I don’t know about you, but I love it when I discover a new author who instantly becomes a firm favourite. This is even more special when the author happens to have been born and raised in my hometown!

Tonight I will be attending a talk by Mel Sherratt at our library in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent and I’m very much looking forward to it. My Mum and friends, Gayle and Stacey, are coming along also. We’re all very excited 🙂

I have been lucky enough to meet Mel twice already. Once at the Stoke-on-Trent Literary Festival 2014 and again for a coffee and cake at Café Nero in Hanley. She is a lovely, lovely lady as well as being a fabulous writer.

Unfortunately, the Stoke-on-Trent Literary Festival of 2015 didn’t see fit to include our local talented authors, which to me was a total let down so I didn’t attend this year. They should be supported and celebrated and I think we should be proud of them all.

Mel Sherratt

I have read all of the above and reviewed them all with a 5 star rating. I cannot recommend them highly enough.

Check out Mel’s author page on Amazon http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mel-Sherratt/e/B006L2BMLC/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1449227724&sr=1-1 and give them a go, if you haven’t already. (I would suggest reading the two series’ in order) I’m sure you won’t be disappointed!

Mel also writes under the pen-name Marcie Steele.

These two lovely novels are 5 star reads also. Have a look for yourself….

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Marcie-Steele/e/B005WJ5UT0/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1449228423&sr=1-1

Alison Lingwood…..

… is a lovely lady who I first ‘met’ when she joined my Book Club page on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/222135907823649/) and I also had the pleasure of meeting her at the 2014 Stoke-on-Trent Literary Festival. She lives in Newcastle-under-Lyme, as I do, and has currently published four books. She published her first book at the age of 60 once she had retired! I think that is amazing!

My 5 star review from Amazon back in July 2014:

‘Brilliant! Excellent story, characters and setting! (I am from Newcastle-under-Lyme!) Definitely my kind of read. A good example of how easily the internet can be misused, but also how helpful it can be to a police investigation. Angela is an odd character, but I didn’t see the ending coming! Looking forward to reading Alison’s other two books.’

Alison’s other books are currently on my to-be-read list.

Check out Alison’s author page on Amazon here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Alison-Lingwood/e/B00J951G3M/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_2?qid=1449229404&sr=8-2

John Pye…..

…is another author I was introduced to when he joined my Facebook Book Club. He also lives in Newcastle-under-Lyme and is a retired police officer. I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting John in person, but I have had the pleasure of enjoying his books.

‘This grabbed my attention from the very start. It’s very fast paced with lots of twists and turns. Very well written with interesting characters. I look forward to the sequel John!’

‘This is a very interesting story about a case I knew nothing about previously. It did happen before my time though!
As I am from Stoke-on-Trent (well, Newcastle-under-Lyme) I enjoyed learning about this little piece of local history and will be interested in finding out if any of my older relatives remember anything about it.’