An author from Staffordshire has launched a book to help banish those January blues.

Author Lydia Jones, of Derrington near Stafford, who has launched an e-book

Mother-of-one Lydia Jones has compiled a collection of favourite feel-good stories she has had published down the decades and released the ‘best of’ as an e-book available on the Kindle. The 51-year-old’s For A Smile goes on sale on Monday for the Kindle and other compatible apps such as the iPhone.

“I wanted to do something special to mark selling more than 100 stories for publication,” said Lydia, who lives with her husband Eric, daughter Kate and dog Dylan in Derrington, near Stafford.

“Lots of people got Kindles for Christmas and an e-book is a fantastic way for me to reach new readers who don’t necessarily take the women’s weekly magazines where my work appears.”

As well as having 100 stories published in UK and foreign magazines, Mrs Jones has also won two international short story competitions.

She added: “We could all do with cheering up right now I’m hoping that’s just what my book will do.”