Bestselling author Milly Johnson is gearing up for the release of her eighth book, the fourth in the 'seasons series'.

 

'A Winter Flame' is due to be released next week and tells the story of Eve, who dislikes Christmas but inherits a Christmas-themed park when her beloved aunt dies.

 

But her aunt's will stipulates that she must run the theme park with a complete stranger.

Milly said the idea came to her when she visited Billingley Christmas tree farm to chose a tree and pet the reindeers.

 

She added: "I had a great deal of affection for the place when I went up there, there's even a bit in the book about it.

 

"I don't know what it is but there is just something about that place - I could see it appearing in a book but I didn't know quite what to do with it.

 

"Then I saw the story about the Lapland Christmas grotto that was really terrible and was nicknamed 'crapland' and I thought 'that's it' and it went from there."

 

Milly's appearance at Barnsley Library on November 19 is now sold out, though she is planning another on January 21 from 6.30pm.

 

She will also hold a booksigning at W H Smith on October 27 from 10am-noon.

 

Full story in this week's Chronicle.