Who are your local Dorset Authors

Dorset is one of the most prolific literary counties in the country - particularly when it comes to pastoral themes and poetry. Thomas Hardy and John Fowles come to mind immediately, but our list is comprised mainly of slightly less familiar authors we've become acquainted with over the past few months. 

We try and keep a constant stock of different local titles - and if you are a Dorset author and should be here please contact us, we'd be happy to stock your book!

Anna Birch

Anna is a James Herriot for the 21st century: vet, farmer’s wife, and mother of three. 

Her semi-autobiographical books follow Anna’s personal and professional fortunes, from her first days as a green, keen, slightly hapless newly-qualified vet, and her whirlwind romance with local Wildlife Trust worker Rob, to the chaos of family life on a working organic farm, all set against the beautiful landscapes of Dorset.  On the way we come to know a cast of eccentric and engaging country people and their animals. 

Jason Elliot

Jason Elliot travelled with the Mujaheddin as they were fighting Soviet troops, when he was just nineteen years old. Fortunately he returned safely from that war and has since become an acclaimed writer about Afghanistan. An Unexpected Light; Travels in Afghanistan, 2001, won him The Daily Telegraph/Thomas Cook Award. He has also travelled extensively in Iran, publishing Mirrors of the Unseen; Journeys in Iran. Bloomsbury published Jason’s first novel, The Network; a fast-paced thriller about British spies and Afghanistan in the run up to 9/11. He now lives in Dorset.

Maddie Grigg

Maddie Grigg is the pen name of former local newspaper editor Margery Hookings, who discovered Hardy Country thirty years ago, after straying twenty miles over the county border from her native Somerset. After several years without being deported, she couldn't think of anywhere else she'd rather be. Maddie writes fact, fiction and faction about Dorset and Corfu and is the author of the award-winning blog The World from my Window.

Paul Hyland

Paul Hyland has published six poetry collections, including Art of the Impossible: new and selected poems (Bloodaxe Books), and much of his work has been broadcast by the BBC. His best-selling guide Getting Into Poetry (Bloodaxe Books) is extremely influential. He has judged the National Poetry Competition (Poetry Society) and the Bridport Prize. Four of his travel books have been 'Books of the Year' in UK and US newspapers. His biographicalRalegh's Last Journey (HarperCollins) is described by John Simpson as "an absolute jewel." He lives in Blandford Forum and we were proud to have him present the awards for our 2nd Annual Poetry Competition at Beatons Blandford Launch party!

Sophia Moseley

Sophia Moseley published her first children’s book The Adventures of Charlie in 2012; a book of four short adventure stories that the younger reader will love; from dragons to goblins and tooth fairies to Father Christmas. Sophia also runs creative writing workshops in schools across the south-west and enjoys nothing more than dipping into her poetry writing when she finds a spare moment.

Her non-fiction work has appeared in a number of magazines, both local and national including Dorset Life Magazine and Archant Press’ Dorset Magazine and Woman’s Weekly.

Sophia lives in Dorset close to the incredible Jurassic coast with her husband and two young sons. Look out for our review in Forum Focus March 2015!

Peter Newall

Peter Newall is an internationally-renowned maritime historian.  A former British Airways executive, he has written numerous shipping articles and seven highly acclaimed books.  His first on Table Bay Harbour was published in 1993, followed by several more photographic reference books including Cunard Line: a Fleet History which is now considered to be the definitive history of this 175 year old company and Mauretania Triumph and Resurrection which follows the history and dismantling of this famous Cunarder, parts of the interior of which can be seen in and around the West Country.  Peter also owns the Newall Dunn Collection, one of the world's largest collections of historic merchant shipping images.  He lives in Blandford Forum with his partner and two cats.

  

Jennie Anne Rake

Made her entry into the world of the published author in September 2013 with ‘Deception, Lies and Chocolate Muffins … the guilty secrets of a wayward school teacher’. At first sight the casual browser might think that the book has recipes – because of the chocolate muffin on the cover. Those who know Jennie used to be a primary school teacher, have assumed the book is autobiographical. Neither are true.

'Deception, Lies and Chocolate Muffins' will be one of our Summer Reads for 2015

One day she found myself asking if there was a book inside her? At the time she had a shop in Blandford, selling a range of fairly traded foods and gifts. There were times when trade was quiet and dusting the shelves became a chore that she preferred to put off. Instead, armed with a notebook and pen – and a well-thumbed ‘Roget’s Thesaurus’ - she embarked on writing about Hattie and Nick’s escape to the country. She was delighted when Book Guild accepted her manuscript. Her second book, ‘ Forgetting Mr Nice-Guy’ - also written in my shop - was published in July 2014 and a sequel to her first book is underway.

Rosie Staal

Rosie Staal has had a career as a journalist with national and regional newspapers and magazines, latterly as editor of a monthly lifestyle magazine. She is the author of three published non-fiction books – all with impossibly long titles such as 'What Shall we Do with Mother? How to manage when yourelderly parent is dependent on you and 'How to Split up and Stay in One Piece - surviving divoerse and relationship breakdown' - and now copy-edits and proof-reads manuscripts for publishers and authors.

She regularly writes features for national newspapers and since 2000 has written a popular column, Sally Hill’s Journal, for the Blackmore Vale magazine.

Rosie lives in Blandford with her husband, David Eidlestein, who is also a writer and a former newspaper editor. They are both involved in a number of local voluntary organisations and Rosie, a former arts editor, is a board member of Dorset Visual Arts.