A Whitchurch teenager, currently training to be a teacher, is over the moon after one of her holiday photographs was chosen to be the cover of a new blockbuster paperback.
Chlöe Edwards, 19, who is studying for a BA in Education at the University of Chester’s Riverside campus has developed a hobby in photography. And her candid pictures caught the eyes of Wolverhampton based editor and publisher Nic Outterside.
Now her photo of an old rural red telephone box, taken while she was on holiday in Devon, forms the stunning cover for Nic’s latest book Contacts.
After 28 years in newspaper and magazine journalism, Nic, formerly of Whitchurch himself, took early retirement in 2013. During those years he scooped more than a dozen major press awards and had an Early Day Motion in the House of Commons praising his work.
In 2015, Nic set up his own publishing house – Time is an Ocean – and his new book Contacts – Collusion, Cover-up, Conspiracy and Corruption is his 12th paperback publication. Two earlier books – Death in Grimsby and Bones both became Amazon best-sellers.
Contacts pulls together 18 of Nic’s newspaper investigations in series of eye-opening stories from radiation contamination to the death of Diana, Princess of Wales.
Nic said: “The idea for this book came to me last year while sorting through old newspaper cuttings and I suddenly realised just how many investigations I had broken over the years.
“The book is a culmination of 30 years research, 30 consecutive days writing and almost six months of editing, revising and proofing. It is titled Contacts because every good journalist relies on his or her contacts to break front page stories.
“But I needed a strong picture for the cover… then I discovered Chlöe’s work on Instagram and saw the red phone box photo and immediately thought Wow… that’s the picture.”
Chlöe is a former school friend of Nic’s son Nathan while both were students at Sir John Talbot’s School in Whitchurch, which makes the book tie unique.
Chlöe said: “This whole experience has been amazing from start to finish. I couldn’t believe that a quick edited snap could go so far. It has been a real confidence boost and has shown me what an amazing tool social media is too.”
One of Chlöe’s other photographs has already been selected for the cover of another of Nic’s books Western Skies, scheduled for publication next spring.
Contacts is available as a large format (6”x9”) paperback priced at £10.99 (Free Delivery) from Amazon.
A Kindle e-book edition will be published later this summer.
No Time to Think 