Award-winning author near Banbury releases new novel - with a bit of local inspiration

Linda Newbery, who won a Costa Book Award for her book Set in Stone, released her new novel, The One True Thing, on April 24, telling a story of betrayal and family loyalties.

But it was her time spent admiring artists in the annual Oxfordshire Artsweek that sparked her creativity.

"My new novel owes a great deal to Artweeks, going back many years to when I found local stone-carver Bernard Johnson in the catalogue and sought him out at a Summertown exhibition," said Linda, from Barford St Michael.

When Bernard offered workshops at his new base, The Pig Sty, the author seized her chance of hands-on experience with chisel, dummy and chunks of Portland Stone.

"I recall those summer days with great fondness: the quiet of the farmyard broken only by the tink tink of chisel on stone, the screams of swifts overhead and sometimes by Bernard’s music compilations. It felt timeless," she said.

"My new adult novel, The One True Thing, was taking shape, inspired by many Artweeks visits to varied and intriguing locations. "More research included helping Bernard to install two churchyard headstones and a visit to the Cardozo Kindersley workshop in Cambridge.

"One of my central characters, Bridget, feels dislodged from her urban, working-class roots when she moves with her husband to Wildings, his family’s country home. Feeling that the outbuildings shouldn’t be neglected and unused, she sets out to create a community of artists, attracting Meg, a young female stonemason specialising in letter-cutting, and Adam, an abstract painter."

Having found so much enjoyment in Artweeks, Linda will launch her novel alongside some of the talented artists and craftspeople taking part.

The One True Thing is one of four launch titles for a new author collaborative, Writers Review Publishing – and, as it happens, one of the other launch title features stone-carving: Mary Hoffman’s Renaissance story David tells the story behind Michelangelo’s iconic statue.

Find out more about The One True Thing, Linda’s other books and the author collaborative at writersreviewpublishing.co.uk. During Artweeks, Linda will join the artists at Wise Investments, venue 500, from May 16-26.

Oxfordshire Artsweek is currently running until May 26. Visit https://www.artweeks.org