I mentioned Knutsford the other day and it reminded me that, in the early 90s, I organised a weekend in the town for the Northern Chapter of the Crime Writers Association. Reginald Hill, Peter Walker (creator of the books behind Heartbeat) and Robert Barnard were among those attending. Another leading writer of the time who came along with her husband was Kay Mitchell. Kay wrote several excellent books about Chief Inspector Morrissey, as well as a series under the name of Sarah Lacey. She was a modest and thoroughly likeable woman who seemed to be heading for stardom.
But it’s nearly ten years since Kay published a crime novel. I’ve not seen her for a long time, and as far as I can tell, she’s dropped out of the crime writing world – her name isn’t even in the CWA membership directory. This is a real pity, because her books were very enjoyable. And it’s a reminder of a truth that many people don’t realise. It’s hard to get published in the first place – but it’s just as tough to stay published.
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