Flaming Nora

This week I went into my local Waterstone's branch in Sunderland's Bridges shopping centre. I was there to drop off some free bookmarks, which the staff kindly put on the counter for readers to take as they please.  "Would you like to sign some books while you're here?" the lady behind the counter asked. I couldn't speak for smiling. "Yes, please." I signed three piles of books... "Would you like to sign the books in our chart too?" she asked. "Chart?" I squeaked. It turns out that Belle of the Back Streets is in at No. 5 in the best-selling hardback books in the Sunderland store.   No 1 is J K Rowling.  No 2 is David Walliams No 3 is George R R Martin No 4 is Lee Child and in at No 5 is ... yours truly I didn't sleep much last night. Debut novel Belle of the Back Streets Now out in hardback and e-book  Kindle e-book just 99p until January 1st 2019  Website:  glendayou...

I was going to ask Santa Claus for a new pen this year. A posh pen, an expensive pen. A pen that I could use to sign my name if anyone asked for a signed copy of my book.  Well, a girl can dream. But then I thought, what if I lose it? What if I chew the end while mulling over a tricky writing problem? What if I leave it in a cafe? This started me thinking about the kind of pen that I really would like as a Christmas gift this year. I thought back to the pens I used to love writing with when I was a child, the pens that I daydreamed my days away with. The pens that I made up stories, poems and tales with. The pens that I treated myself to from my pocket money each summer to take on family holidays with my mam and dad and two younger brothers. And that's why I've asked Santa for a green Pentel this year. And from what I understand, he's been able to find three in a pack for just over six quid. If you see me signing a book with my green Pentel pen know that I...

I've been writing Coronation Street weekly updates since 1995 and this week's Coronation Street  has just gone live here.  In this week's Corrie Sally did herself no favours at all. Debut novel Belle of the Back Streets Now out in hardback and e-book  Kindle e-book just 99p until January 1st 2019  Website:  glendayoungbooks.com

I've been writing Coronation Street weekly updates since 1995 and this week's Coronation Street has just gone live here. In this week's Corrie there was a chucked bouquet of flowers as Audrey got very, very drunk. Debut novel Belle of the Back Streets Now out in hardback and e-book  Kindle e-book just 99p until January 1st 2019  Website:  glendayoungbooks.com

The old Ryhope Junior School, Ryhope, Sunderland  It's been quite a week in my writing world this week. MONDAY The gorgeous Lewis & Cooper store in Northallerton On Monday I traveled by train (always my favourite mode of transport) to the North Yorkshire town of Northallerton. It's a bit posh, is Northallerton. Anyway, I was there to meet bestselling author Margaret Graham , who also writes as Milly Adams .  We had a lovely lunch together and I learned a lot from this prolific author, who had a great deal of experience under her belt. I also made a start on my Christmas shopping in Northallerton, it really was a good day out. Mondays are my "day off" writing which means I stay away from my computer, laptop and try my best to switch off. It's not always successful, but I try. TUESDAY Ryhope Community Centre, Ryhope, Sunderland Tuesday saw me giving a talk to the Ryhope Heritage Society on my novel Belle of the Back Streets . What a turn out...

This week I've been trying to perfect the art of making a stottie cake. Stottie cake, or stotty, is a bread from the north-east of England. It's a round, flat bread (think frisbee shape) and it features a great deal in my novel   Belle of the Back Streets .    If you'd like a signed book, all details are here. After writing about the women of Ryhope baking stottie cakes in my novels so far, I thought I'd actually have a go at making some myself. I love baking bread but have never made my own stottie cake before. And so, with a recipe I've come up with and using my grandma Emily's secret ingredient, here we go with my own recipe for Stottie Cake / Stotty Bread.    Here I am at the planning stage. Have apron, will bake, but should not be left alone with scissors. INGREDIENTS: Makes 1 large stottie cake 400g strong white bread flour Half a teaspoon of salt 1 teaspoon of sugar Half a teaspoon of ground white pepper (this is my grandma’s secret ...

I've a short story called The Greatest Snowman in The People's Friend Fiction Special No. 166 which is in the shops today, Wednesday 14 November 2018. It's a bit of a tear-jerker, this one and I do hope you enjoy reading it. Debut novel Belle of the Back Streets Now out in hardback and e-book  Kindle e-book just 99p until January 1st 2019  Website:  glendayoungbooks.com

Scarborough is a very special place to me. It's the place where we went as a family, for many years, on our summer holidays. It's the place where I was married, and also where one of my brothers was married too. It holds a very special place in our hearts, not least because of this . And so you can imagine how absolutely over the moon I was to be asked to speak to Scarborough Writers' Circle.  And not only that, but I was given a write up in the Scarborough News. If you click on the image below you can enlarge the picture and read the write up under WRITERS CIRCLE and that's my picture beside the pit pony statue in Ryhope too.   Debut novel Belle of the Back Streets Now out in hardback and e-book  Kindle e-book just 99p until January 1st 2019  Website:  glendayoungbooks.com

The current view above my writing desk This week the publisher Headline has confirmed the title of my third novel.   I can't reveal it yet, but I will soon, as soon as it starts feeding out to sites such as Amazon and on to the publisher's website at Headline too. It's a good title, a strong one.  And it's one I suggested, so I'm over the moon. My working title for book three has always been The Girl in the Red Feather Hat  but I've always known that would be changed to fit the saga genre.   I couldn't be happier with the title for novel three and can't wait to share it - very soon indeed.   I t'll be out in hardback in November 2019. Meanwhile, my  debut novel  Belle of the Back Streets  is now out in hardback and ebook.   Debut novel Belle of the Back Streets Now out in hardback and e-book  Kindle e-book just 99p until January 1st 2019  Website:  glendayoungbooks.com

I've been writing Coronation Street weekly updates since 1995 and this week's Coronation Street   has just gone live here.     In this week's Corrie there was a double proposal. Double diamond works wonders. Debut novel Belle of the Back Streets Now out in hardback and e-book.  Kindle e-book just 99p until January 1st 2019  Website:  glendayoungbooks.com

It's been a week and a day since my debut novel Belle of the Back Streets was released in hardback and as an ebook. And in that time, there have been eight 5* reviews on Amazon and seven 5* reviews on NetGalley too. It's been a whirl of a week. I gave a talk at The Word in South Shields, one of my favourite buildings in the north-east. It's the national centre for the written word. There was even a pretty good turn out too. For someone who wouldn't have said boo to a goose in the past, I'm slowly getting to grips with public speaking. Mind you, I've got a long way to go before I perfect my patter.   At The Word someone asked how I create my characters. My honest answer - for why lie? - is that I don't know. Characters come to me in my head, unformed, waiting behind my ears for their turn on the page. Only then do they speak, wear a hat, smoke a pipe, break bread and eat soup, be grumpy, be happy, be young, old... well, the list goes on. ...

If anyone is interested in finding out more about Ryhope village after reading my novel Belle of the Back Streets , then this might be of interest. It's a leaflet produced by Durham Heritage Trust and it takes you on a walk around the conservation area of Ryhope village in the northeast of England. You can download the walk as a PDF here. Debut novel Belle of the Back Streets  Now out in hardback and e-book.  Kindle e-book just 99p until January 1st 2019  Website:  glendayoungbooks.com

With the launch of my debut novel Belle of the Back Streets  I'm interviewed by author Katie Ginger on her blog this week.   It's a fun Q&A but with a serious undertone too. Katie asks what success feels like. I reply that it's filling in her Q&A.   I hope you enjoy reading it, it's here. Debut novel Belle of the Back Streets Now out in hardback and e-book.  Kindle e-book just 99p until January 1st 2019  Website:  glendayoungbooks.com

I've been writing Coronation Street weekly updates since 1995 and this week's Coronation Street   has just gone live here.    In this week's Coronation Street, there was a bit of bother for the Barlows. Debut novel Belle of the Back Streets Now out in hardback and e-book.  Kindle e-book just 99p until January 1st 2019  Website:  glendayoungbooks.com

I was interviewed this morning on BBC Radio Newcastle for a segment they did on people who follow their dreams. They asked me to take part. I was chuffed. I was nervous. But here I am, live on the wireless. You can hear my bit at 2 hours here. Find out more about me and my books at: Glenda Young Books I'm on Twitter @flaming_nora and Instagram @flaming_nora