Claire Kinton bumps Lincoln’s literary talent

Claire Kinton with one of her young fans at Waterstones, High Street, Lincoln

Local author Claire Kinton hosted a book signing at Waterstones on the High Street this weekend, promoting her debut novel Dead Game, and encouraged her teenage readership to get involved with creative writing.

Kinton’s teen novel is set against the backdrop of the second Gulf War and follows a young Lance Corporal in his transition from this life into the next. The Guardian has awarded the book 10/10.

The book was written in memory of her cousin, who served in Iraq and represents a number of charities, including Help for Heroes, SSAFA Forces Help and Dyslexia Action.

Kinton moved to Lincoln from London eight years ago. She and her husband wanted to move somewhere they could raise a family and says that she loves living here.

“I like the vibrancy of Lincoln, but also having the countryside and the peace and quiet and the safety and security for my children.”

Since the publication of her novel, Kinton has taken an active role in inspiring the young people of Lincolnshire to get involved with creative writing, regularly going into primary and secondary schools across the county.

“I’ve been talking to children in the secondary schools about Dead Game, about the inspiration behind it, and trying to get them to pick up the pen and start writing creatively themselves. A lot of them have since written to me, sending me some of their own stories, which is fantastic.”

Kinton says that her personal motto is “You can if you say you can”, and she hopes that she can inspire young people to use creative writing as a way of expressing themselves.

Kinton currently has an increasing fan base and is being followed on Twitter by a variety of celebrities. She admits that this has provided a great boost to her confidence.

“The support you get from people on Twitter is just phenomenal, whether they’re famous or not, as soon as you start talking to them and telling them what you do, and why you do it, I think people are intrigued.”

Dead Game was shortlisted for the Brit Writers’ Award and Kinton is also part of the Brit Writers’ Publishing Programme and the New Writers UK, two organisations dedicated to discovering and nurturing literary talent.

Later this year Kinton plans to publish her much-anticipated sequel Waiting Game.