A TALENTED writer from Leigh Sinton is set to begin a new chapter with the publication of her first novel.
Rosie Pugh, 20, who is currently studying Classics and English at Jesus College in Oxford has written an adult fantasy novel which will be published next month.
Her debut title ‘The Pearliad’ will hit bookshelves on February 21 on the same day her book has its official launch at the Library of Birmingham. It will also be available to buy as an ebook.
The novel tells the story of Effie Seabright, a 16-year-old girl living on the sparsely inhabited Indigo Isles off the coast of mainland Britain.
Set in the world of the Roman Empire, Effie finds a pearl washed up on the shore of a beach close to her home and soon discovers it is the arca of one of the most feared men in the Roman Empire, Gideon Stickings.
Effie then sets off on an adventure in the first part of a trilogy with ‘The Pearliad’ sequel’s ‘The Buttonica’ and ‘The Ribbonid’ to be published in the coming years.
Rosie has been writing from an early age and said her parents used to discipline her for bad behaviour when she was younger by not allowing her to read.
She also had a part-time job at Malvern book shop Beacon Books before it closed.
Speaking to the Observer, Rosie said having her first novel published was a dream come true and she could not wait to hold it in her hands.
“It is such an exciting time, I am really happy with it,” she said.
“I actually wrote the novel two and a half years ago before all of a sudden everything happened all at once when the publisher I met contacted me saying he was interested in publishing the novel. It was a great feeling.
“Initially it was just going to be published as an ebook but after several discussions it was agreed it will also come out as a book so I will be able to hold it in my hand. I’m so looking forward to it.
“My aim in the next few years is to concentrate on the sequels and when all that is done I will re-assess my options and see where I want to go from there.”
Visit www.limehousebooks.co.uk for more information.
