Flaming Nora: Deadly summertime reads, Catherine Cookson and toys

Friday, July 21, 2023

Deadly summertime reads, Catherine Cookson and toys - my writing week

This week I've been gathering my thoughts. Thinking about the end of the summer when I'll start researching and writing again. This time I'm writing the second book in my trilogy of The Toffee Factory Girls. It's the first time I've written a trilogy of sagas, although I've done the same with my cosy crimes, which are a series.

I've blocked out dates in my diary for research visits, and am now re-reading the first book. This ensures that I know each character inside and out, again, before I bring them back to life in book two.

I was featured on the Sunderland Council website with a wonderful headline. Read the full article here.

My talk last week to the history group of Sunderland U3A resulted in a wonderful quote being received. "One of the best talks we have had". Thank you very much indeed!

The Word at South Shields is one of my favourite buildings in the northeast. It's a library, exhibition space and cultural venue. I'm honoured to have been invited to take part in this year's Write Festival. I'll be giving a session with my friend and writer Annie Doyle. All details here.

Elsewhere this week, my Scarborough cosy crime Murder at the Seaview Hotel was recommended as a deadly summer read by the prestigious Crime Fiction Lover website. Read the full article here.

Before Rishi Sunak does away with creative arts degrees, if you know anyone applying to Sunderland University to study Creative Writing starting this year, please encourage them to apply for my bursary award. All details here.

Tomorrow - Saturday 22 July - I'll be at 17nineteen in Sunderland, a venue I care about and want to support. I'll be selling and signing my books at their Toy Fayre between 10 and 2. Come along!

You can now enter July's competition to win a signed book. Enter here and good luck!

A reminder that The Sixpenny Orphan is only 99p this month at bit.ly/TheSixpennyOrphan

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.