The current incarnation of the Valley Press website went live on the 7th February 2016, and has given us almost seven years of loyal service. You may be surprised to learn that the average lifespan of a modern website is two years and seven months, with five years generally considered the upper limit to start thinking about a replacement – so valleypressuk.com, as designed by the tech geniuses at Askew Brook and funded by Arts Council England, is now a centenarian in "website years".

I think you can see where this is going. "All things must pass", as a wise man once sang, and in that spirit I'm pleased to announce that a new Valley Press website is now in the latter stages of development. The current site was designed to take the varying input from a sizable team of publishers and normalise it all into tidy, matching listings: now I'm flying solo again, variety and character will be the order of the day (whilst staying completely professional, of course!)

So, as the elder statesman enters its final weeks, I thought we'd send it out in style with the biggest sale ever seen on those hallowed pages: the grand finale of sales, if you will. It's live now: 50% off all books listed on the site with discount code FINAL50. (In fact, with the new site featuring a slimmed-down shop, this is also the largest sale that ever will be seen.)

I'm also aware we are entering peak book-buying season, when affordable but classy gift ideas are welcomed – so what convenient timing for a mega-sale! No inflation round these parts, I guess...

If you'll spare me a little more of your time, here are three suggestions for how to use your voucher:
 

BLIND SEA REACH, freshly published this week, is our first venture into the world of crime (crime fiction, that is). Debut novelist Paul Mackereth has sailed into port with a fast-paced literary thriller set in the world of the coastguard, a setting largely unexplored in modern fiction – one of extended tedium punctuated by sudden, life-changing drama.

The book features some fascinating, fractious family dynamics between the protagonist and her Lifeboat Coxswain father, who raised her as a "chip off the old block" but now has to follow her orders in her day job at HM Coastguard. That's all before the crimes come to light and Jen finds herself unravelling a conspiracy, whilst finding out just how far a fading coastal community would go to protect their final source of pride...

Thanks to the sale, you too can find out for just £6, entering code FINAL50 on the "basket" page. The same goes for our next book:
 

WITHIN YOU, WITHOUT YOU, published this coming Thursday, was the "winner" of our most recent submissions window from summer 2021. Another debut novelist, Sara O'Donovan has crafted an intriguing and moving tale of love, loss and time travel (always great bedfellows).

It centres around Kathryn, trapped in a lacklustre marriage, with her life at a standstill – until she sees her long-dead first boyfriend at the side of the road. She soon finds herself back in 1993, reliving the last night of his life, with a chance to change the future. The story has been compared to the classic film Sliding Doors, but where the heroine has a touch more awareness of the two paths; and of course it's a beautifully-written book, which we all know beats any movie. Grab it for £6, with the code, before everyone you know is recommending it to you!

And now for a special guest...

COOKING WITH ALCOHOL was published by our imprint Lendal Press in 2021, and has joined "team VP" especially for this sale. It's a gorgeous, full-colour, 300-page hardback cookbook, focused on a fascinating yet underrated ingredient: alcohol. Cooked up (sorry) by Aaron & Susannah Rickard, it features over a hundred recipes, with titles like Mojito Chicken, Fennel & White Wine Tagliatelle, Tequila and Habañero Salmon, Salted Caramel and Spiced Rum Brownies – hungry yet?

Normally £25, the book is now an absolute steal at £12.50; be sure to check out the full details on the VP site (while you can!!) and remember that code: FINAL50. This is your last reminder!

Two more honourable mentions, from either end of the scale:

OBLIVION, Dean de la Motte's epic, 800-page retelling of the life of Branwell Brontë, was one of the highlights of our publishing year, and is another beautifully-produced hardback. We've been asking you for £30 to take this one home, so far – but in the sale, it's a mere £15. "Just delicious reading," said the most recent review, and there aren't even any recipes in this one (though it may contain some alcohol!)

Or, if you like your books a touch more portable, try BLUE-GREEN ALGAE by Rosie Driffill, one of our "slim volume" poetry pamphlets, from the author of the wonderful Suddenly, While Living. Just £3.50 with the code, this may be the lowest entry price ever asked for some top-quality Valley Press poetry, inspired by the beauty and ugliness of nature – and human nature. I love that cover too, simplicity at its finest (but you'll have to click through to see).

I really must leave it there, but there are almost 200 books listed on the grand old site, all available at a fraction of their true cost (that fraction being ½, of course). I hope you can find something to suit your interests, or those of your nearest and dearest – and I'll be back in touch soon to show off the new site, and yet more new books.

Thanks for reading,
JM