AN AUTHOR from Prudhoe is now selling her novels on Amazon.

Amber A. Cross is a children's fantasy and adventure writer and has so far self-published four books through Publishnation.

"My mother had an old typewriter and she used to write short stories," she said. 

"I used to live in Kerala, in South India, for several years. My mother was English and my dad was South Indian." 

As her mother was middle-aged when Amber was born, she said she grew up with an appreciation for both old literature and modern fiction. "I like M.R. James and Algernon Blackwood, but I also like Stephen King and modern books," she said.

Hexham Courant: LETTERS: Children's letters sent to Amber. Image: Amber A. Cross LETTERS: Children's letters sent to Amber. Image: Amber A. Cross

She said she was curious about the idea of writing books and had an idea involving a pirate ship and a collection of talking animals set in the Victorian era.

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This turned into her first novel 'Stevie Rump and the Sea Witches of Glendowwer'.

Amber started writing books for younger children before moving on to her 'Stevie Rump' series for eight to 12 year olds.

She is currently writing a follow up story on 'The Ghost of Cattingham Hall', for an older teenage audience.

Amber responds to letters from children who have read her books.

"It's very flattering to get letters from children," she said. "It's probably the nicest thing I've ever had.

"I'm quite pleased when people respond. I've had a lot of people say they liked the books. I think there's been 101 reviews on Amazon of 'The Ghost of Cattingham Hall'.

"I had a letter from a child who said 'Stevie Rump and the Sea Witches of Glendowwer' encouraged them to read other books so I responded to their letter and suggested what other books they'd like. When you get a compliment like that, you feel like you're doing something right."

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Amber worked at a solicitor's during the pandemic before she was made redundant. "I got a job with the NHS and then I started writing. Sometimes you just have to move on," she said.

Amber used to live in Cumbria before moving to Prudhoe. She said: "I love the different areas you can go to in Northumberland, I think it's the nicest place to live."

Her favourite book so far has been 'Stevie Rump and the Werewolves of Howly Island'.

"I really enjoyed writing that," she said. "I enjoyed writing the ghost book as well, reading about hauntings, and I brought witchcraft into the story."