A former regional newspaper reporter-turned-freelance journalist will next week see her first children’s novel hit the shelves – after setting up her own publishing house.

Emma Lee-Potter, who began her career on the Mid-Devon Advertiser and Sunday Independent, set up Porthminster Press after penning The Rise and Shine Saturday Show.

She had previously had three novels for adults published by Piatkus, but after a few “near misses” in her quest to find a publisher for her first children’s book she decided to do it herself and has overseen the entire process from printing to illustrating to promotion.

Emma, daughter of the late Daily Mail columnist Lynda Lee-Potter, said: “I had a bit of interest from publishers but I suddenly thought ‘hang on – why don’t I be in charge of this?’

“I had already written the book and have seen the project through. I found a printer and an illustrator for the cover – it has been a steep learning curve but I hope it will be the first of many.”

The Rise and Shine Saturday Show tells the tale of the nation’s most popular TV show as it launches a competition to find a pop star, and follows the fortunes of five youngsters as their rivalry intensifies.

She was inspired to write the book by her daughter Lottie, and is also dedicating it to her mother, who read the book before she became ill.

Her previous books, Hard Copy, Moving On and Taking Sides, all draw on Emma’s newspaper background, and although the new novel is not based on personal experience she admits she couldn’t resist giving it a journalism connection.

She said: “The dad of one of the children is a tabloid reporter. I always have a reporter in there somewhere – I like writing about journalists and couldn’t resist putting one in!”

The book is the first of a trilogy so Emma is hoping she will be able to publish two more books through Porthminster Press and is also open to the idea of helping others to publish their work.

But she also spends much of her time freelancing for a variety of newspapers and magazines and has no plans to quit.

She said: “I’m very much carrying on with journalism and am not suddenly going to become a full-time publisher.

“The book looks good and I’m quite excited.

“It has been great to be in charge, especially when as a freelance you are always commissioned by other people and given a brief.

“It’s very satisfying.”