THE debut novel of a Blaenau Ffestiniog author enjoyed a successful launch on Friday.

In front of a crowd of approximately 30 people at Hen Bost last Friday, Michelle Pashley introduced her new “intelligent and fast-paced”crime novel Black Sheep Cottage.

Michelle said: “As you can imagine I was very nervous, especially at the thought of no one turning up. How wrong I was!

“Hen Bost was filled to capacity with people from Blaenau Ffestiniog and beyond, I was overwhelmed and I dread to think what my adrenaline levels were!

“Everyone was so kind and they made the evening thoroughly enjoyable. I’ve only just come back down to earth.”

Adam Craig, one of Michelle’s publicists, was thrilled with how the evening went.

“The book launch went very well indeed,” he said.

“Michelle gave a superb reading from the opening sections of the book — funny, vibrant, very well characterised — and the audience was thoroughly absorbed and very appreciative when she finished.

“The most frequent question she was asked was: When’s the next one coming out?”