After reaching the 2020 Writing Award Shortlist and coming second in the 2020 Writing Award, Joanne Clague found a literary agent who sold her book to Canelo publishers with a three-book deal!
Jo's first book The Ragged Valley is available to order in eBook or paperback from every bookshop and can be found online here. Book 2 in the Sheffield Sagas is out on November 3.
From the wreckage, they must piece together new lives for themselves...
Determined not to waste his life toiling for his cruel brother, Silas , the second son of a farmer, arrives in town to seek his fortune. Harriet has reconciled herself to a life no better than domestic service for her austere uncle. And John Gunson , Chief Engineer at the Sheffield Waterworks Company, has just completed his crowning glory – the Dale Dyke dam.
But one stormy night, the unthinkable happens. The dam bursts. A wall of water is unleashed, destroying everything in its path.
The aftershocks of the flood reach far beyond that night, with consequences that could never have been foreseen. Fatefully brought together, Silas and Harriet must now contend with their families as new love blooms. Meanwhile, Gunson faces not only an angry community but also a court of inquest looking for a scapegoat.
Can any good come from the disaster, and will justice be served for those who lost everything?
A thrilling saga inspired by the real events of the Great Sheffield Flood, perfect for fans of Dilly Court, Emma Hornby and Elisabeth McNeill.
"A powerful and absorbing story and an impressive debut . Her passion for the era and area in which she writes shines through. A 'dam' good read!" Emma Hornby
"A fabulous debut by a new saga author!" AnneMarie Brear
"Combines real people and fictional characters in a story both tragic and inspiring as Silas and Harriet overcome their brush with death." Libby Ashworth
"Terrific characters - from endearing to dastardly - and an exciting storyline kept me turning the pages, eager to find out what happened next." Lesley Eames
From Journalist to Three-Book Deal Author
Joanne Clague is an NCTJ-qualified journalist who has worked for thirty years in print, radio and broadcast media in the Isle of Man, a Crown dependency in the middle of the Irish Sea famous for its beautifully unspoilt and rugged landscape, motorsport and the world's oldest continuous parliament.
She decided to take up novel writing in earnest three years ago and is a Curtis Brown Creative alumna.
Joanne is the author of historical saga fiction set in nineteenth century Yorkshire.
Born and raised in Sheffield, Joanne rediscovered her passion for the city, for its past and its people, during research for her debut novel The Ragged Valley.
Two sequels followed – The Girl at Change Alley and The Watchman’s Widow.
She lives in the Isle of Man with her family and Labrador dogs in the beautiful coastal village of Laxey.
She had a career in print, radio and broadcast journalism before turning to novel writing.
When she’s not working on her second saga trilogy, due out in 2024, Joanne enjoys walking Piper and Mini in the Manx countryside, playing with her granddaughter and chasing wild billy goats out of the garden.
