I've known Annie for nearly a decade, but in all that time I never realised that she also had a creative side that expressed itself through writing. Until, that is, a review copy of her first published book, Imprint, dropped through my letterbox. Intrigued to say the least, I made myself a cup of tea and settled down to read. The first chapter of Imprint begins with a woman visiting an eerie building called the Library of souls in an effort to locate a copy of her Soul Journal. The Soul Journal contains a record not just of her current life, but also of many other lives she's lived before. Before too long, she is transported back to a bygone age where she relives her existence as a child called Elsie Jane Burdock -- and there I'm going to leave it, dear reader, as I wouldn't want to spoil the plot.

Annie first conceived the notion of writing Imprint in 2006, and admitted that she had felt inspired to begin work on it. She then submitted it to her publisher, who promptly snapped it up. I asked Annie what the principal message was in Imprint, and it took no time at all for her to answer: "Reincarnation", she replied. "People need to know that we have all lived many times before".

Each of the lives in Annie's book is described as an "Imprint", and the publishers say that "it is impossible not to be deeply involved, revolted and yet entranced at the same time as the linking of the personalities becomes apparent". I wondered why Annie had chosen to write a work of fiction to get her message across, as opposed to something factual. "I love to write fiction stories", she said. "Fiction offers the writer freedom in so many ways. In a world that places so many restrictions upon the spiritual mind, it feels good to float on the wings of fiction because there are no rules and regulations governing what you write". And Annie is right, of course; but it doesn't take the reader long to realise that underneath the fictional story lies a number of abiding truths about the destiny of the human soul.

I never ceased to be amazed at the number of writers that our small borough turns out. Almost on a daily basis, someone somewhere in South Tyneside is putting the finishing touches to a literary creation which expresses an aspect of themselves. With Annie, it is her belief that there is more to this life than the physical world we see around us.

Imprint, by Annie Frame, is published by Vanguard Press and is available on amazon.co.uk and can be ordered from all good book stores, priced £5.99 (ISBN: 978 184386 418 9)
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