I recently co-hosted, with my agent, a writers’ workshop on creating memorable characters. Putting together this workshop led me to reflect on the characters that have peopled my novels, and whose lives I’ve followed as the sagas progress through time.

The idea behind my debut novel, The Ragged Valley, was to tell the little-known story of the Great Sheffield Flood of 1864, a terrible man-made disaster that killed hundreds of townsfolk. So, I suppose you could say that, for this novel, the plot came first. But my second novel, The Girl at Change Alley, was very different. Louisa Leigh, the titular character, played a secondary role in The Ragged Valley but hers was a voice demanding to be heard.

Similarly, The Watchman’s Widow – book 3 in my first series – was equally character-driven.

The Sheffield flood was the jumping off point for that series. A house was the focal point for my second trilogy, an institute ahead of its time that provided a rich source of inspiration.

The decision to write all six books in chronological order has been deliberate, from The Ragged Valley in 1864 to The Rebel Daughter in 1888. I’ve been able to satisfy a desire to revisit some truly beloved characters who have become woven into the tapestry of two Sheffield-set saga trilogies. Both series are complete with publication of The Rebel Daughter, where I’ve given the final line (without spoilers, although some of you may guess) to a character from my debut novel.

Writing to the end of The Rebel Daughter has been quite an emotional experience. I realise I’ve been waving goodbye to them all.

And now I wonder, who will I meet next?