Blackburn poet and author Mark Ward is releasing his latest book ‘The Lost World of Langdale & Other Stories’ this month.
The book is a compilation of 37 different stories recounting the untold lives, and history of people in small villages and towns across the North West.
Mark began writing weekly blog posts from Grasmere in 2013 where he would share the interesting tales of strangers, reaching thousands of people across the globe.
He eventually moved to Blackburn and continued with the blog for six years before eventually deciding to compile the tales into a book titled 'The Lost World of Langdale & Other Stories', which will be available to buy in hardback this month.
He said: “I never once planned on turning the blog posts into a book until my publisher suggested it so it just kind of happened organically.”
Speaking on the writing process of the “most rewarding project” he’s ever undertaken, Mark said: “It’s been a period of great political and social upheaval, but I wanted to focus on the human aspect. The individuals; their lives, stories, favourite places and culinary skills.
“It was celebratory, a paean to England, its history, the land and the people. I’ve always found people who don’t make the news to be just as interesting, and often more so, than people who do.
"It proved to be the case as they invited me into their lives and homes, told me stories and took me to fascinating, and often overlooked places on the doorstep.”
Rather than just focusing on individual stories, Mark wanted to delve into the collective impact. He said: “If history teaches us anything it’s that we’re stronger together: strength lies in unity, not division.”
Mark has released three poetry collection books inspired by Lancashire and sees his latest release as an “extension of my poetry”.
He added: “After I finished my MA in 2012, I got into the practice of writing and people loved it. I was getting positive feedback from it, and prominent people in these villages I was visiting were asking me to write about them too.
“It’s a record of the lost world. People don’t write things down, so I see this as a chronicle of the time we’re living in. I hope that readers take an interest in the places I’ve written about and go and see for themselves and I hope it just makes them think about things and see things differently, with a more open mind.”
Mark asked each person he spoke to, to provide a recipe which he has compiled in the last chapter of the book. He added: “So I’m hoping it improves culinary skills too.”
A book launch will be taking place at The Alexandra pub in Blackburn on Thursday, February 2, and at Tweedies Bar and Lodge in Grasmere on Sunday, February 5.
The Lost World of Langdale and Other Stories will be available to purchase in all bookstores from February.
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