How Glenda Young's childhood in Ryhope shaped her best-selling writing career

But little did she know that it would lead to a career as a best-selling author of books with a strong link to Sunderland’s past.

‘I loved reading and I developed a passion for books’

The Ryhope-born writer spoke to Sunderland Echo journalist Chris Cordner.

Her fascinating interview was prepared for the second episode in the Echo’s new podcast series called Wearside Echoes.

It is brought to you with the backing of Tony Clarke Funeral Directors.

“When I was growing up on a council estate, I loved reading and I developed a passion for books,” Glenda said.

“I was writing stories and poems. I didn’t know what to do with them. I had no idea so I just used to put them away in the back of a drawer.

‘My love of reading fired me on through school’

“I never showed anybody. I just assumed they weren’t any good but my love of reading fired me on through school.”

That’s a small taster of Glenda’s interview which tells of her love for Coronation Street, writing books for the soap, but also how she had a desire to create characters of her own.

“I didn’t create Ena Sharples and Hilda Ogden,” she tells us. “It really fired me up to want to write my own stories.”

Murder at the Elvis convention

Books which link to the old factories of the North East, and the characters who worked in them, have become synonymous with Glenda.

So are her other series of works which are all about murder mysteries with a twist - they’re centred on a conference for Elvis impersonators.

But if you want to find out, you’ll have to listen to episode 2 of the Wearside Echoes podcast, which is available here.

Catch up on the first episode

And why not catch up on our first ever episode which featured an interview with Mackem Folk Singer Dave Murray.

He tells us how he grew up next to the shipyards and how dyslexia shaped his life.

* Tony Clarke Funeral Directors has locations in Millfield, South Hylton, Southwick and Downhill.

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