Burnley author's new book inspired by town (From Chorley Citizen)

Burnley author's new book inspired by town

11:07am Sunday 31st July 2011 in Leisure By Nazia Parveen, Reporter

Burnley author's new book inspired by town

AN acclaimed author went back to his Burnley roots to find the inspiration for his latest book.

Made in Britain by Gavin James Bower tells the story of Russell, Charlie and Hayley, three teenagers growing up in East Lancashire.

Sex, drugs and violence feature heavily in the novel, narrated alternately by the three 16-year-olds.

Gavin grew up in Harle Syke until his late teens, when he left to study history at the University of Sheffield.

He moved to London after his degree and embarked on an internship at Dazed and Confused, a fashion, art and culture magazine.

While there the former Habergham High School pupil was asked to model and ended up spending two years featuring in catwalk shows and campaigns across the globe.

His experiences in the fashion industry shaped his debut novel, Dazed and Aroused, which garnered rave reviews.

But his latest offering depicts subjects much ‘closer to home’.

Gavin, 28, said: “The first book was about coming to the city as a young guy, not knowing what I was doing there or how to fit in this place which can be so alienating.

“After that I wanted to write a more ambitious book. I wanted to tackle something that was closer to home so I looked at where I was from and went back for a winter.”

Familiar landmarks such as Turf Moor, Crown Point, Stoneyholme and Harle Syke feature in the novel.

Gavin, whose family still lives in Burnley, said he wanted the book to be an accurate depiction of teen life in the town.

He said: “This is three kids growing up where I grew up and talking the way I talked before I moved away.

“Arguably these three kids represent three aspects of my personality that contrast and overlap.

“I wanted to write it with three reasonably frank-talking kids who are not particularly precocious, set up in a place with which I have a love-hate relationship.

"But the place informed everything about me. It made me who I am.”