A novel idea

Aug 4 2008 by Daniel Thomson, The Journal

Sandra Rowell fulfilled her lifelong dream of becoming an author and has now been nominated for a prestigious award for her debut novel. Daniel Thomson talks to her.

WHEN she was a teenager, Sandra Rowell had a poem published in a national anthology.

“It was back when Harold Wilson was Prime Minister,” she recalls with a laugh. “I’m giving my age away now.”

The aspiring author received a letter from the poet Mary Wilson (and wife to the PM) urging her to keep writing, but Sandra found her dreams growing further from reach as she got older.

“Life got in the way,” she says. “I had children and brought them up, I was divorced and remarried, there was always something stopping me.

“It was only three years ago that I began to set aside some time for myself again. That’s when I started writing the novel.

“It had always been in the back of my mind to start writing again one day, but circumstances always seemed to prevent me from actually doing it.”

The 55-year-old, who has four children and seven grandchildren, and lives in Castletown, Sunderland, says she has no regrets about putting her writing to one side while she raised a family, but is thrilled that she has been able to realise her ambition after all these years.

She says: “I wouldn’t have been able to do so without my family. My husband Stan, who I’ve been married to for 17 years, and the rest of the family have been a great support.

“Before I met Stan I was in an abusive relationship and I’ve had a lot of heartache in my life.

“There were times I never thought I would become a writer, but everything I’ve gone through, even the heartache, has helped me become who I am today.”

Sandra, who works full-time in telesales, began work on her debut novel, the supernatural thriller Michael, three years ago, but it was not until she came into contact with Aberdeen-based publishers Cauliay that her book really took shape.

“A colleague of my husband knew someone at Cauliay and I got in touch through them,” she says.

“I sent off the first couple of chapters and they got back to me straight away wanting to see more. I’d only written 11 chapters, but after three months working with the editor at Cauliay I’d finished the novel.”

Michael is out now and can be found in book stores throughout the North East as well as online booksellers Amazon and the publisher’s own website, www.cauliaypublishing.com.

“It’s a dream I’ve had for an awful long time and now that it has come true it almost doesn’t feel real,” said Sandra. “It’s a huge thing for me.”

Sandra’s novel sees a young man who has been murdered by a serial killer returning from the grave to lead police to the culprit.

It has already been nominated for the Costa Book Award for Best Debut Novel and Sandra says she cannot believe the success her novel has already had.

“I was sitting at home checking my emails with a glass of wine when I found out my publisher Michael Molden had submitted my novel for a Costa Book Award,” she says.

“I couldn’t believe it. I nearly dropped my glass, but it’s a fantastic honour and I’m thrilled that my publisher had such faith in me.”

Rita Graham, of Cauliay Publishing, reveals the company signed Sandra up “within minutes” of reading the first draft of her manuscript.

She says: “We are committed to maintaining the finest traditions of English literature and are therefore continually seeking new and exciting authors who bring originality to their storylines combined with a discernibly unique style.

“When our commissioning editor read the original manuscript he contacted Sandra within minutes to secure her signature.”

Sandra, a long-time fan of crime and supernatural horror fiction, says she simply set out to write an enjoyable novel and never thought about awards or stardom.

“I felt that a lot of the plots of books I was reading had been re-worked until they were becoming predictable. So from the very beginning I was determined that Michael had to be something very special.

“I just wanted to write a book that would be enjoyed by readers everywhere and my dream was achieved when Michael was accepted to be published. Whether it wins awards or is made into a film is a very exciting prospect, but it won’t change anything about me.

“No amount of stardom will stop me cooking Sunday lunch for my children and grandchildren.”

Sandra may be keeping her feet firmly on the ground, but she is already working on her second novel.

“I’ve written 23 chapters of my next novel,” she reveals. “It’s going to be called Silence of the Night and it’s a completely different kind of book to Michael.

“I can’t tell you what it’s about just yet though or that would spoil it.

“I’ve also been writing poetry again and I’ve got my first book signing soon. I’m really nervous as I’ve never done anything like that before, but my publisher is coming down from Aberdeen to guide me through it.

“It will be lovely to meet people who have actually bought my book.”

The winner of The Costa Book Award for Best Debut Novel is announced in October.