are pages from a guidebook published in the Fourlands in 2024, for upper crust young women to take on the Grand Tour. The guide indicates curious places, people to meet and items of artistic or historical interest.

The first excerpt is 'The Vertigo Spur' and I will add others over the coming months. I am very grateful to Linnet, Art Director of Bunting Press, Rachis Town, for allowing the extracts to appear online.

Today is the summer solstice, and in the Fourlands they’re celebrating Godsloss Day. Many Fourlanders – but not all – believe that god chose the Emperor to look after the world it created while it is away on holiday. God then packed its bags and left. That was two thousand years ago and it hasn’t come back since.

Godsloss Day is the second biggest festival of the year, a holiday throughout Morenzia, Awia and especially the Plainslands. Everybody comes together to celebrate getting along without any god to help them. They’ve been planning it for weeks and now they’re enjoying feasts outdoors, with bonfires, music and dancing. The romantic Awians have many traditions they’re fond of making up and then pretending they have deep historical roots. Godsloss Day, the longest day of the year – as calculated by the Castle’s Starglass – is one long party well into the night.

The one larger festival, though, is New Year’s Eve, held on the midwinter solstice. It is the last day of their year, so December is a shorter month and January is a few days longer than in our world. The Awians go all out for this one, decking their houses and halls with greenery and ribbons – and they have a few odd customs I’ll describe in my next book.

The other main holidays in the Fourlands are quarter days; the Fyrdsrest Days, when soldiers get one day off every couple of months. They’re like bank holidays. But right now it’s Godsloss Day and a time for drinking the last of the spring beer, eating barbecues and watching plays. They hold archery tournaments in Awia, tugs of war in Morenzia and play a lethal game of football in the Plainslands. After all, if god can bugger off on holiday, why shouldn’t everyone else?

The publication date for The Modern World in the UK is now 17th May. This is the last word I've had from Gollancz and I don't expect it to change again. So I'm afraid that everyone waiting will have to wait a little longer. But I trust you'll find it's worth it.

Please note that the title in the US is Dangerous Offspring. This is the same book as the The Modern World, so don't rush out and buy both - unless you really want to, of course!