Sunday Times Bestseller author Jessie Elland will release her second novel, Lament, next spring.
The former Emmerdale actress shared the news on Instagram.
“I am so proud of the uncanny little world I have created with Lament, and I am so excited to share it with you,” Elland wrote on her Instagram account (@jessieelland).
Set in 1824, Lament follows Alfie.
He watches in helpless agony as two people he loves disappear beneath freezing water.
The town of Streanshalt then turns against him.
The locals treat Alfie much like the ‘Alum Witches’ who came before him.
Elland drew inspiration from Whitby, a seaside town in Yorkshire.
She praised the town’s dark and atmospheric landscape.
“Lament would not exist without the gothic place that is Whitby.”
Infamous inspiration for horror
Whitby has inspired gothic fiction before.
The town played an important role in Bram Stoker’s Dracula.
Stoker visited Whitby Abbey and explored the town’s public library.
The dramatic ruins helped shape the atmosphere of his famous horror novel.
Stoker also discovered a reference to Vlad the Impaler in a library book.
The 15th-century prince became associated with the name Dracula.
Stoker noted the name and its date.
That discovery later became part of literary history.
North East gets its overdue credit
Born in Darlington, Elland is no stranger to shining a torch on the underappreciated region she calls home.
Her debut novel, The Ladie Upstairs, is based on various landscapes in the North East, including Preston Park in Stockton on Tees as the fictional Ropner Hall.
She joins international bestselling author LJ Ross in putting the North East’s wild and wonderful history on the modern map.
From Holy Island to Penshaw, Ross has inspired thousands to visit the region through her esteemed DCI Ryan crime series.
In fact, in her Facebook group, the LJ Ross Book Club, it is hard to scroll without seeing another reader posing for photos at one of the iconic northern sites in her books.
During an interview with The Books and Travel Podcast, Ross remarked: “I think my head and heart were always grounded in this part of the world.”
Championing cultural significance
However, the North East has not always been recognised in a glowing light.
In 1960, the Arts Council of Great Britain called the North East of England a “cultural desert”, despite the region boasting over 70 castles and iconic modern architectural landmarks such as Penshaw Monument and the Tyne Bridge.
That is why it is incredibly encouraging to see writers such as LJ Ross and Jessie Elland champion the region in their stories and Lament will be no exception.
Describing her upcoming release as “born and bred in the North East”, Elland is all set to transport readers into the supernatural folklore embedded in the area’s rich history.
A credit to the region and a breath of fresh northern air, Jessie Elland is certainly an author to keep an eye on.
Lament is available for pre-order now: Lament by Jessie Elland | Waterstones
READ NEXT: Film news: Anne Hathaway breaks her silence on ‘Yesteryear’ adaptation
