Wigan-born author Samantha Turner has transformed a challenging chapter of her life into a flourishing writing career, earning recognition locally and beyond. She is now preparing for a hometown celebration of her success, with a book signing scheduled at Waterstones Wigan on 6 December.
Originally from Standish Lower Ground, Samantha grew up with her parents and older sister before settling in Springfield, where she now lives with her husband Darren and their three rescue cats. After spending 23 years working in a pharmacy, her life took an unexpected turn when severe sciatica forced her to take extended time off work.
For someone who had worked since the age of 16, suddenly having months away from employment felt unfamiliar. But the break also created space for something else—her long-lost creativity.
Samantha had been a keen writer in her childhood and teenage years, even having a poem published in a magazine. Over time, the demands of adult life meant her creative pursuits faded into the background. However, during her recovery, she began revisiting old notebooks filled with poems and stories she had written years earlier.
Rereading her own words reignited her passion, inspiring her to compile and self-publish her first poetry collection, My Heart On Your Sleeve, on Amazon. Three more poetry collections soon followed
Samantha moved into crime fiction with her character Lizzie Holland, shaped by her own dreams, fears, and life experiences. Although DI Lizzie Holland is very different to her, Samantha describes the character as the woman she wishes she was brave enough to be.
After struggling to find an audience through self-publishing, Samantha approached traditional publishers. Several rejections later, she was delighted when Phil Shirley of Foreshore Publishing saw potential in her work and offered her a chance. She was tasked with producing another book in the series, leading to the creation of The Depths of Murder.
Samantha’s books, slightly shorter than typical novels, were designed as fast-paced detective reads to fill a gap in the market. Waterstones later asked for The Devil You Know and The Depths of Murder to be combined into a two-part edition, and in 2023 she held her first book signing at Waterstones Wigan, becoming the store’s best-selling author of the day.
Since then, Waterstones has also stocked her poetry compilation, The Journey So Far, which brings together her four earlier poetry collections in a hardback edition. Samantha has performed her poetry on Enjoy Radio, at The Old Courts, Golden Days Garden Centre, and given author talks to local writing groups.
This year marks another milestone: the release of her third DI Lizzie Holland novel, The Burning Truth, which she will be signing in her hometown on 6 December at Waterstones.The new book will also be available on Amazon soon.
Reflecting on her journey, Samantha says her life has changed dramatically in just five years. While the writing world can be a financial challenge, she says she is now living her dream and has learned to appreciate the simplicity and joy that storytelling brings.
Samantha’s resilience and creativity are a testament to the power of rediscovering forgotten passions—and she continues to make Wigan proud with every chapter she writes.
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