about the author

Steph Newham has spent many years mentoring developing writers, running workshops and creative writing groups. Her work has been published in newspapers, anthologies and e-zines. Steph came to writing later in life after a career in the NHS and counselling. At the age of sixty, she did a master’s in creative writing, determined to overcome her fears of the stigma attached to dyslexia. Now she writes for pleasure at her home in south-west Scotland, where she lives with her husband Godfrey, and a collection of severed dolls’ heads.

about the book

Human ashes in a tea caddy, a baby delivered in a snowstorm, worm pie, a priest with a passion for airbrushing. How much do we know about our friends, our families, or even ourselves? This debut collection exposes the strangeness of everyday lives, embracing the light and the dark sides of human nature. Uncomfortably honest and direct, these stories reveal the fears and passions of the mind through their characters, places and situations, an exploration of the boundaries between fantasy and reality. These are people we all know. A rich potpourri of character and plot in this intriguing (and sometimes dark) collection of tales from a talented storyteller. Angela Locke. Author of Dreams of the Blue Poppy (Robert Hale) etc Steph Newham has empathy with all her characters so presents her stories as rounded pieces for her readers’ enjoyment. Where she takes on characters from history her research is careful and enriches her stories, which range across many subjects. Vivien Jones. Poet, author. Co-editor Southlight Magazine Short but not sweet, Steph Newham writes vignettes that blaze out, illuminated briefly by the photo-flash of her pen. And when the light blinks out, you are left wondering as the scene presents itself again like the complexity of good wine, each time leaving a different taste. Tony Walker. Author of A Christmas Ghost, etc and The Classic Ghost Story podcast. These stories are atmospheric, the characters well-drawn. In ‘Unwise Words’, I felt the young mother’s regret and shivered in fear as the bonfire was lit. The sights and smell in the four Spanish stories took me to that country and I laughed out loud at the manuring of the roses in The Sand Walk. Something here for everyone. Gwen Kirkwood. Author of sixteen Scottish novels and novellas (Joffee Books)

news

My Book Launch

I launched my debut collection of short stories, Lady with Edelweiss, at the Lockerbie Library on Thursday. At the book launch, I introduced my book, distributed signed copies and took pictures wi ........

ITV Border News Recently Featured Me and My Book

ITV Border News recently featured me and my book, Lady with Edelweiss. The feature detailed my journey from discovering I had dyslexia to coping with it. You can watch the full feature here. ........

I was featured in dng24

I was featured in a local weekly newspaper, dng24. The feature highlighted my recent book launch for my debut novel, Lady with Edelweiss, held at Lockerbie Library. It also shared a little bit abo ........

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contact

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