Jackie Watson – local author

A little bit about me

I grew up in Cramlington and have always loved books. I’ve lived most of my life in the North East and my home is now in the Tyne Valley. I believe in following your dreams and in my twenties, thirties, and forties I took the opportunity to travel to Australia, New Zealand, America, Canada, UK and Ireland. In my mid-twenties I also completed a four-year BA(Hons) Marketing Management degree. So, when I had a recurring dream about a feisty young Geordie woman arriving in a quaint Greek fishing village, I decided to follow my dreams again and write her story.

If I’m not working or writing, you’ll find me striding around the countryside with my partner and our extremely cute and characterful Miniature Schnauzer. Or I might be pottering in the allotment, running, or planning an adventure.

A little bit about my writing

I write uplifting contemporary fiction set mainly on the beautiful Greek island of Lefkada. I have indie published two books in the Apokeri Bay trilogy (Apokeri Bay in June 2023 and Saving Elora in May 2024 and the final part will come out in July this year). I also published a spin-off dark romance novella in autumn 2025. I’m now fifty-one and believe it’s never too late to embrace a new career (even if you’re still working in another one).

The Apokeri Bay trilogy was born from a recurring dream about a feisty female Geordie who unexpectedly falls in love with a quaint Greek seaside village full of secrets and ends up with some of her own. In my writing I don’t give the characters an easy life. They might discover life-changing friendships, love and hope but need to overcome family friction, dark secrets, guilt, and betrayal. Ultimately, they must learn how to embrace and overcome everything life throws at them.

Over twenty years, the trilogy follows Anna Jenkinson on an emotional journey of self-discovery, resilience, and forgiveness. While my spin-off novella centres on an Apokeri Bay character, twelve years before events in the first novel. All my books include love, friendship, hope and heartbreak, with a few twists and turns to keep you guessing.

Apokeri Bay series availability

All of my books are available on Amazon in paperback and on Kindle. They are also available to order from bookshops and libraries. Saving Elora was also a recent finalist in the Wishing Shelf Book Awards in the adult fiction category.

“A cleverly plotted drama populated with fully formed characters. A FINALIST and highly recommended!” The Wishing Shelf Book Awards

I’ve attached covers of all three of my books and below are links to my social media and website if you want to have a little look.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my email and I’d be delighted to be added to the Northumberland WI speaker list. Have a wonderful week and do not hesitate to contact me with any queries.