Poole of Light
Book One of The Poole Legacy
by RJ Verity
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Pub Date 16 Sep 2025 | Archive Date 22 Aug 2025
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Description
A golden age. A shadowed past.
Poole of Light is a powerful, emotionally layered debut about reinvention, belonging, and the stories we carry with us.
In 1913, ten-year-old Jem Poole sees moving pictures for the first time – and nothing in his world will ever be the same. Raised in a northern English mining town and shaped by loss, Jem dreams of a life beyond soot and sorrow.
Torn from everything he knows, Jem begins a long journey through hardship, self-invention, and the allure of the silver screen. Years later, he’s a rising figure in Britain’s booming cinema industry, with wealth, status, and a wife from high society. But when someone from his past reappears, the carefully curated life Jem has built begins to unravel.
Set against the backdrop of early 20th-century Britain, Poole of Light blends the emotional intimacy of literary fiction with the sweep of a historical saga. It’s a novel about class, memory and what it takes to build a life that truly matters – both on screen and off.
For readers of:
- Ian McEwan, Claire Keegan, and Anthony Doerr
- Literary historical fiction with emotional depth
- Quiet, character-driven stories of identity, ambition, and redemption
Poole of Light is Book One in The Poole Legacy – a literary historical fiction trilogy. It can be read as a standalone.
The companion short story Bright Light – set within the events of this novel – is also available now on Amazon.
Available in paperback and eBook: September 16 2025.
A Note From the Publisher
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/239076062-poole-of-light
Marketing Plan
Launch date: September 16, 2025 (paperback and eBook)
Publisher: RJ Verity (independent) via Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op
Series: Book One of The Poole Legacy (can be read as a standalone)
Promotional Strategy:
A multi-phase pre-release campaign includes Instagram, Facebook and BlueSky outreach to historical fiction readers and reviewers.
Bright Light, a free companion short story, is available on Amazon to build early reader interest and expand The Poole Legacy universe.
A Goodreads giveaway and targeted Amazon ads will run during the launch window.
Add Poole of Light to your Goodreads shelf here: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/239076062-poole-of-light
The author’s website and newsletter (www.rjverity.com) will feature behind-the-scenes posts, historical context, and bonus material.
Early Outreach & Influencer Engagement:
ARCs are being distributed to historical fiction bloggers, and readers of Ian McEwan, Kristin Hannah, and Anthony Doerr.
The book is also included in Hidden Gems and Booksprout ARC programs for early reviews across Goodreads, Amazon, and BookBub.
Outreach includes engagement with the Cinema Theatre Association and UK literary history communities.
Comparative Titles / Ideal Readers:
For fans of Lessons (Ian McEwan), Small Things Like These (Claire Keegan), The Paris Library (Janet Skeslien Charles), and The Night Watch (Sarah Waters).
Perfect for readers who enjoy emotionally intelligent historical fiction, character-driven sagas, and themes of identity, redemption and legacy.
Unique Selling Points:
– A fresh, emotionally resonant take on the golden age of British cinema, told through the lens of a working-class boy’s rise and reckoning.
– Rare narrative focus on fatherhood, grief and disability in early 20th-century England.
– Rich in historical atmosphere without being didactic—ideal for book clubs and fans of literary, reflective fiction.
Author Availability:
The author is available for virtual book club visits, podcast interviews, and historical fiction features.
A book club discussion guide will be available upon final release.
Available Editions
| EDITION | Ebook |
| ISBN | 9413012441899 |
| PRICE | US$4.99 (USD) |
| PAGES | 350 |
