SWINDONIAN Sarah Harcourt has to face mystery, malicious phone calls and even solve a murder.

Fortunately, Sarah, a college principal, is just the figment of the imagination of author Judith Cranswick, from Liden, who has just had her first book published.

The book, called All In The Mind, is a psychological suspense novel set in Swindon and follows Sarah through a nightmarish period of her life.

It is the third book the former secondary headteacher has written but the first to be published.

"It's wonderful to be able to see a book I have written on the shelves," Judith said.

"It took me a year to write and another five years to get published.

"Trying to get it published was almost as painful as having a baby, but that only takes nine months.

"The setting is quite familiar as it's Swindon and there are lots of familiar street names and landmarks.

"Now I am finding myself writing all the time.

"I am not a plotter, I write as I go along, which makes it very hard when comes to the first drafts..

"But I really enjoy writing, I don't think I'd do it if I didn't."

Judith fits her writing around her job as a creative writing teacher at Swindon College.

She also teaches tai chi and yoga.

Her book is now on sale at the Borders bookshop, in north Swindon, and is also on the Amazon website at £8.99.

Judith will be talking about her book and signing copies as part of the Swindon Literature Festival on May 4 at 2.15pm in the West Swindon Library.

To find out more about the book visit Judith's website which is at www.judithcranswick.co.uk.

Anthony Osborne