CORNISH author Jane Pollard has acquired a fan in Morocco whose unofficial promotional efforts could result in a big overseas sales boost for her new novel, published this week.

A major source of research material for Tide of Fortune was Thor Kuniholm, director of the American Legation Museum, in Tangier, and a retired diplomat with 13 years' experience in Morocco.

Having loved her previous book, Eye of the Wind, he has now ordered copies of her new one from the publisher's distributor to sell in the museum's gift shop.

He has also taken delivery of a stock of publicity fliers and postcards to hand out to the thousands of tourists from cruise ships who visit the museum every month.

"Eye of the Wind sold out within a month of publication and was reprinted - I think Thor's efforts alone will ensure the same for Tide of Fortune," said Jane, of Mylor Bridge, near Falmouth, who has written her latest book as Jane Jackson.

She and her husband Mike will visit Thor in September to see at first hand where much of the action in Tide of Fortune, her 21st published novel, takes place.

In the book, the estranged family of 19-year-old Cornish woman Kerenza Vyvyan have been missing for a year on a trading voyage to the Mediterranean. When her father returns to raise the ransom needed to free his wife and elder daughter, held hostage in Tangier, he demands that Kerenza sails back with him on the packet ship Kestrel but Kestrel's commander, Nicholas Penrose, is the man who broke her heart.

Following attack by a French privateer and traumatic events on board, Kestrel eventually reaches Tangier, where the dangers survived are only a taste of those to come. Tentatively reconciled, Kerenza and Nick draw strength from each other, only for tragic events to force Kerenza to make a promise she fears will part them forever.

Tide of Fortune is published in hardback by Robert Hale, price £18.99. Thor said: "I couldn't put down Eye of the Wind; now I can't wait to read this new one."

Eye of the Wind was shortlisted for the 2002 Parker Romantic Novel of the Year award.

Now a recently-completed saga - The Chain Garden, written as Rachel Ennis - is currently with a publisher, and Jane has started a new book in her packet ship series, Dangerous Waters, commissioned by Robert Hale for publication in 2005.

Meanwhile, for the third year Jane is teaching part-time on the post-graduate diploma course in professional writing at Falmouth College of Arts.

She will give a shortened version of that ten-week course at the Writers' Holiday event at Caerleon College, Newport, South Wales, in July, and will be offering two workshops in October, as part of Cornwall Library's Wonderful Words Book Festival.