By HELEN COMPSON

Published at 13:11, Tuesday, 23 December 2008

A HEXHAM author’s first novel has been published after she won a national writing competition.

In print: Author Judy Walker with her first novel Frankie.

Public relations manager and mother-of-three Judy Walker was delighted when the first copy of Frankie, a novel for children, was put in her hands.

The story caught the eye of publishing house UKA Press when she entered the first three chapters into its UK Authors Opening Pages competition.

“It was a great feeling – holding the book and seeing my name on the cover,” she said.

“I’d kept quiet about it, because I didn’t really believe it would happen.”

Like many an author who has gone before her, Judy had got used to letters of rejection dropping through her letterbox.

But the manuscript was just what UKA was looking for – a novel aimed at young people.

Judy began writing the book seven years ago, when her eldest, Laurence, was 13. With twins four years younger, too, she was tuned in to what interested youngsters.

Write about what you know, as the saying goes, so Judy made her eponymous hero 13.

“I found it very easy to put myself into the mind of a young teenager while I was writing,” she said.

“I spent a lot of time listening in to the conversations of my own children and how they spoke to their friends.”

The book opens with Frankie trying to come to terms with the loss of his parents and his new life with his hippy aunt and uncle.

Personal tragedy recedes into the background, though, when he discovers a dreadful secret which forces him and his new friends to flee for their lives.

The novel has been praised by G.P. Taylor, author of the Shadowmancer and Mariah Mundi series.

He said: “I found this story enthralling, wonderful and moving. The twists and turns will take your breath away – a great fireside read.”

Although this is Judy’s first novel, her short stories and poetry have been published in anthologies and magazines, and read on BBC local radio stations.

She is also the author of two stage plays – Bottling It, which was performed at the Queen’s Hall in Hexham in 2007, and Frail Elderly, which was staged at a London pub theatre earlier this year.

Frankie is now available at Cogito bookshop in Hexham or online from Amazon.

Published by http://www.hexhamcourant.co.uk