Suffolk authors you need to know about
Suffolk is full of creative people. It seems to attract writers, artists and makers due to its quiet pace of life and inspirational scenery. Here at See Suffolk we are total bookworms, so we thought we would celebrate our local writers in a blog post. Chloe has put together a list of Suffolk authors that you need to know about…
Abigail Tyrrell
Local author Abigail Tyrrell released her debut novel ‘Roots Before Branches’ on 28th April 2020. ‘Roots Before Branches’ is an LGBT orientated romance novel centred around 18-year-old Charlie’s move to France. Charlie stays with his aunt in the most beautiful house with large gardens. The gardens are looked after by Andre and his new assistant Ezra. Charlie develops a crush on Ezra and the relationship between them blossoms into something beautiful. But after a vicious attack, Charlie’s life starts to spiral. Will he lose the love of his life? Abigail Tyrrell is currently working on a stand alone novel and a seven book series.
William Blyghton
William Blyghton is the author behind The Suffolk Trilogy, which are three stories of people who are living along the Suffolk Coast. These stories explore some heartfelt topics such as finding love at an older age, loneliness and losing loved ones. It’s an adventure along the shingle beaches, rivers and marshes. William Blyghton also has a collection called Finding Elsewhere and this consists of fables, philosophies and parables.
Sam Byers
Sam Byers grew up in Bury St Edmunds and based his book, Perfidious Albion, on a fictional version of his hometown. The satirical novel explores the ramifications behind Brexit, how technology can be used to manipulate people and the impact of current politics on the small town of Edmundsbury. Sam Byers’s debut book Idiopathy was released in 2013 and was included in the Waterstone’s 11 list of debut novels to watch out for.
Matt Gaw
Nature writer and author of The Pull of the River, Matt Gaw, has just released a new book, Under the Stars. Under the Stars explores the natural world and how important light is, not just artificial light but the moon and sunlight. The Pull of the River explores Matt’s journey on Britain’s waterways in a handmade canoe. His writing fills your mind with picturesque landscapes and makes you hungry to get out there and explore the local landscape for yourself.
Jenni Keer
Jenni Keer resides in the Suffolk countryside with her husband and their four teenage boys. Her debut novel The Hopes and Dreams of Lucy Baker was released in 2019 and tells the story of an unlikely friendship between two neighbours. 79 year old Brenda just wants to see her 25 year old introverted neighbour Lucy happy. Brenda gifts Lucy a locket that helped her find the love of her life, hoping it will help her to find that special someone.
Joshua Winning
Local author Joshua Winning set his critically acclaimed YA trilogy in Bury St Edmunds and Cambridge. The Sentinel Trilogy is a dark, fantasy series about an underground society that protects the world against monsters and evil forces. Joshua Winnings’ latest book, Vicious Rumer, is a YA fantasy horror story about a girl called Rumer who believes she has been cursed since birth. She lives in the shadow of her mother, who was known as the ‘Witch Assassin’ for her violent crimes that terrorised London for over a decade. Rumer is accused of hiding an occult relic and becomes drawn into the world she wanted to avoid.
Ann Marie Howell
Ann Marie Howell moved to Bury St Edmunds in 2001 and her debut novel, The Garden of Lost Secrets, is set in the Ickworth Estate in WWI. It tells the story of 12-year-old Clara who is sent away to stay with her Uncle and Aunt at Ickworth’s Gardener’s Cottage. There, she finds herself caught up in eerie, thrilling escapades and exciting hair-raising adventures. Clara and her friends face frightening danger and need immense courage to unravel the mysteries of the garden. Although this book is marketed at 9-12 year olds, it will be enjoyed by readers of all ages.
Rachel Churcher
Rachel Churcher is a YA author from Bury St Edmunds. When publishers told Rachel that young adult dystopian novels were a thing of the past, she took it into her own hands and set up her own indie publishing platform ‘Taller Books’ to publish her Battleground series. The Battleground series is set in a dystopian near future UK after Brexit and Scottish Independence. The first book in the series has been awarded a bronze medal in the Wishing Shelf book awards.
Liz Trenow
Liz Trenow has strong family ties to Suffolk and this is evident through her writing. Her family founded a silk mill nearly 300 years ago in Sudbury and it continues to trade today. Liz’s debut novel The Last Telegram was nominated for a national award and her book The Forgotten Seamstress reached the top twenty in the New York Times and USA Today best seller lists. Her latest novel Under a Wartime Sky was inspired by Liz’s Suffolk roots. It tells the story of top secret work that went on at Bawdsey Manor in WWII and changed the course of history.
Sophie Green
Sophie Green works for the Suffolk Library and is a children’s author. In March 2020 she released the last book in the Potkin and Stubbs trilogy. Potkin and Stubbs is a detective trilogy for readers 9 years and over. It tells the story of an unusual team. Lil Potkin, a young reporter, meets Nedly Stubbs, a ghost of a boy who only Lil can see. Nedly went missing a year previous; he was hoping to finally meet someone who believed in him and along came Lil Potkin to help investigate.
Why not see if your local independent bookshop has these titles in stock. Support your Suffolk authors and local bookshops too! Here a few bookshops that are currently open during this time:
- Dial Lane Books in Ipswich is open Tuesday- Saturday, 9:30am – 4:30pm. You can read all about the new book store here.
- Aldeburgh Bookshop is open Monday-Sunday, 9:30am – 6pm.
- Woodbridge Emporium is open Monday- Saturday, 9:30am – 5pm.
About the Author: Chloe Lamb is a Fashion Communication & Promotion student and writer who focuses on fashion, lifestyle, books and mental health awareness. If she’s not writing for her blog awritedreamer.wordpress.com then you can find her with her nose in a book!
