Book is a ‘love letter’ to Airdrie

An Airdrie author’s latest novel is “a real love letter” to her home town.

Julie Hamill’s much-anticipated sequel to hit 2015 release Frank, entitled Jackie, is once again set in the streets of Airdrie – this time in 1989.

The 47- year- old writer, who now lives in London, says the story – the second in a trilogy – features “many Airdrie locations from the late eighties, evoking much nostalgia and fondness for the town”.

The novel continues its predecessor’s themes of grief, family drama and comedy as Jackie, Frank’s daughter, tries to navigate her life with her three-year-old child, June, named after her late mother.

Further describing the plot of her latest work – which will be available to buy next month – Julie said: “It’s five years since Jackie’s mum June died and things seemed to have settled in the McNeill household.

“Frank looks after his granddaughter as Jackie works hard as a nurse at the hospital; good friend and neighbour Mrs Morrisson pops in to lend a helping hand to Frank when she’s needed; and Jackie’s caring friends Viv and Daniel continue to support her and make her laugh.

“But Jackie misses her mum; her crazy dreams make no sense and she looks for clues or signs from them.

“Frank has been keeping a secret, one that Mrs Morrisson and the whole town of Airdrie knows… everybody except Jackie.

“To compound Jackie’s confusion, her ex – and June’s father – Tommy is back and he says he’s changed.

“Jackie must investigate her mother’s past in order to make sense of her own future; there she finds many parallels that are very close to home and one in particular that helps her find a path to love.”

Julie added: “As with Frank, readers can expect a musical soundtrack of the time as well as many references to the surge in technological advances in the 1980s.

“I had to set the books somewhere and felt it had to be Airdrie, where I lived from the age of nine until I was 17.

“Writing the story evoked a lot of memories of what people were wearing back then and I remember going to the old Airdrie market and buying a luminous green jacket!

“When I was growing up, there wasn’t much to do but wander around and I have fond memories of going to Christie’s for a cream ring and Zambonini’s chippy for pineapple fritters in the town centre.

“We also spent a lot of time in Cairnhill woods climbing in through a broken window of the Cairnhill Hotel to play hide-and-seek.

“It was great fun tapping into all of my childhood memories; I left Airdrie, but Airdrie never left me.

“I’m excited to get the second book in the series out there; I wanted Jackie to find happiness but she had to overcome a few hurdles on the way.

“This second book is a real love letter to Airdrie.”

Jackie will be published on October 15 and available in Airdrie’s WH Smith store as well as from Amazon and all good book shops.

Novel Jackie is the second in a trilogy