Local author hits the big time
They say that there is a writer in everyone and many often dream of becoming a best-selling novelist. But one Brit in the Sun has turned that dream into reality, securing a five-book deal following the phenomenal response by publishers Aria and Head of Zeus to her debut novel ‘Trickster’ which will be out in eBook version this coming April and followed up by paperback for those that like to physically turn paper pages in July. Ex-pat Samantha Munro-Webb writes under the pen name Sam Michaels, something that many authors adopt– Michael in tribute to her brother.
Originally from Battersea in south London – where her gritty gangland thriller is set, Sam relocated to Spain with her husband in 2015. But she was already familiar with Spain having lived here previously – plus her mother lives on the Costa Blanca. Many may remember Sam, with her trademark red lippy and skyscraper heels from when she organised the sponsored charity walks in Benidorm some years back. Hundreds turned out in fancy dress, not once but for 3 years running, raising over €40,000 for Help4Heroes. She was inspired by her son who at the time was serving in the army and to this day many still ask if she’d organise another, such was the success.
But rather than choosing one of the bustling metropolitan cities you might have imagined, full of shops, cafés and nightlife the couple opted for a truly rural lifestyle in the mountainous countryside, with no neighbours and only each other’s company and that of a menagerie of rescue animals they appear to have adopted, which currently totals 4 dogs and 6 cats!
Many may wonder how Sam managed to achieve what almost seems like a dream – well the fact that her mother is Kitty Neale, a Sunday Times bestselling author may have been her motivation! She is an avid fan of crime writers Jessie Keane and Martina Cole and her creative talent will before long undoubtedly rank her among these creative literary geniuses.
Venturing to the coastal town of Albir for an exclusive interview with CBN, Sam was back on familiar ground. But she is relishing her newfound rustic lifestyle which is obviously helping her artistic juices flow – just as well because her second novel is due to be submitted to the publishers by the end of April.
“A novel is roughly 100,000 words and the manuscript can go back and forth half a dozen times before eventually being signed off and going to print” Sam remarked, something many readers probably don’t realise. To secure a five-book deal for an unknown is virtually unheard of, proving that she is certainly a name to remember. With publishers being inundated with submissions from budding writers, they were obviously captivated and hooked, wanting more.
Set in World War One it features a ruthless East End criminal by the name of Georgina Garrett. With a father who steals for a living, a grandmother who’s a woman of the night and a mother now long dead, Georgina was never in for an easy life. After a tragic event left her father shaken, he makes a decision that will change the course of all their lives… to raise Georgina as George, ensuring her safety but marking the start of her life of crime…
Now the stage is set and you’ve had a taster it is undeniable that Sam will certainly receive the credit she deserves in this new chapter of her literary career – and we wish her every success.