Express & Star

Tag-team authors celebrate launch of their book almost four years in the making

Two authors are celebrating the release of a book that has been in the works for almost four years.

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Jon Markes (front) and Mike Braccia at the launch of their book Leeford Village

Leeford Village, penned by both Mike Braccia and Jon Markes, has been officially released in full at Kingswinford Library, on Market Street, having been in development since early 2019.

The book tells the story of many different characters who are living their regular day-to-day lives in the small village of Leeford.

Mike, 64, said: "The numbers were down from what we would have liked, but we still had a really good turnout. It's so difficult to promote things these days, but we really enjoyed it.

"Jon and I did some readings and signed some of the books and answered some of the questions, it was a small intimate group. It is a relief that this book is out now, but it was absolutely lovely.

"The book details the lives of the residents of the fictional town of Leeford, which is based on Kingswinford really, so you recognise a few places that you may read in the book, but the characters are all our own.

"It's village life - there is comedy, there is drama, there is romance and there is illicit romance and it's fantastic. We don't really know any writers who write as we do."

The two authors write in tandem, with one writer creating an episode and then the other basing their next episode on what has been written – however, they have no influence over each others' character arcs.

Mike said: "This way of writing creates a unique style of creating this book because we never completely know what is coming next.

"The best way to describe this book is, it's a bit like The Archers, but with a bit more silliness to it and a lot less farming going on, and we really try not to take ourselves too seriously."

Leeford Village is available to purchase from the Kingswinford Library, on Market Street for £6.99 or alternatively through Amazon on paper and Kindle.

More information on the book can be found on Michael's website michaelbraccia.co.uk.