A TALENTED author from a village near Bromsgrove who has turned her hand from script to novel writing is poised to become the next Jilly Cooper.

Veronica Henry, a scriptwriter for many of TV's most popular soaps and dramas, including The Archers and Heartbeat, released her debut novel Honeycote on Thursday, July 4.

According to publishers, Penguin, the novel is packed with plenty of misdemeanours, ambition, greed, revenge and a plot that is as water-tight as Barbour.

The Fockbury resident, who has been dubbed by the bookseller as a younger version of Jilly Cooper, said: "Every time I lost myself in the latest blockbuster, I yearned to create my own world.

"But somehow life and earning a living got in the way."

After leaving Bristol university she landed her first job as a production secretary on The Archers and was then involved with Crossroads before turning her hand to scriptwriting.

She added: "I wanted to write what was in effect a romp of a tale whose many characters would be inextricably linked by healthy helpings of elicit affairs, back-stabbing and unrequited lust."

Deciding to set the tale in the Cotswolds gave the enthusiastic author the opportunity to spend several weekends at the Lygon Arms, in Broadway, away from her hectic home-life.

"With just my laptop for company, I tussled with the complicated lives of the inhabitants of Honeycote, whose fates and fortunes I hope you enjoy reading about."

Honeycote is published by Penguin and available from all good bookstores priced at £5.99.