Southampton’s Itchen Bridge takes centre stage in BBC Radio 4 festive drama

By Carolyn Thomas  Woolston-based author Ali Sparkes has written a new play for Radio 4, inspired by the tales of tollbooth workers on Southampton’s Itchen Bridge. Billed as a ‘festive romcom’ starring comedian Shaparak Khorsandi (pictured top with Ali), Tess of the Tollbooth explores the developing relationship between tollbooth...

Under the Covers books section December: Thriving by surviving separation

By Carolyn Thomas. Southampton-based drama teacher Daisy Harris-Reid, known to her 13.6k Instagram followers as ‘Mum about Town’, has written her first book, a self-help manual for women coping with separation and solo-parenting. The pocket-sized ‘Separation Survival Guide – How to Press the Reset Button’ is based on her...

Book launch: The Same Country, October Books

This autumn you can join author Carole Burns at Southampton independent book shop, October Books in Portswood, for the launch of her debut novel, The Same Country, about race and racism in America.‘The Same Country is an electric, emotionally charged novel: it seethes with its own energy. Pick it...

Book Launch: Own Your Story at October Books

by Anita Foxall. Author Nicola Paull launched her book Own Your Story at October Books in Portswood, Southampton, last night (July 29) in a cozy inviting event, where all attending were encouraged to mingle and chat. I had the pleasure of meeting Nicola, who was incredibly friendly and warm,...

Prize-winning author Ali Sparkes to go on mini Hampshire library tour

Prize-winning writer Ali Sparkes, author of the celebrated Shapeshifter series, as well as other popular children’s and young people’s books including Frozen in Time, Wishful Thinking and Destination Earth, is going on a tour of Hampshire Libraries. The Southampton born and based writer, who has written more than 50...

Southampton author to launch new book

Southampton author Nicola Paull launches her self-empowerment book ‘Own Your Story’, written to inspire and encourage anyone who is looking for a fresh holistic approach in their lives next weekend. It’s packed with tools and techniques to help people change their habits and lose negative beliefs to become the...