Jude Hayland

Born in London, I spent many years writing commercial short fiction for magazines and was widely published in both the UK and internationally. Completing an M.A. in Creative Writing with distinction entirely changed my focus and I started writing longer fiction, completing my first novel in 2017, COUNTING THE WAYS.

My second novel, THE LEGACY OF MR JARVIS was published in 2019 and my third, MILLER STREET SW22 was published in February 2021. My fourth novel, THE ODYSSEY OF LILY PAGE, was published at the end of 2023. All my books are available as both paperbacks and eBooks. I have also published an ebook of light commercial women's fiction stories under the name Polly Dodd, entitled TESTING THE WATERS AND OTHER STORIES. My novels are all character-driven stories about the complexities of love and relationships, familial obligation, freedom and fulfilment and are set in the recent past, ranging from 1983 to 2006.

I am now working on my fifth novel and its subject is a departure for me - a WW2 novel and my first venture into writing about an era that I did not personally experience and therefore requires considerable research.

In addition to writing, I also teach creative writing classes and combine this with working as a tutor of English and Drama. I enjoy talking to clubs, societies and groups about my extensive writing career and about related literary matters and I blog regularly from my website.

I have lived in Winchester for the past 30 years although London remains the place that has the greatest sense of home to me.

I also spend a great deal of time at a family house in northwest Crete.

My genre can be summed up, therefore, as : literary/commercial/lit/lite/book group fiction and is likely to appeal to readers of Anita Brookner, Margaret Forster, Penelope Lively, Anna Quindlen - to name just a few.

Author news

Events for AUTUMN 2023:

September: Talk on my writing career to South Wonston's Wednesday Afternoon Group

October: Guest Speaker at Wildern School (an Arts Academy) at Athena awards for creativity, speaking on Curiosity and Determination and presenting awards

November: Craft fair at Godalming - 4th November

Craft fair at Milton on Sea - 18th November

November issue of THE VOICE - Alton Writing Magazine - INTERVIEW TO MARK PUBLICATION OF MY NEW NOVEL

Friday December 1st. BOOK LAUNCH for The Odyssey of Lily Page - In Winchester - BY INVITATION

Tuesday December 13th. HAMPSHIRE WRITERS' SOCIETY - Christmas Book Fair - selling copies of my novels

Events for 2024:

January 12th. Online interview for The Author Spot - to be released as Youtube video - discussing my books and writing career

January 30th. Creative Writing workshops for years 6 to 9 at Wellesley School Hampshire to mark World Religion Day

February 13th. HAMPSHIRE WRITERS' SOCIETY - guest speaker on PATHS INTO PUBLISHING

March 8th/9th ARUNDEL LITERARY FESTIVAL

- running a workshop with children's writer, Marie Armstrong, on CHARACTERISATION IN PROSE

- taking part in a discussion on FICTIONALISING REAL CHARACTERS AND THE PITFALLS OF WRITING HISTORICAL FICTION

March 21st.

Online talk as a local writer to Brendoncare about writing and my novels to mark WORLD BOOK DAY

March 23rd. WALLINGFORD CRAFT MARKET - SELLING COPIES OF MY NOVELS

April 26th - 28th BOURNEMOUTH WRITING FESTIVAL - event with Troubador

May 11th. SWINDON LITERARY FESTIVAL - running a writers' workshop at Lower Shaw Farm, Swindon

May 18th. LYNDHURST CRAFT FAIR - SELLING COPIES OF MY NOVELS

May 27th. CRETAN CORNER TAVERNA MEGALA CHORAFIA APOKORONAS N.W.CRETE - PRESENTATION AND BOOK SIGNING

June 11th. FARNHAM FRIENDSHIP CLUB - Guest Speaker- talking on MY WRITING CAREER

June 8th ROMSEY CRAFT FAIR /June 15th. NEWBURY CRAFT FAIR / July 6th. SALISBURY CRAFT FAIR /

June 25th. Talk for Brendon Care on Writing for Well-Being as part of Well-being Week

July 1st EPSOM U3A- Guest Speaker - talk on WRITE ON!

July 13th. Lee-on-the-Solent Hub Library - talk on writing novels

July 17th. EASTLEIGH and District U3A - talk on Writing out of the Recent Past

October 16th. ALRESFORD HISTORIC AND LITERARY SOCIETY - speaking on Writing out of the recent past - how, why and when to set a novel with reference to social, political and cultural contexts.

Blandford Literary Festival - November 16th. - Running a Writer's Workshop and taking part in a panel discussion on writing and publishing