Local Writers
Our bookshop is known throughout the area for its large number of second hand books but we do also stock new books - by local authors.
Our best known local author is the world renowned literary giant Hilary Mantel but of course she is in a category all of her own. The books we sell of hers are second hand (Bay Tree Books on the High Street will have them new) and how we'd love for her to pay a visit to the shop! If any of you know her...
Another international best selling author and member and supporter of the shop, is crime novelist Stephen Booth. His Cooper and Fry Series is extremely popular and we stock second hand copies of Stephen's books. Fantastic.
There are also many talented writers in the area who have yet to break onto the bestsellers lists, although with luck there's no reason why they shouldn't. We try to support them by stocking their books and displaying them prominently. Readers might sometimes confuse local with meaning not quite good enough, but the reader might easily be mistaken. Other than literary dynasties (Amis, Waugh etc) and celebrities, all authors begin as' local' to somewhere.
Here are some of the books we stock by local writers:
James Elson: The Trail. James is a former Manchester detective now living in the High Peak. This debut novel is a thrilling police procedural that spans Manchester to Nepal as the body count rises. James was special guest at our last AGM and gave a fabulous talk on his previous life as a detective and how he became a writer. His follow up novel, is, I understand, due out soon.
Another crime novel , but one with a keen political perspective, is Still Point, by High Peak resident D. E. Toft. This is set in the world of undercover customs and excise teams in the 1990s following the turbulent years of Thatcher's premiership. Corruption and cover ups in high places. Sounds familiar....
To change the mood , local author William B Taylor and illustrator Helen Gerrard, offer the Bee polisher a fun and fabulous children's book, that adults will also enjoy. Elements of Pratchett's young adult books mixed with superb illustrations mean that The Bee Polisher is an entertaining and amusing debut. We have one second hand copy but I understand new ones can be found at Bay Tree Books and Glossop craft Centre.
Another children's book is by former bookshop volunteer HJM Dwyer with illustrations by Chris Connell. The Muddy Cuddle is aimed at 4-7 year olds and in rhyme, is the story of a girl who tries to jump a puddle in her new dress. It is a lovely imaginative short story for reading with a child.
Local author Katharine Jones has published the children’s picture book, Violet and Ruby play hide and seek on the moon, wonderfully illustrated by Graham Evans. Another fun book to share with young children.
To prove how diverse the talent is locally, The Hollow Bone by Ian Marriot, poet, is a rumination on our relationship with nature. The book won the Cinnamon Press Debut Poetry Collection award. The judges considered it elegant and alive, taking the reader into an alternative space where there is fresh air.
Local photographer Adrian Lambert offers another book with a difference. A collaboration with Scots poet Stuart A. Peterson, Thegither is a response to the Covid Pandemic , as it happened (s). It's a light but reflective acknowledgement of the emotions we all have experienced over the last 18 months. It's a beautiful self published book, hand finished and signed by the authors.
Nebulous is the first published collection by Andy Millican. Andy's poetry has been previously published in various anthologies and broadcast on BBC radio.
Andrew Dutton has had 2 novels published and we have copies of both. His first, Nocturne, is the story of a strange, enigmatic man obsessed with the night sky. His solitary and unusual life causes speculation on his character, throwing a light on the lives of those doing the speculating. His second by contrast, The Crossword Solver follows life in a pub and the stories shared by the regulars as life in the small town looks set to change.
The Story of Marie Claire by Vera Linda Mellor, is the story of a community centre in financial trouble. As members begin fundraising to save it from closure, a new member impacts them in a way no one could have predicted.
Historian, Glynis Cooper, has produced historical books and pamphlets about Glossop, Manchester and elsewhere. She’s also written historical fiction and kindly donated copies of Shadows in the Sand, one of her numerous books set in the Isles of Scilly.
Another fabulous book, just in stock, is Hills of the Peak District, a guide to the best 50 walks to the 75 summits by Barry K. Smith. Barry lives in Loughborough, but we won’t hold that against him as this is a fantastic resource for those of you looking for walking trails in the local and wider Peak District.
Most of these books are new and priced accordingly but some are offered at big discounts, and all offer proof of the wonderful talent around us.
