Author - Alan Miles
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Newsletter - 15th April 2026
Hi.
So today, three of you newsletter subscribers are going to win the very first editions of my novel, 'The Foreign Aide'. The first prize is a hardback copy, and two runners-up will receive paperbacks. What makes these books very special is that the winners will get their prizes in May, a month before official publication on June 9th.
Have you won? Without any more ado, let me show you the draw, featuring my attractive assistant (and son), Edwin. Just click on this link to go to my YouTube channel.
Just a few clarifications, now that you've seen our little video.
1. I'll be sending out notifications today ... first to our three prize-winners, and then to everyone else who entered, sending them a 25% discount on any book orders placed directly on my website in 2026.
2. The bookstore already exists here on my website, but I'm not taking orders there yet. In May I'll be taking pre-orders for 'The Foreign Aide', in 4 formats: Ebook (RRP: £4.99); Paperback (£11.99); Hardback (£18.99); Audiobook (£12.99). Orders will then be shipped on (or a day or two before) June 9th.
3. My schedule: I'm currently making the Audiobook version of 'The Foreign Aide', using this as a final read-through to make sure I've corrected any tiny errors before I go to the printer. Before the end of April, I hope to be ready to order proof copies, to check for print quality and catch any formatting errors. When I'm happy with everything, I'll instruct my printer to proceed with the copies for our three prize-winners. If all goes to plan, they should get their books in the second week of May.
4. Later this year: In the video, I mention that the 25% discount vouchers for those who entered the prize draw will apply to all purchases made from my bookstore in 2026. So what else is coming? Well, I haven't stopped working on 'The Marathon Years', the story of my life with Lena and her long battle with dementia, and I expect to publish in early December 2026. If you didn't enter the draw this time, I'll be arranging something similar with 'The Marathon Years' in the autumn — and again you'll have the opportunity to win a first edition or to qualify for a substantial discount ... which might be handy if you're Christmas shopping for friends.
5. Amazon — a double-edged sword: I mentioned in the video that you'll be able to buy 'The Foreign Aide' on Amazon too. (But not until June 9.) We independent authors owe a debt of gratitude to Amazon: they've opened up the publishing industry, making it possible for writers to sell in worldwide markets while retaining control of their own careers. So of course I'm going to use Amazon as a sales channel.
On the other hand, Amazon takes a hefty cut of the price consumers pay, which is why we see so many writers these days selling directly from their own website, as I will. And Amazon's influence on the market has left many traditional independent bookstores struggling. I love bookshops, and later in the summer, it'd be fun to do a little UK tour to promote 'The Foreign Aide'. (Please let me know if you have a favourite bookshop that organises author events.)
Why did I run this draw?
For me, it was important to encourage you to actually read the book. As the situation in the Middle East has deteriorated in the past few weeks, I absolutely understand that the last thing most of us want to read about is war. And certainly not a glorification of war.
By showing you a few pages, I wanted to demonstrate that 'The Foreign Aide' is not that kind of book. Yes, it's set in a time of war, but it's a human story, not a military story. The kind of book that John le Carré or Graham Greene fans might enjoy.
And as Lebanon — maybe the most beautiful, the most complex, and the most misunderstood country in the world — is rapidly being turned into a second Gaza, I hope my book will help readers to begin to understand their fifty years of pain.
If you haven't dipped into 'The Foreign Aide' yet, please do. You'll find the opening chapters here on the Miles Posts website. And if you want to carry on to the end of the book right now, this would be the perfect time to sign up for a free advance review copy. Details are on the website.
So thank you, everyone who entered the draw. And if your name is Åsa Thermaenius, David Hanbury, or Alex Price and you haven't watched the video yet, maybe you should!
See you in a fortnight — when I expect to have a new story for 'The Marathon Years'.
