Fiona Erskine

Engineer. Writer. Swimmer.

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Exciting news

Posted on December 10, 2025 in News, Science Fiction, Women in Engineering

Apologies for the radio silence – work has been hectic.*

But hey, you’re not here to find out about the double day jobs (that’s what LinkedIN is for) and I have writing news to share.

After six books and eight-and-a-half happy years with my first literary agent, Juliet Mushens, we have agreed to part ways.

I’m thrilled to announce that John Jarrold at the John Jarrold Literary Agency has offered representation for my new science fiction series (working title The Lye).

To those of you curious to see what DI Julie Cadell will get up to after Losing Control, my apologies for the delay. If you’re waiting for further adventures in The Chemical Detective series, fear not, Jaq Silver is only resting while scripts are being written. I’ve been keeping very quiet about a Film and TV Option signed in 2025 but I promise to shout it from the rooftops if it looks like Jaq might make it to the screen, big or small. Last but not least, I have a follow up to Phosphate Rocks: A Death in Ten Objects planned, this time with an Oil and Gas Industry focus and there’s also quite a lot of non-fiction writing going on.

But I only have ten fingers for typing (six if I’m honest – I never learned properly) and 24 hours in the day so for now my fiction focus will be on Maya, Chief Engineer aboard the SS Lye, a multi-fuel, flying power station that brings emergency heat, light and power to settlers on far-flung planets.

If you don’t think that science fiction is for you, I hope I will be able to persuade you otherwise. It’s the most exciting place to be right now.

Watch this space….

Chemical Reaction in Space: Fiona Erskine Fires Up the John Jarrold Agency’s Engines (book news). – SFcrowsnest

Fiona

*…hectic but rewarding. There’s something about teaching that makes you re-examine the ‘knowledge’ you once took for granted. I am having great fun finding new ways to share and am hugely grateful to my wonderful post-graduate students at the University of Sheffield for humouring me.


Sunny southern sojourn with friends and family and a stonkingly good book. London looking stunning!


In Houston for the day job, I went back to visit my old house and primary school from when my dad had a sabbatical at Rice University. Fleming park is much smaller than I remember but the fire ants are still there! Highlight was a full Tex-Mex with Theresa and Bhopal expert Kenneth Bloch - plans afoot for a new book.


I swam 24km in 5 days. Hard work?

Try tuna canning, salt drying or sulphur mining...

https://fionaerskine.substack.com/p/sulphur-and-salt


Goodbye #egadiislands and thank you @swimtrek for an amazing week - 24 kilometres with wonderful guides, fellow swimmers and multicoloured fishes!


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Thank you @AniaJeruc for your sensitive and moving #Violetta in La Traviata - not a dry eye in the house and the standing ovation so well deserved!
Amazing production! @goteborgsoperan

Congratulations to Carole Cadwalladr, @carolecadwalla, who together with colleagues first revealed this story.

Off to the printers.

Bluemoose Books - Hebden to Hollywood - 20 years of Independent publishing.

Re-mortgaging the house, Lit prizes, One Book Bookshop, Dukes, Boilers, Les Dawson, Eric the Literary hound, Roast potatoes, Julia Roberts & TV shows.

@thebookseller
@guardian

The perfect book for a wet Keswick day. Thank you #johnlawton for #HammertoFall @GrovePressUK
Next TV slow horses?

Looking forward to this!

https://amzn.eu/d/0fA8SkeF

More than 30 writers set to star in first-ever Hartlepool Author Showcase https://www.hartlepool.gov.uk/news/article/334/more-than-30-writers-set-to-star-in-first-ever-hartlepool-author-showcase

Great to see Ravenglass in @Annecdotist's blog post: Page-turning historical fiction from indie publishers with attitude 🤩 🙏🏻
@northodoxpress

Good morning.

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Special 99p summer cocktail offer
‘Fast-paced, roller-coaster ride… The action-packed storyline, just the right side of bonkers, roams from Lisbon to England to the steamy depths of the Brazilian jungle...’ - Financial Times, best summer books of 2022
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Chemical-Cocktail-Silver-Thrillers-Book-ebook/dp/B0FG8X59MT

Celebrating Reviewers - 0.99 offer!
(with the link this time!)

Losing Control: Terror in Teesside (The Teesside Murders: DI Julie Cadell Investigates Book 1)

Celebrating reviewers everywhere
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It’s darker than it looks.
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