Christie J Newport has suffered unimaginable pain and adversity for most of her life. But now she is celebrating achieving her childhood dream of becoming an author with the publication of her debut crime thriller The Raven's Mark.

For the best part of 10 years she was unable to leave her bed except for painful trips to hospital.

It was not the life she had dreamed of.

She had wanted to be a writer ever since her father used to make up stories for her in her Preston bedroom.

The young Christie created her own tales which became the basis of games with her friends in the primary school playground.

But a list of her various illnesses, conditions and hospital stays would be longer than any book on the market.

Christie attended a crime-writing convention where she says she "found her tribe", and went home more determined than ever to be a writer.

She immersed herself in courses and books about writing, eventually creating The Raven's Mark which won a publishing deal when she secured the Joffe Prize for Crime Writers of Colour, external.  

It is the first in what Christie plans will be a series following Det Ch Insp Beth Fellows who finds a fresh murder is linked to a cold case from her past where victims were branded with an image of a raven.

Christie said she had always been drawn towards crime and psychological thrillers, finding the "extremes" of humanity the most interesting.

She likes mysteries, both creating and untangling them, and says crime books also offer chances to indulge in romance, comedy and psychology.

Tickets are extremely limited for this event with only 28 currently remaining. 

Go grab a pizza from the wonderful Lost Bar and Pizzeria whilst listening to the resilient Christie talk about her journey.