A BARNSLEY author whose debut book became a chart-topping hit is celebrating after releasing a follow-up.
KJ Akay, born Jennifer Wragg, reached the Amazon milestone with The Fruits of Victory, a vivid and often humorous account of growing up in a northern mining town during the years following the Second World War.
The 81-year-old’s new memoir - Life Around the Sparrow - begins where the debut ended.
Set between 1965 and 1972, the book paints a raw portrait of a young woman away from home trying to make ends meet.
KJ said: “I was truly overwhelmed by the response to The Fruits of Victory.
“It was especially heartwarming to hear from my former pupils and even old school friends, now well into their 80s, who got back in touch after reading the book.
“Teaching was a career I loved and I was fortunate to enjoy a long and rewarding career in the classroom.
“Life Around the Sparrow tells the story of how that journey began back in the 1960s and it has been a pleasure to document those formative years and share them with readers.”
