A best selling author is coming to Windermere later this year to share the story of his life and career.

Tom Palmer, originally from Leeds, will start the latest 'Meet the Author' series at the Burn How Hotel on Wednesday, September 11.

He will be promoting his latest novel, Angel of Grasmere, as well as inspiring any other hopeful authors in attendance.

Discussing how he first got into the industry, Tom said: "It was reading about football that changed my life because I wasn't keen on reading when I was young.

"My mum was worried about me because I was struggling at school - she encouraged me to read about football in newspapers, magazines and books, and gradually I came to love books."

Tom has written more than 60 children’s books, including six award-winning historical fiction titles and three Puffin football series: Football Academy, The Squad and Foul Play, which was short listed for the Blue Peter Book Award.  

His latest title is a children’s historical fiction adventure set in and around Grasmere during the Second World War.

Read more: Lake District: Grasmere World War Two story released | The Mail (nwemail.co.uk)

“After I graduated, I went to work in a bookshop, then a library, then I managed book festivals," Tom added.

"All that time I was writing, then after a few years, I was lucky enough to have one of my football books for children accepted by Puffin."

The Meet the Author initiative allows guests to engage with writers, with previous guests including the crime novelist Martin Edwards, adventurers Heather Dawe and Jo Moseley, the author of psychological thrillers Paul Teague, and artist Liz Wakelin.

Organiser Vicky Robinson said: “Ours is a book club with a difference, where it’s a privilege to enjoy hearing authors talk about their books, their journeys into writing and publishing, in the lovely ambience of Burn How, the book hotel.

“We are very proud to be welcoming Tom, a remarkable award-winning writer who knows and loves the Lake District so well - he’s a great storyteller, and we’re excited to hear his stories in person.”

The book club will meet at 7pm on September 11, with the event being free for anyone interested.