First novel by Northumberland resident acclaimed for her science work at the University of Oxford and poetry is published

Dr Sarah Watkinson spent most of her career as a plant scientist at the University of Oxford, but as well as Oxfordshire the family have had an address in Norham for more than 30 years.

Following on from her scientific papers and academic books, and then her poetry books with poem subjects including her local area and nearby locations over the border, she has had her first novel – Native Soil – published by Moore & Weinberg.

A description of the book is as follows: ‘The story, set in Yorkshire, is about the love affair between Olivia (new to farming) and TV environmentalist Andrew.

‘As their romance deepens (despite their families), they discover that their views on conservation and climate change are not always in tune. Can their love survive?’

Sarah, who is married with two children, four grandchildren and one dog, said: “After I retired I completed a diploma in creative writing and so I was determined to write a novel drawing on my scientific background. I am proud of the finished book.

“I also wanted farming to be a big part of the story. Norham and the Scottish Border towns are surrounded by marvellous farms and it has been a privilege to get to know some of these farmers and learn about how they operate – for example, how farming has become much more nature-friendly in recent years.”

Native Soil is available online at Amazon and also at the Geo. C. Grieve Ltd shop in Berwick.