Irene Northan (1936–1993)

Rene (as she was known to her friends) was born on Tyneside, NE England
but moved to South Devon with her parents at the age of 10. She trained
as a teacher, specialising in history. Her research led to countless articles
on history, travel, social customs, and short stories appearing in a wide
variety of newspapers and magazines at home and abroad. After receiving
over 100 rejection slips, her first novel, ‘PHYLLIDA’, was published in
1976. A steady stream of books followed, which she fitted in between caring
for her husband and two daughters, becoming a founder member of Brixham
Writers’ Circle, a member of The Romantic Novelists’ Association, Librarian
of Brixham Museum, and Reader for the South West Arts.

Rene enjoyed meeting readers and writers in all genre, fiction and non-fiction.
She gave talks at various writers’ schools and clubs across the country,
often acting as an awards adjudicator for competitions throughout SW England.

Until her death in June 1993 Rene had written 20 fiction titles and
1 non-fiction. These have generated 47 reprints, 28 of them being issued
posthumously. Her Devon trilogy, TO DREAM AGAIN, A SAFE HAVEN and DAUGHTER
OF THE RIVER, her last novels, were re-issued in paperback in 2000 by Caxton
Group Publishing, 20 Bloomsbury Street, London WC1B 3QA