New book from Sunderland author Glenda Young celebrates Wearside's mining heritage

Ryhope author Glenda Young continues to shine a light on her home city with her new release which honours the area’s mining heritage.
Glenda's new releaseGlenda's new release
Glenda's new release

Glenda hit the UK Top 50 Bestsellers List with her last book, The Paper Mill Girl. Now, she’s gearing up to release new novel, The Miner’s Lass, which is out in paperback on October 28.

The North East’s mining and industrial heritage have shaped the region’s identity and Glenda is committed to keeping its heritage and history alive and putting her home village of Ryhope on the literary map.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Inspired by her lifelong love of soap operas, Glenda’s gritty and dramatic books have a feisty young heroine at their core, celebrating strong North East woman in times of adversity and putting female empowerment centre stage in a northern pit village in 1919.

Sunderland author Glenda Young. Photo by Les Mann.Sunderland author Glenda Young. Photo by Les Mann.
Sunderland author Glenda Young. Photo by Les Mann.

Taking inspiration from extensive research with a range of groups including Sunderland Antiquarian Society, Beamish Museum and Ryhope Heritage Society, the latest book is steeped in nostalgia.

With the success of five sagas already under her belt including Belle of the Back Streets, The Tuppenny Child, Pearl of Pit Lane, The Girl with the Scarlet Ribbon and The Paper Mill Girl, Glenda continues to bring immersive, historical literary experiences to her loyal fan base.

She said: “I’m hugely proud to be putting the village of Ryhope, where I was born and bred, on the literary map and bringing the old village to life in my books.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"The Miner’s Lass is the story of miner’s daughter Ruby who struggles with the harsh realities of a life of poverty. When she meets charming miner Gordon, it seems as though happiness might be on the horizon, until Ruby uncovers a betrayal deeper than she could ever have known.

"The women in the pit village come together in solidarity to support her as she negotiates life under some very cruel conditions.

"But it’s not all doom and gloom, there are some wonderful uplifting characters, especially in the community of women I love to create. And there’s a down-to- earth sense of humour that runs through each of my books.”

Fans can catch Glenda at a host of virtual events this month. These include An Audience with Glenda Young at Houghton Feast 2021 on Wednesday, October 13 at 7pm and at Sunderland Libraries Literature Festival 2021 on Wednesday, October 20 at 4.30pm.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Glenda added: “Virtual online author talks continue to be a great platform to reach audiences across the UK, and it’s been great to have the opportunity to engage with a host of partners including recent events through Whitburn Library, Northumberland Libraries and Heritage Open Days, alongside future events this month with the Houghton Feast and Sunderland Libraries Literature Festival.”

As well as writing saga novels, Glenda also has a book deal with Headline to write crime novels set in Scarborough.

The first of three books, Murder at the Seaview Hotel will be published in paperback on November 11, 2021.

Murder at the Seaview Hotel stars 12 Elvis impersonators (called Twelvis!) and when one is found dead with his blue suede shoes missing, hotel landlady Helen Dexter and her rescue greyhound Suki are on the case to solve the crime.

Read More
See inside new-look pub as Beehive name returns to Sunderland city centre

Enjoy unlimited access to all of our news and sport, see fewer ads, experience faster load times, test your brain with daily puzzles and get access to exclusive newsletters and content.

The Sunderland Echo has been on Wearside since 1873, and your support means we can continue telling your stories for generations to come. Click here to subscribe.

Related topics: