Publication Day Blog:

The Village of Lost and Found by Alison Sherlock

When I began to write The Village of Lost and Found in March last year, I had no idea how the coming 12 months would highlight the importance of community spirit and the places we lived in.

One of the positive things about the past year has been the way people have begun to change their lives. So many businesses have benefitted from those wanting to stay close to home and connect with their communities.

Places like village shops and community centres have become vital during lockdown when people couldn’t travel further than their local area. As well as providing vital food and services, they are also a huge source of human contact.

If any good can come out of this time, I would like to hope that community spirit becomes a way of life for many of us. Making new local friends and supporting where we live is hopefully here to stay.

The Village of Lost and Found is about the community of Cranbridge, a fictional village in the English countryside. Lucy Conway spent many happy summers there during her childhood with her beloved Uncle Frank. But when she returns she finds that the village is far more run down than she remembers and decides to help bring it back to its former glory.

Someone else needing help is editor of the local newspaper Tom Addison. He’s having a crisis of confidence and to make matters worse, her Uncle’s pride and joy, The Cranbridge Times, is close to going out of business.

With time on her hands, can Lucy work some magic and together save the family newspaper?

Over a long, hot summer, friendships are made and hearts begin to heal. And, with the help of a stray dog, perhaps Lucy and Tom can find their very own new beginning…

I do hope you enjoy reading The Village of Lost and Found. I’m on Twitter and Facebook if you want to contact me.

Happy reading!