Author’s award-winning debut is a bestseller

The award-winning debut novel by a South Tyneside author has gone on to become an Amazon bestseller.

The Last Village, by East Boldon-based Audla English is set in Marsden Village, the village built by the Whitburn Coal Company, before it was demolished 60 years ago.

Inspired by the author’s own grandmother, who grew up in the area, The Last Village isadualtimelinestory,splitbetween the modern day and the past, as main character Anna learnsabouthergrandmother Lily growing up in 1945.

The book which came out in October 2018 has become a surprising success in the US, winning a Chill with a Book Premier Readers’ Award, as well as being honoured as a finalist in the 2019 American Fiction Awards. And last week it was officially recognised as a Bestseller on Amazon.

“I’m quite humbled by the fact that people have taken it on board out there, it’s lovely to berecognisedgivenithassuch alocalsetting,"saidAudla,who writes under a pseudonym.

“I think it appeals to people as it’s very family orientated and there’s a strong theme of women,especiallytherelationshipbetweenthegrandmother and granddaughter. It has elements of tragedy as well, but it has a happy ending.”

An accountant by day, AudlawhowasborninSunderland buthaslivedinSouthTyneside all her life, says she has had the ideaforaboutadecade,butonly got the confidence to write it after her grandmother passed away four years ago.

“I have always wanted to write and I’ve always been fascinated by Souter Lighthouse and that a whole community lived just in its shadow, then disappeared,” she said.

The Last Village is available in paperback and kindle from Amazon and at the The Word, South Shields.