A MELKSHAM author is celebrating the launch of her first book as part of a two-book contract with a UK publisher.
Valerie Keogh’s first book, ‘Secrets Between Us’ was released last month and her second, ‘The Housewife’, will be released next year in February. Prior to her book deal, Valerie, whose real surname is Dickenson, self-published nine books.
Valerie said, “I’ve been self-published for several years now and have two crime series available on Amazon. One, the Garda West series, is based in Dublin and the other, the Hudson and Connolly series is based in the UK.
“A year ago, after a distressing time in the nursing home I was working in, I decided, once again, to try to get a publishing deal. I sent off a submission to Bookouture and a few days later had an email from them asking if they could ring me. Needless to say, I said yes!
“A few nerve-wracking and excited months later, in March of this year, I signed a two-book contract with them. My first book, Secrets Between Us, was published in November. It’s available as an ebook, paperback and also audio. My second book, The Housewife, is due out in February.
“Grey clouds definitely have silver linings! A year after my terrible ordeal in that nursing home in Box, I was able to leave nursing permanently and concentrate on my writing career. After almost 40 years nursing, it’s a huge change, but one that I am thoroughly enjoying.”
About her new book, ‘Secrets Between Us’, Valerie says, “Ellie and Tia are identical twins – but the seconds between their delivery has made them very different.
“Ellie is a high-flyer, Tia has mild learning disability. When the home, where Tia has lived for the last 15 years, closes down, Ellie and her husband Will offer her a home. It is a step Ellie quickly regrets and a decision that is destined to change all their lives forever.”
