Best-selling author ready to sign-in at Wirral bookstore (From Wirral Globe)

Best-selling author ready to sign-in at Wirral bookstore

1:37pm Thursday 21st February 2013 in News By Craig Manning

A BEST-selling author whose previous work was inspired by the tragedy of ill-fated Birkenhead built submarine HMS Thetis comes to the town for a book signing next month.

Lyn Andrews will sign copies of her debut historical novel The Queen's Promise and latest saga Sunlight on the Mersey at WHSmith in The Grange and Pyramids Shopping Centre on Saturday, March 9.

The Queen’s Promise is a historical epic set in the heart of a Tudor court and tells the tale of Anne Boleyn and the man who loved her before she became Queen.

Liverpool-born Lyn, who now lives in the Isle Of Man, said: "It is a real departure for me and something completely different for my many loyal readers."

It was the double sinking of HMS Thetis, a World War II submarine built at the Cammell Laird Shipyard, which formed a focal point for one of her previous novels – The Ties That Bind.

The military vessel first sunk in June 1939 with the loss of 99 lives. She was later salvaged, repaired and recommissioned as HMS Thunderbolt but sank again killing all her crew in March 1943.

It gave the submarine the grim honour of being only one of a small number of military vessels which have been lost twice with all their crew in their service history.

Lyn, who now lives in the Isle Of Man, features regularly on the Sunday Times best seller list and has now sold more than two million books.

Looking forward to the booksigning, she said: "The Wirral is a lovely area and I have lots of fond memories of it. In fact it has often provided inspiration for my books.

"In one of my earlier books, The Ties That Bind, part of the plot centres on the tragedy of the 'Thetis' a submarine built in Cammell Laird Shipyard in Birkenhead and some of the male characters I created for the book worked there.

"It is a sharp turn away from the usual romantic reads which Lyn has become famous for. 

Derek Millar, commercial Director for The Grange and Pyramids, said: “We have quite a history of welcoming big names to the shopping centre and to have such a much loved and well respected writer coming here is a real treat for our shoppers.

"Given Lyn’s background and where she comes from, I am sure she has many readers on the Wirral and so we are very pleased to be hosting her book signing here in Birkenhead.”

Lyn was born in Liverpool in September 1943 and was the only child of Joseph and Monica Ormesher. Her father was killed on D-Day when she was only nine months old.

She has written 32 successful sagas, set in Liverpool, Southern Ireland and the Isle of Man.

The March 9 booksigning takes place from 12.30–1.30pm.