‘Age is just a number’: Author Val Wood marks 90th birthday with new book

‘IT’S NEVER TOO LATE TO START SOMETHING NEW’: Val Wood

By Simon Bristow, Co-Editor

An award-winning writer who only started her literary career at the age of 60 will celebrate two milestones next month – her 90th birthday and the launch of her latest book.

Val Wood’s 29th novel, Foster’s Mill, is set for release on November 21, making it a special month as it coincides with her birthday.

Although she has written creatively throughout her life, Val did not begin writing professionally until she turned 60.

“My career began at retirement age, and it couldn’t have been more fulfilling,” said Val, who is based in Beverley.

“It’s never too late to start something new, pursue your passions, or explore your creative potential. Writing has been a lifeline for me – an outlet that has kept my mind active and allowed me to continue learning and growing. Fiction allows us to explore new ideas and worlds; it has both helped me through challenging times and kept me feeling young at heart.”

She added: “Age is just a number. What matters is the work we create, the stories we still have to tell, and the difference we can continue to make. It’s never too late to start something new.”

Her first novel, The Hungry Tide, won the Catherine Cookson Prize for Fiction in 1994. Since then, she has written over 28 novels, each celebrated for their strong female characters and vivid portrayal of life in historical Hull and the East Riding.