Winners announced in signed books competition

Many congratulations to three winners who have been drawn at random to win a signed copy of The Toffee Factory Girls in my latest competition here on my blog.

The winners have all been notified by email and they are Lynn Veitch, Kathleen Evans and Carole Moon.

Well done to you all.

For more competitions and chances to win freebies, sign up to my monthly newsletter here.sign up to my monthly newsletter here.

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Glenda Young

Twitter: @Flaming_Nora

Facebook: GlendaYoungAuthor

Website: GlendaYoungBooks.com

Harrods, Heritage & Toffee talks - my writing week

This week was the official book launch of The Toffee Factory Girls. It coincided with an exhibition about the real-life toffee factory which inspired the book in the town where it was set. It was an amazing day. I was supported by Featherbed Books (our region's only independent bookshop) and by a local baker who made the most amazing toffee-themed cakes.

Talks have begun about my novel The Toffee Factory Girls and I gave a talk this week at Arts Centre Washington, which was very well attended. 

The book is on sale in Asda, Tesco and Morrisons as well as all bookshops. Here is the link for discounted books in Asda at £5 each or 2 for £9.  What a bargain!Here is the link for discounted books in Asda at £5 each or 2 for £9.  What a bargain!

In the town where the toffee factory was set, I attended a book signing at Boyes Store (I love Boyes!).  It was a great event and I was proud to have done this. Boyes is one of my favourite chain of northern shops.

I was included in a major listing in The Crack magazine about Crossing the Tees book festival taking place in June and mentioned alongside Ann Cleeves and actress Jill Halfpenny. Quite a coup for a council-house lass from Ryhope!

And I began editing my fourth cosy crime set in Scarborough, Deadly Dancing at the Seaview Hotel.  There's a lot of work to do before I can send it to the publisher and consider it "done" and finished.

You can enter to win a copy of The Toffee Factory Girls with a Harrods hamper from Good Housekeeping magazine! What a great prize! Enter online here.

I also had a short story published, in The People's Friend summer bookazine. There are 44 summer stories for you to enjoy wherever you are! It's available from WHSmith, Amazon or you can order online https://shorturl.at/yJNRS or phone : 0800 318 846

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. 

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Glenda Young

Twitter: @Flaming_Nora

Facebook: GlendaYoungAuthor

Website: GlendaYoungBooks.com

Book launch, Bouquets and Brownies - my writing week

This week my novel The Toffee Factory Girls was published in paperback and it's been a flurry of activity and excitement.   

I did a book signing at Featherbed Books in Houghton-le-Spring on release day.

There's a great article and a competition to win signed copies in The Sunderland Echo.Read all about it here.

I spoke to Ryhope Brownies about local history, as the Brownies are studying for their history badge.  This was a great event, especially as I used to be a Ryhope Brownie myself when I was a little girl. The Brownies meet in Ryhope Community Centre, the same building where Ryhope Heritage group meets, in the same room. A lovely reminder that life goes on, history and the future meet.  I was presented with this gorgeous bouquet, from a Brownie who was my great-niece. Think I've got something in my eye, now.

I gave a very well attended library talk at Pelton Library all about The Toffee Factory Girls.

I was invited to give the opening, welcome speech at Sunderland History Fair with the Mayor of Sunderland.

And I'm involved in the Sunderland Heritage fortnight with events too!

I had a short story published in My Weekly magazine. It's called The Toffee Factory and is PREQUEL to my novel The Toffee Factory Girls, bonus content that's not available in the book. 

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. 

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Glenda Young

Twitter: @Flaming_Nora

Facebook: GlendaYoungAuthor

Website: GlendaYoungBooks.com

The Toffee Factory Girls - out today in paperback

I'm overjoyed to announce that my new novel The Toffee Factory Girls is out in paperback today, Thursday 23 May.  

It's published by Headline and is set at the outbreak of WW1 in a northern town where women start work at the toffee factory after the men are sent to war.  It's a story of love, friendship, war... and toffee. 

The book will be available in Tesco, Morrisons and Asda plus Waterstones, WHSmith and all good independent bookshops.  It's also available online at all your favourite book websites and of course Amazon at bit.ly/ToffeeFactoryGirls

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Glenda Young

Twitter: @Flaming_Nora

Facebook: GlendaYoungAuthor

Website: GlendaYoungBooks.com

Blackpool, Dainty Dinah, Waterstones and Cakes - my writing week

This week I have been to Blackpool but not for a holiday, it was for research for one of my novels - ah, but I'm not telling you which one!  I visited a library, art gallery and museum and spent two wonderful afternoons and evenings in the Tower Ballroom watching ballroom and Latin American dancing.

While in Blackpool I called into Waterstones and signed copies of Foul Play at the Seaview Hotel, my Scarborough cosy crime. The booksellers in the shop were really friendly too.

Also this week I was sent these wonderful Dainty Dinah cake toppers from Lucky Button Cakes of Houghton-le-Spring. The first 50 copies The Toffee Factory Girls sold by Featherbed Books at the book launch of The Toffee Factory Girls on Sat 25 May receive a free Dainty Dinah cup cake.All welcome! The Lambton Arms, Chester le Street, 10-4. Includes toffee heritage exhibition by Chester-le-Street heritage group. All details at https://facebook.com/events/s/book-launch-the-toffee-factory/770981041632115

Elsewhere this week, advance copies of The Toffee Factory Girls have gone on sale in the Crafty Gift Shop inside Saint Cuthbert's Shopping Centre in Chester-le-Street - the site of the toffee factory in the book!

And here I am with Dainty Dinah herself, on a mural in Chester-le-Street where I visited for a day this week.

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 

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Glenda Young

Twitter: @Flaming_Nora

Facebook: GlendaYoungAuthor

Website: GlendaYoungBooks.com

Editing work, opening boxes, eating toffee - my writing week

This week I've been busy editing the first draft of my Scarborough cosy crime Deadly Dancing at the Seaview Hotel. Editing is a slow, careful process but one that I'm enjoying a lot.

Meanwhile, publicity has started for the launch of The Toffee Factory Girls which comes out in paperback on May 23.  I was featured on the cover and inside of In & Around Durham magazine.

You can see a short video of my opening a box of my books, it's all here!

Living North have a competition to win 1 of 3 copies of The Toffee Factory Girls, enter here and good luck!

Trip Fiction also have a competition to win 1 of 3 copies of The Toffee Factory Girls, enter here and good luck!

It's all getting very exciting! Pre-order your copy now at bit.ly/ToffeeFactoryGirls

I wrapped up 8 of my Ryhope novels in a hamper with a box of chocs as a raffle prize for Sunderland history fair, where I'm giving the opening speech on Saturday May 18. All welcome. It's a great day.

And I attended a community and heritage fair at Sunderland AFC's Beacon of Light on the last home game of the season. Had some wonderful conversations about old Ryhope with people who enjoyed my books, it was a lovely day.

And yet more Toffee Factory Girls books are out in the wild and readers are sending in pictures, which are always wonderful to see. Pre-order your copy now at bit.ly/ToffeeFactoryGirls

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