A RUGBY-born writer is one half of a duo set for book launches across the region after the release of their new collaborative supernatural thriller.
Authors Robert D. Tysall and Ann Evans are preparing to sign copies of their novel, The Bitter End, at bookshops in Rugby, Kenilworth, Nuneaton and Coventry.
It is Rugbeian Robert’s debut novel, but Coventry writer Ann’s 31st book.
She previously wrote romance and crime novels for young adults as well as stories for children.
The pair said they were overjoyed when, on the book’s launch day (July 4), it hit the number one spot in Psychic books on Amazon, number three in Ghosts, and number five in Witches and Wizards.
Robert, who now lives in Nuneaton with wife Heather, said: “We really didn’t know how this book would be received, but we’ve been blown away by the response.”
“The Bitter End is quite a dark story which has provoked some very interesting reviews from readers,” says Ann, a former Coventry journalist.
“It came as a real surprise – and a welcome relief, to learn how scary some readers are finding our book.”
Ann has been working on the novel as part of her aim to write books for reluctant readers.
One of her previous children’s titles, The Beast, won the ‘Raring2Read’ award in the Coventry Literary Festival 2013.
And last year her ‘Rapid Read’ book, Keeper, came runner up in its category.
Another, The Prize, has just been shortlisted for the 2019 Coventry Literary Festival awards.
The Bitter End tells the story of Paul Christian who works as Head of Security at MI5.
He has no memories from before he was 10 years old. An accident left him in a coma for nine months. But he begins to wonder whether it was an accident as dark things start to happen, and local people begin dying in horrific accidents.
Two book signing dates have been confirmed: Saturday (August 11) at Hunt’s Book Shop, High Street, Rugby from 11am-2pm, and Thursday September 13 at Kenilworth Books, Talisman Close, Kenilworth, from 6.30-8pm.
Two more signing events are being arranged at Waterstones Nuneaton and Coventry.
