For a town famous for shoring up some of the UK’s greatest athletes and entertainers, it’s no surprise Northampton has also been home to some of our most celebrated writers.
Masterpieces written by the town’s pensmiths go as far back as religious writings of the 16th Century.
Meanwhile, Northampton’s modern authors have composed best-selling novels, superhero comics which have taken Hollywood by storm and a string of hit Mills & Boon romances.
Without further ado, here’s our countdown of ten great authors from Northampton.
9. Nanette Newman
Actress and author Nanette Newman was born in Northampton in May, 1934, and came from a showbusiness family. She appeared in films such as The Stepford Wives (1975), International Velvet (1978) and The Ragin Moon (1971). She has written thirty children's books and six cookery books; winning a Cookbook of the Year Award with The Summer Cookbook Photo: National World
10. James Rice
Victorian author James Rice (1843-1882) was born in Northampton and is best-known for his collaborations with Sir Walter Besant, with whom he wrote a series of popular adventure novels including Ready-money Mortiboy (1872), and The Golden Butterfly (1876). Photo: New York Public Library Digital Archive