Newton Aycliffe author, Stacey Gowland, is releasing her debut novel The Meadows on the 17th of July. Stacey began writing the novel four years ago but had to put it on hold while she had a new baby, completed her MA degree in Creative Writing, and her PGCE and SCITT teacher training. Despite taking a short break from the novel, she continued to write and had a short story The Making of Nancy shortlisted and published by The Bristol Prize. Her novel, The Meadows, which will be available to buy in paperback and eBook formats on Amazon, Kobo, Barnes and Noble, as well as local independent bookshops, is a social realist piece of gritty fiction which focuses on the life of several characters after a teenage girl is attacked by a group of school girls. The novel, set in the northeast of England, shows how laws and opinions are effected by social and economic class differences, how social media can be a blessing and a curse, and the implications of ‘kids being kids’. Stacey submitted the first draft of The Meadows to the Penguin Random House WriteNow competition and was both long listed and short listed, her prize for making the short list was meeting editors, authors, literary agents, and having her novel read by them as well as receiving full feedback which she said helped to motivate her to continue writing it. Stacey is currently working on her next novel and a short story collaboration as well as teaching secondary English full time.
The Blurb
She should be choosing baby names. Instead she is choosing between the life of her sister and that of her unborn child.
Emily has lived her whole life making choices that have alienated her. After the only tie that kept her bonded to her family, her little sister Maggie is attacked, her ties are severed. Now she must make the ultimate choice, one which will be felt by everyone and one that will hurt her most of all.
Shakira just wants her mam’s acceptance and is willing to do almost anything to get it, even if it means doing things she will regret.
Life on The Meadows estate is about making up your own rules. If there is a problem, it is dealt with on the estate. The people there learned long ago that they are on their own and have adapted. The only rule they all live by is, you do not harm children. Unless of course it is the children causing the harm.
