Award-winning East Lancashire author pens thirteenth novel during lockdown

Read resident, award-winning author and charity stalwart, Linda Sawley is usually a very busy woman.
Linda Sawley pictured with her book written during lockdown, The Quiet NeighboursLinda Sawley pictured with her book written during lockdown, The Quiet Neighbours
Linda Sawley pictured with her book written during lockdown, The Quiet Neighbours

She is involved with church activities at Rosehill Baptist Church in Burnley, running the toddler group there. She is also a tour guide at Browsholme Hall, near Clitheroe, goes out on speaking engagements and is a member of the Readstone Singers, a ladies choir based in Read, where she lives.

Also she attends two community cafés in Read, is involved with the ‘Friends of Whalley Abbey’, and attends pilates and zumba. So, when lockdown arrived she was stuck at home, with nowhere to go!

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Linda, who worked as a sister on the children's ward at Burnley General Hospital and later became a senior lecturer at University of Central Lancashire teaching children's nursing, has written many novels over the years and raised over £7,000 for charity.

Married to Jim, a retired gardener, the couple celebrated their golden wedding anniversary during lockdown. Instead of a weekend in the Lake District, they were stuck in their conservatory.

But the day was saved by a close friend Cheryl, who brought round a full homemade afternoon tea, complete with champagne flutes, leaving it on the decking in the garden due to social distancing!

Stuck at home, what else could an author do?

Linda explained: "I’ve kept saying 'this is my last book', but another idea always pops into my head. When I brought my last book out, a sequel to Pride and Prejudice, 'Pemberley in Waiting', I was interviewed on BBC Radio Lancashire, by John Gilmore. He said I wouldn’t write another book as this was my 12th and the next one would be 13th, which would be unlucky. I said I was a practising Christian and wasn’t superstitious so that wouldn’t matter. So, I felt I had to write another book to prove the point that I wasn’t superstitious!

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"During lockdown I’ve been listening to a blog by the Christian comedian, Adrian Plass and his wife Bridget. His question was ‘What is your legacy of lockdown?’ This is mine!

"The book is called ‘The Quiet Neighbours.’ It’s about a newly-retired woman, Elaine, who has just sold her home in 2016, has no job, no husband and no children. She visits her best friend Gill, in Dunsop Bridge, for a holiday, before deciding what to do with the rest of her life.

"On arrival she sees an old redundant church for sale, which includes a graveyard. Follow Elaine as she starts a new chapter in her life, deciding whether to buy the church. It’s a book of friendship and love, grief and loss, developing relationships, cafés and cakes!

"It celebrates a lot of things that are important to me, but also mentions many of the special shops in the Clitheroe area.

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From the sale of each book, money will be donated to two charities. Petal, which originated as Ribble Valley Ladies luncheon club, of which Linda is a founder member, and Derian House children’s hospice, where local children attend. Since the setting up of her publishing company in 1998, Linda has raised over £7,300 shared between the charities.

The book can also be bought as a kindle version from Amazon at £2.99. Paperback version at £7.99 is available from 10 Lifestyle bookshop on Castle Hill, Moor Lane, Clitheroe.

A book signing will be held at 10 Lifestyle bookshop on Saturday, August 15th, from 11am to 2pm.