A Sunday afternoon in May saw the launch of Usk writer Cat McGowan’s second novel, ‘Changing the Script’.

Guests gathered for drinks and refreshments at The Retreat, Llanover, and, keeping it a family affair, they were entertained with live music from brothers Robert and Daniel, McGowan, which was followed by a lively question and answer session between Cat and Elizabeth Simon. Meanwhile children were kept busy with a treasure hunt in the grounds and a ‘Design a book cover’ challenge in the Retreat’s yurt.

‘It was the perfect setting to launch my book,’ Cat said, ‘as it is set in a small town in Monmouthshire, where the main character lives beside a canal.’

‘Changing the Script’ is the story of a young woman, Lucy, who needs to escape her home in outer London after a catastrophic life event leaves her desperate for anonymity. The toll house beside the canal on the edge of Llanor seems to be the perfect place to hide away, but the unexpectedly lively local community has other ideas, eventually leaving Lucy with a huge choice to make about where her future lies.

‘I decided to place the story in Monmouthshire because I love living in this county so much and have spent many happy hours walking the canal with my children and dog, so, when my character needed to leave big city life, I followed the maxim of ‘write about what you know’, Cat explained.

‘Changing the Script’ is published by rapidly growing Saron Publishers, and is available, alongside Cat’s first book, ‘Under a Christmas Sky’ at The Retreat and online, priced at £9.99.

Mamhilad based Saron Publishers was originally founded by Penny Reeves, a feature writer and has a growing catalogue of writers