Making Toffee in Halifax - My Writing Week

This week I've been unwell and had to cancel a book signing at Sunderland Waterstones on their first Christmas shopping night.  It's the first time I've ever had to cancel an author event and I desperately wanted to be there  However, there have been a lot of other things going on in the background this week.

I'm making good progress on writing the third in the trilogy of The Toffee Factory Girls books.  People say to me "How do you sit down and write a novel?" and the answer is - "You do a little, often and stick with it."

The Crafty Gift Shop inside Saint Cuthbert's Mall in Chester-le-Street sells my books and I'll be going in to do a book signing in December. The lady who runs the shop, Debbie, is very creative and such a great support to my books. Here are some of the pictures of my books from her shop this week.

I've also got a new competition for you to WIN! 60 Years of Jackie magazine - 3 copies to be won! Enter at http://dlvr.it/TGDQq0

I had THE BEST day at Calderdale Industrial Museum in Halifax researching their Mackintosh toffee wrapping machine for my final Toffee Factory Girls novel. While in the museum, I signed their stock of Toffee Factory Girls books for the shop too. It's an amazing museum, I LOVED it and if you haven't been there before, please go. It's just around the corner from The Piece Hall.

And here I am in the museum turning my hand to "making" toffee. 

Also this week, the 99p offer on A Mother's Christmas Wish is still running, download it now at bit.ly/AMothersChristmasWish

And finally, coming in 2025, the second book in the trilogy, Secrets of The Toffee Factory Girls. Inspired by Horner's toffee factory and Dainty Dinah toffee of Chester-le-Street. See > https://bit.ly/SecretsToffeeGirls 

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

WIN! 60 Years of Jackie magazine - 3 copies to be won!

I have a really special competition for you to win 1 of 3 copies of the brand new 60 Years of Jackie magazine!

Sixty years ago the iconic Jackie magazine first hit the newsstand, and for millions of girls, nothing was ever the same.

Suddenly, they could hold in their hand, a guidebook for young women giving them advice on everything from boys to make-up and fashion, as well as allowing them to keep in touch with all the latest gossip and trends.

This beautiful bookazine celebrates Jackie in all its glory.

Packed with amazing archive material, and exclusive features, prepare to be taken back to a world of glitter and hairspray. Don’t miss it.

Top things to look out for!

• Foreword from Maria Welch, Former Deputy Editor at Jackie
• Music Matters – Why Pop was at the heart of Jackie
• Fashion & Beauty – Explore decades of magical style advice
• Matters of the Heart – Or, in other words, boys!
• Word to the Wise – Why Jackie had all the answers
• Magical Memories – Behind the scenes at Jackie

To enter the competition to win 1 of 3 copies, all you have to do is enter below. Good luck!  3 winners will be drawn at random and announced here on the Blog.

UK entries only please.  Deadline for entries is 2pm on Sunday 1 December 2024.

  


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Glenda Young

Twitter: @Flaming_Nora

Facebook: GlendaYoungAuthor

Website: GlendaYoungBooks.com

Loving Libraries, Deadly Dancing, Newcastle Noir - My Writing Week

This week I've been enjoying watching Strictly Come Dancing, as I always do. It's my favourite TV show. The episode coming up tomorrow night is in Blackpool Tower Ballroom where I researched for two days this year for my next cosy crime - Deadly Dancing at the Seaview Hotel. You can pre-order it now here.

Also this week I was invited to attend the Saint Benedict's Hospice Christmas Fayre. It was a wonderful day where I signed and sold my books and chatted to readers. It's days like these that make all the weeks and months sitting at home, alone, writing, make sense!

My local author event at Newcastle Noir is free to attend on Weds 4 December at Newcastle central library. See https://newcastlenoir.co.uk/ for full details.

I called into Sunderland Waterstones (my favourite shop!) this week and was delighted they'd called me "beloved local author".  Next time I'd popped in they'd updated my book signing on November 21 with author Terry Deary. Should be a great night, come if you're free.

However, unlike Terry Deary, I love libraries. 

I wouldn't be a writer without them.

And don't forget that my saga A Mother's Christmas Wish is just 99p this month. Download it here.

It's getting close! Book 2 in the trilogy, Secrets of The Toffee Factory Girls, is coming in February 2025. You can pre-order your copy now at bit.ly/SecretsToffeeGirls and if you haven't yet read the first book in the series, you can order it here 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

Scarborough Spy, Headline Highlights and Chapter One - My Writing Week

This week I'm over the moon to be in Scarborough Spy magazine with my Scarborough crazy golf cosy crime Foul Play at the Seaview Hotel. It's included in Mrs Lofthouse's Emporium bookshop pick of their top 12 best Scarborough reads and includes a picture of me with shop owner Daniel Spink.

Also this week I was included in Headline's publishing highlights catalogue for January to June 2025 with my novel Secretes of The Toffee Factory Girls.

And speaking of Toffee Factory Girls, this week I began writing book 3 in the trilogy. It's always a nervous time starting a new book but I've made a good start and now I just need to keep up the momentum to finish my first draft. 

November means a 99p bargain and it's for my book A Mother's Christmas Wish which you can buy here.

If you're reading this before Saturday November 9, please join me at the Christmas Fayre to support Saint Benedict's Hospice.  The fayre takes place from 11am at City Hall, Sunderland. I'll be there selling and signing my books. Come and say hello!

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
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Writing Week - Wearside Echoes, WHSmith, Wired for Story and Christmas

This week I was featured on the Wearside Echoes podcast in the Sunderland Echo talking about growing up in the village where I now set my bestselling novels. You can read it all here.

The SAGA genre of novels, which I write, is being invested heavily in by WHSmith who now have new SAGA bays in their bigger shops.  This is the SAGA bay in WHSmith Newcastle city centre where my books were included.  This is fantastic news for SAGA readers and writers.

Tomorrow (Sat 2 Nov) I'll be at Saint Paul's Christmas Fayre in Ryhope. I'll be selling and signing my books and will be happy to chat about them. Come and say hello!

Also this week I spent the final day reading, planning and plotting my next novel, ready to start writing very soon. This novel will be the final, third book in the Toffee Factory Girls trilogy, to be published by Headline in 2026.

Also this week my novel A Mother's Christmas Wish is just 99p for Kindle during November. Download it now at bit.ly/AMothersChristmasWish

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

A Mother's Christmas Wish - yours for just 99p

It's my favourite of all of my books. A Mother's Christmas Wish is yours for just 99p in November at bit.ly/AMothersChristmasWish

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Glenda Young

Twitter: @Flaming_Nora

Facebook: GlendaYoungAuthor

Website: GlendaYoungBooks.com