The End, Scarborough Spy and the WI - my writing week

This week I am in my happy place of Scarborough, where my cosy crime murder mysteries are set. However, I'm not on holiday as I am here to write. I write this blog post, I'm still here!  I've been writing each day, sometimes twice or even three times, and made excellent progress on the first draft of my final book in The Toffee Factory Girls trilogy.   Here is my desk in my writing room at the seaview apartment I've hired this week.

And here's the sort of thing I get up to between bouts of writing and creativity. Sitting on the seafront in the sunshine with a frothy coffee. My idea of heaven.

By far the best thing to happen on my writing retreat was writing the sweetest two words an author can type ... Yes, that's the first draft of my final book in The Toffee Factory Girls trilogy done. There's still a lot of work, and time, before it's ready to send to the publisher. Lots of editing ahead!

Also this week I was featured in The Sunderland Echo as my books have helped raise more than £10,000 for the charity Re-engage who work to reduce loneliness in older people.  The book sales are organised through each Alfa Travel hotel in the UK.  You can read the full story here.

While in Scarborough, I was interviewed by the editor of Scarborough Spy magazine. My interview will be in the magazine during 2025. The magazine is free and can be picked up all over town.

And I was stunned to learn that my Scarborough cosy crime Foul Play at the Seaview Hotel was the best selling book of 2024 in Scarborough bookshop (and national treasure of a shop) Mrs Lofthouse's Book Emporium. I outsold LJ Ross. You name them... I outsold them all!

It's been a very busy week but I wouldn't have changed a thing!  I also gave a talk to the North Yorkshire East WI Federation. The talk was held at Kirbymoorside Golf Club and went down a treat with lots of books sold after my talk.  

While in Yorkshire, I spotted my books on a shelf in The Helmsley Bookshop, a lovely little place. If you're ever in Helmsley, do visit.

I crafted another episode of my weekly soap opera Riverside for The People's Friend magazine. I've been writing Riverside weekly since 2016 and you can find out all about it here.

I also kept the Coronation Street Blog ticking over with news and editing the team of 16 bloggers. 

Sign up to receive my free, monthly email newsletter with competitions, events and news 

__

Glenda Young

X: @Flaming_Nora

BlueSky: @Glenda Young

Facebook: GlendaYoungAuthor

Website: GlendaYoungBooks.com

Slow and steady wins the race - my writing week

This week I made excellent progress in the first draft of the final Toffee Factory Girls book. It's almost reaching its end and it's hard not to rush with excitement to the finishing line. Slow and steady wins the race each time.

Elsewhere this week, huge thanks to Alfa Travel for including me in their new travel brochure! My books are sold in every Alfa hotel in the UK to raise funds for Re-engage charity who are working to reduce loneliness in older people.

Also this week I started another competition to win any of my books signed and you can enter the competition here.

January kicked off with a 99p offer on The Toffee Factory Girls. Download it here.

I crafted another episode of my weekly soap opera Riverside for The People's Friend magazine. I've been writing Riverside weekly since 2016 and you can find out all about it here.

I also kept the Coronation Street Blog ticking over with news and editing the team of 16 bloggers. 

Sign up to receive my free, monthly email newsletter with competitions, events and news 

__

Glenda Young

X: @Flaming_Nora

BlueSky: @Glenda Young

Facebook: GlendaYoungAuthor

Website: GlendaYoungBooks.com

Here's to the future now, it's only just begun - my writing week

Happy New Year!   

I'm delighted to say I'm two thirds of the way through writing the first draft of the third, and final Toffee Factory Girls novel.

January kicked off with a 99p offer on The Toffee Factory Girls. Download it here.

And my author newsletter for January went out to all my subscribers. Read it online here.

My books were spotted in a community library in a park in Filey, Yorkshire - what a joy!

And I'm looking forward to two books coming out this year with Headline. My saga - Secrets of the Toffee Factory Girls - and my cosy crime - Deadly Dancing at the Seaview Hotel. Pre-order both of them now at: bit.ly/SecretsToffeeGirls and bit.ly/DeadlyDancing

Also this week I started another competition to win any of my books signed and you can enter the competition here.

I crafted another episode of my weekly soap opera Riverside for The People's Friend magazine. I've been writing Riverside weekly since 2016 and you can find out all about it here.

I also kept the Coronation Street Blog ticking over with news and editing the team of 16 bloggers. 

Sign up to receive my free, monthly email newsletter with competitions, events and news 

__

Glenda Young

X: @Flaming_Nora

BlueSky: @Glenda Young

Facebook: GlendaYoungAuthor

Website: GlendaYoungBooks.com

Competition: Win one of Glenda Young's books - signed!

Enter to win any of my books and I'll sign it for you.  

Deadline for entries is Friday 24 January 2025 at 5pm. Winner will be announced on this blog. 

UK entries only please.  Good luck!

  Glenda Young

X: @Flaming_Nora

BlueSky: @Glenda Young

Facebook: GlendaYoungAuthor

Website: GlendaYoungBooks.com

The Week before Christmas - My Writing Week

People often say to me, "Oh! I couldn't sit down to write a novel!"  Well, neither can I. But I can sit down to write a little, often.  This week I hit the half-way mark of my first draft of The Toffee Factory Girls final book in the trilogy.

I was invited into Sunderland Waterstones for a book signing event at their Christmas shopping night. I love it that they call me a "beloved local author!"

Huge thanks to MA Radio Production students Grace and Kaitlyn for inviting me in to Sunderland University's award-winning radio station Spark Sunderland for the "In Her Element" show. It was a recorded interview, to be broadcast very soon. 

I went out on my "works Christmas do!" Everyone was there! The author, writer, PR dept, accountant, marketing manager, HR, wellbeing, administrator & secretary (me) plus the driver, bouncer, roadie, chief cook & bottle washer, cleaner, maintenance dept and IT support (my husband).

I crafted another episode of my weekly soap opera Riverside for The People's Friend magazine. I've been writing Riverside weekly since 2016 and you can find out all about it here.

I also kept the Coronation Street Blog ticking over with news and editing the team of 16 bloggers. 

Sign up to receive my free, monthly email newsletter with competitions, events and news 

__

Glenda Young

X: @Flaming_Nora

BlueSky: GlendaYoung

Facebook: GlendaYoungAuthor

Website: GlendaYoungBooks.com

Christmas Fayres and Celebrating a 17 year milestone - My Writing Week

The weeks before Christmas are always  busy with events and talks and this year has been no exception. I'll be ready to collapse into a heap when my last author event takes place next week, but here's what I've been up to this week and I've loved every minute!

I was guest of honour at Sunderland College Christmas Fayre signing and selling my books.

I attended 17nineteen Christmas Fayre in Sunderland and had a wonderful day signing books and chatting to readers.

I did a book signing at The Crafty Gift Shop in Chester-le-Street near the site of the old Horner's toffee factory, which was the inspiration for my novel The Toffee Factory Girls.  I loved this event and met so many wonderful people.  

My award shortlisting was mentioned in New Writing North's newsletter for December, thank you so much!

And my interview was included in the Listening Books winter newsletter for members. 

A milestone of 17 years was celebrated as it's been 17 years since I started the Coronation Street Blog, it's at https://coronationstreetupdates.blogspot.com

I crafted another episode of my weekly soap opera Riverside for The People's Friend magazine. I've been writing Riverside weekly since 2016 and you can find out all about it here.

I also kept the Coronation Street Blog ticking over with news and editing the team of 16 bloggers. 

Sign up to receive my free, monthly email newsletter with competitions, events and news 

_

Glenda Young

Twitter: @Flaming_Nora

Facebook: GlendaYoungAuthor

Website: GlendaYoungBooks.com