Each week on social media I post a teasing snippet of what's in store for readers of my weekly soap opera, Riverside. It's published each week in The People's Friend magazine and has been running since October 2016. Each week, another episode of the soap opera runs in the magazine and keeps readers entertained.
I love writing Riverside, it's the writing highlight of my week.
Now, you may be thinking that The People's Friend magazine is a magazine that your gran used to read and it couldn't possibly have any relevance now.
Now, you may be thinking that The People's Friend magazine is a magazine that your gran used to read and it couldn't possibly have any relevance now.
Well, think again.
The People’s Friend is the longest running woman's weekly magazine in the world. It's famous for its fiction and every issue is packed with short stories, exclusive serial instalments, cookery, craft, travel, health, puzzles, gardening and more. The average age of its readers is just 59, but don't just take my word for it, have a look at the stats in their media pack.
My weekly soap opera Riverside is written exclusively for The People's Friend and centres around the friendship of its two main characters, Mary and Ruby.
My weekly soap opera Riverside is written exclusively for The People's Friend and centres around the friendship of its two main characters, Mary and Ruby.
As with all good soap operas, setting is key and in Riverside, it's set in an ex-shipbuilding community by a river. The shipbuilding and industry have long gone but the people continue to live their lives there, some welcome the changes going on around them while others, such as Mary's husband George, longs for the good old days of the past.
Riverside is a lot of fun to write, emotional too, as I put characters through the wringer or bring in tricky situations in which they find themselves. All the key ingredients of a good soap are there - locations such as the pub The Ship Inn, and a plush deli cafe built on the site of the old shipyards, named the Old Engine Room. There's a hair and beauty salon, a community centre, a fancy apartment complex built on the old shipyards too. But above all, there's laughter, a few tears, shocks and surprises, and at its heart, fittingly for the magazine, it's all about friendship too.
Give The People's Friend a try, you just might like it, you know.
Glenda Young
Author of historical novels with Headline
Twitter: @Flaming_Nora
Facebook: GlendaYoungAuthor
2 comments:
Have been reading People's Friend for a very long time. I got the People's Friend annual for Christmas when I was 10 years old. I loved it.I was I think about 20 when I bought my first magazine and been reading it ever since. I absolutely love Riverside. Thank you Glenda xx
I have been reading The People's Friend since I was in my early 20ies. Got into it because my mum bought me the PF annual when I was 10 years old. Loved it ever since and my favourite to read each week is 'Riverside' xx
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