Mad, Bad and Dangerous Dough- My Writing Week

This has been a very good week indeed. And it's the last "free" week I'll have before I begin writing The Bakery Girls... gulp, tomorrow.  I'll be in a different head space then until summer!

Lumley Castle are advertising my talk with a cream tea for the Sunday after Mother's Day. Tickets would make an ideal present for yourself or for someone you know who loves books and cream teas in a unique setting.  See the Talks and Teas link at the castle website. 

A reminder that Secrets of the Toffee Factory Girls is just 99p this month. Download it here.

My publisher Headline promoted my book The Toffee Factory Girls for Galentine's Day! 

And one week today I'll be signing books in Chester-le-Street at the Crafty Gift Shop when the hardback, audiobook, ebook and large print of Celebrations at the Toffee Factory is released on Thursday 26 Feb.

Speaking of which, you'll notice a different cover for the paperback, below, which comes out in May. Sign up to receive my author newsletter and receive the first chapter free at glendayoungbooks.com

And I have a competition running to win the book with a box of toffees! Enter here.

This week I gave two talks in libraries as part of the County Durham Libraries Festival of Local Authors.  Really enjoyed these. Supporting libraries is my passion.

And in Sacriston library, they had a wonderful display of my books.  As did Murton library, but I was so busy there I didn't have time to take photos.  Thank you to all of the librarians at both libraries for looking after me so well.

And as I'm about to start writing The Bakery Girls, gulp, tomorrow, here's a sneak peek at my chapter plans. Thrilling for me, but probably leaving you scratching your head wondering what's going on in mine!

My library talks and upcoming book launch were included in The Crack magazine this week. Thanks to them for being so supportive.

And there was more exciting news in The Scarborough News about my cosy crime novels being developed for screen. Very exciting indeed. Read the full story here.

Finally this week I had a smashing meeting with the team at Sunderland Music City. It's about a possible collaboration later this year around the launch of my music-themed cosy crime Music to Die For At The Seaview Hotel.  Watch this space for more.

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

BlueSky: @Glenda Young

Facebook: GlendaYoungAuthor

Website: GlendaYoungBooks.com

Cheshire Crime, Screen Development, Starting a New Book, Author of the Month - my Writing Week

This has been one heck of a week!  I was invited to speak on my cosy crimes at the Cheshire Crime Writers Festival. Had a wonderful time there, met some great people and thoroughly enjoyed it. Here are some of my pics from the event.

I'm in the pink top with Sandra Mangan from the great Crime Fiction Lover website.

And this picture is from Sandra Mangan of Crime Fiction Lover website. It shows me on the stage talking about my cosy crimes. Besides me is author Fiona Veitch-Smith who was there to speak about her golden age mysteries.

Also this week I began thinking about plotting out my novel The Bakery Girls.  Those sheets of paper represent three chapters, or 6,000 words. I plot and plan now and start writing in March.

I'm delighted to say my books are now in Felling Volunteer Library in the northeast and they made me author of the month!

My novel Celebrations at the Toffee Factory arrived from my publisher. Advance copies have all been sent this week to everyone who helped me with research. If that includes you, your book is on its way.  The book is out in hardback, audiobook, ebook and large print on Feb 26. Paperback is coming in May.

And finally this week, huge news from Nova Mundi Studios who have announced they're developing my cosy crime books for screen.  Read the full press release here.

Elsewhere this week, my novel Secrets of the Toffee Factory Girls is just 99p. Download it here. 

And Lumley Castle are promoting my talk with them in March for a cream tea and author talk. See the Talks and Tours tab on the events page at the castle website.

And this week I went for a walk in the rain!  The walk was a guided tour of Sunderland's East End (old Sunderland), as part of my research for my next novel The Bakery Girls.

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

BlueSky: @Glenda Young

Facebook: GlendaYoungAuthor

Website: GlendaYoungBooks.com

Cheshire Crime, Durham Libraries, New Writing North - My Writing Week

I've taken a few days holiday this week. It was a much needed break which comes towards the end of my researching and before I start plotting and planning The Bakery Girls.

Speaking of which, my good news was included in New Writing North's newsletter this month.

My monthly author newsletter went out this week and you can read it all here.

Also this week, my novel Secrets of the Toffee Factory Girls went on sale at just 99p for Kindle. Download it here.

And by the time you're reading this blog post, I'll be on my way to Cheshire to star in the Cheshire Crime Writers Festival. I'm speaking on Sunday 8 Feb on a cosy crime panel.

And when I return I'll be speaking twice in County Durham libraries in their festival of local authors. 

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

BlueSky: @Glenda Young

Facebook: GlendaYoungAuthor

Website: GlendaYoungBooks.com

Ryhope Book Club, Final Research and Taking Time Out

This week I've been researching again for my next novel The Bakery Girls.  I met and chatted to people from baking families in Sunderland, who ran businesses and were part of Sunderland life. It was incredible and a real honour to meet so many people and hear their stories and memories. 

Elsewhere this week, The Petal Patch in Ryhope started up a new book club and the first book the members will read is my novel The Tuppenny Child. What an honour this is.

I created a new competition for you to win a signed hardback copy of my new novel Celebrations at the Toffee Factory. It's the third and final toffee factory girls book in the trilogy.  Enter here and good luck!

And now, before planning out The Bakery Girls, I'm going to take a short break. Once I start writing it'll be flat out working all through spring and into early summer. 

Don't forget to sign up to my monthly newsletter to be the first to hear about new competitions, giveaways, events, news and special offers. Sign up 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

BlueSky: @Glenda Young

Facebook: GlendaYoungAuthor

Website: GlendaYoungBooks.com

WIN new book from Glenda Young and a box of toffee

Enter to win a signed hardback copy of Celebrations at the Toffee Factory, along with a box of mixed toffees from Walkers NonSuch Toffee.

Deadline for entries is Friday 27 February 2026 at 5pm. Good luck. UK entries only.

 

__

Glenda Young

BlueSky: @Glenda Young

Facebook: GlendaYoungAuthor

Website: GlendaYoungBooks.com

Join me at Cheshire Crime Writers Festival, Sunday Feb 8

Join me at Cheshire Crime Writers Festival. I'll be speaking on Sunday 8th Feb all about my cosy crimes. 

I'll be on a cosy crime panel with Northeast cosy crime author Fiona Veitch Smith.  

Tickets and all details:

https://thecuriouscatbookshop.co.uk/cheshire-crime-writers-festival/

__

Glenda Young

BlueSky: @Glenda Young

Facebook: GlendaYoungAuthor

Website: GlendaYoungBooks.com

Researching, Cake Baking, Dead Meat - My Writing Week

This week I've a new competition for you to win a signed book. Enter here.

And I've been very busy researching for my novel The Bakery Girls.  I've been looking at plans of old bakeries and this week have been to the Tyne and Wear archives in the Discovery Museum in Newcastle. The gorgeous building was once the home of the NE HQ of the Co-op.

I've also been going further back in the history of Sunderland pink slice cake and baked this from a 1923 Bero baking book. Was it pink slice as we know it? Find out here where I blogged all about it.

More research this week at Sunderland University library. As an alumni member of the University, I get free access to the library. What a wonderful view from my research desk.

And I visited The Story in Durham, another fantastic place, to investigate women who owned bakeries.

And I'm overjoyed to announce that I have a short story called Dead Meat chosen to be included in the Crime Writers Association anthology of short stories this year!  It's out in July.

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

BlueSky: @Glenda Young

Facebook: GlendaYoungAuthor

Website: GlendaYoungBooks.com