Read author's new book is lockdown labour of love

When faced with the first lockdown, Read author Linda Sawley wrote a book called ‘The Quiet Neighbours’, set in Dunsop Bridge.

Usually after writing a book, Linda doesn't write again for at least a year or two, but lockdown and a very personal reason provided Linda with plenty of inspiration for her new novel.

"The idea for this book came from a dream," Linda explained. "I woke up suddenly at about 6-45am and was still in my dream."

"I’d been at a writers’ conference and we’d been given a topic to write about. The task was to write about somebody from the past, somebody from the present and somebody from the future.

"Being from a nursing background, I first thought about a girl reading Florence Nightingale’s biography and being inspired to go into nursing, and tomorrow, her own daughter is graduating as a nurse.

"But then another story came into my mind and by 9-30am, I’d got the whole book mapped out in my head. Then we went into lockdown so I’d nothing better to do than write and so 'Lucy’s Legacy' was born."

Set in 1907, Lucy is a young woman who desperately wants to become a teacher, despite her parents wanting her to marry and not have a job.

Lucy gets her own way eventually and meets two other young women on the course who become lifelong friends. They all marry and have children but then the First World War breaks out and all their lives are changed.

She discovers something from the past that will affect her future and has to learn to deal with it. It is a book about love, friendship, grief and loss, but also about forgiveness.

Linda has always supported two charities from the sale of her books, Derian House Children’s Hospice and Petal, which raised money for children's cancer research in the North of England.

Sadly, Petal is not currently functioning due to the pandemic, so instead Linda is giving money to the local branch of the NSPCC, and also to a local family raising money for cancer research.

Linda added: "Debs Foster was the first mother to come to the toddler group, Little Steps, that I run at my church.

"After her children went to school, Debs continued coming to the toddler group with a succession of children for whom she was a child minder. Sadly Debs lost her life in June this year, after a courageous battle, and her husband and children have carried out a 40 mile walk in her memory for Christie Hospital and cancer research. I have dedicated the book to Debs."

Rather than use her usual printers in Nottingham, Linda has chosen Nu-Age printers in Burnley for the publishing of this new book, in an attempt to reduce carbon footprint as well as support local businesses.

The book is stocked at Seasons Craft and Rainbow Christian bookshop, 26 Keirby Walk, Burnley, where Linda will be doing a book signing on Saturday December 11th from 11am ’til 1pm, and also 10 Lifestyle bookshop on Castle Hill, Clitheroe, where Linda will be doing a book signing from noon ’til 3pm on Saturday December 4th.

Linda also has a stall at the NSPCC Christmas Fair at St Peter’s Church Hall, Simonstone, BB12 7HY from 11am ’til 2pm, and also at Read and Simonstone Village Hall, East View, Read, BB12 7PS from 11am ’til 3pm.