Regional press reporter Sarah Singleton is celebrating the publication of her novel for youngsters.

Century, a magical gothic tale about a strange family who live in a mansion, hit bookshelves last week.

And it's already proving popular, having been chosen by Ottakars to be its national Young Adult Book of the Month for March.

The novel is the first to be published as part of a two-book deal that Sarah, who writes for the Gazette & Herald in Wiltshire, has with publishers Simon and Schuster.

She hosted her first book signing on Saturday.

Sarah, (38), said: "That was very nice. I have to admit that it was mostly a family affair and people who I know locally, but it's a good start."

She has been writing since she was 12, and has now had her second children's book, set in Tudor times, accepted by the publishers.

She has already had a novel for adults published in America - where it was shortlisted for the International Association of the Fantastic in the Arts Crawford Award.

Two more books are also in the pipeline, which Sarah is developing in her spare time.

She said: "I've got fairly detailed plans for my next children's book and am also working on another adults' novel.

"It would be nice to do this full-time, although I have to say I'm a bit torn - working at home can be a lonely and isolated job and it's nice to have the social side of the job that I get as a reporter."