Potton author celebrates after signing two book deal with publisher for novels with an inspiring heroine

A former Stratton Upper school pupil who has published her first novel is celebrating after signing a two-book deal.

Laura Noakes, from Potton, has signed the deal with publishers HarperCollins for the adventures of her heroine Cosima Unfortunate.

Laura, who now lives in Cumbria, said: “I was inspired to write the book because I absolutely love heist movies, but none of the action heroes that star in those types of films seem to be disabled or chronically ill. I wanted to subvert that trope-- because nobody would ever suspect that a group of disabled kids would pull off a caper, which made Cos and her friends the perfect heroes!

“Both Cos and I have Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder (HSD), which is a connective tissue disorder that is sometimes grouped together with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. For me it involves dealing with repeated joint dislocations, chronic pain, and brain fog. HSD is a dynamic disability, which means sometimes it is invisible and I appear as 'normal', but at other times I use a walking stick and joint supports to ensure that my joints remain stable. In the past I've also used a wheelchair to get around.

"I really wanted to show the ebbs and flows of the condition when I wrote Cos, because I think there is a misconception that all disabilities are static, and for some disabled people that isn't the case! Disability representation is very important to me, because growing up there were very few disabled main characters for me to look up to.”

Laura has been writing seriously since the age of 17, with many manuscripts hidden away in the house.

And in June she will be touring some of her old stamping ground with talks at another old school, Potton Middle, as well as schools in Biggleswade and Arlesey.

She said: “I'm very excited to chat with students about history, heists and heroes! Cosima is set at the very end of the Victorian era and there are so many interesting things I've learnt through writing about this time period--from the institutionalism of disabled people within Homes, to the imbalance of power between the wealthy and the poor and the horrible legacy of the British Empire.”

After school Laura attended three universities - at the University of Hertfordshire for a law degree, an MA in Historical Research at Birkbeck, University of London, and a PhD in Legal History at The Open University.

"My PhD was looking at two pioneering women barristers who were both heavily involved in the suffrage movement, so I've definitely used a lot of the historical knowledge in my fiction writing,” she said.

“I am very lucky to be writing full time at the moment. Prior to that, I worked at the best named museum in the UK, The Devil's Porridge Museum, in Eastriggs, Scotland!

“I am writing book two at the moment. However, I do have ideas for other shenanigans Cos could get herself into so I really hope I can continue writing her stories for a little while longer.”

The book, Cosima Unfortunate Steals a Star, illustrated by Flavia Sorrentino, is now available in bookshops and on Amazon.