An Exmouth author’s love affair with East Devon has prompted her to write a book inspired by the area.

Exmouth Journal: Author Karen Wheeler. Picture: Dusty MillerAuthor Karen Wheeler. Picture: Dusty Miller (Image: Archant)

Former national journalist and travel memoire writer Karen Wheeler, who first fell in love with ‘quaint’ East Devon after reading a national newspaper article in 2012, has released the first of a four-part work entitled Dream Cottage: Four Seasons in Devon by the Sea.

The ‘non-fiction narrative’ series, inspired by Lympstone, tells the tale of the problems faced by 49-year-old Karen as she moved house, while also caring for her dementia-suffering mother who lives in the north.

The first eBook – Winter – was released earlier this month and the second instalment, Spring is due to be released on Amazon in May.

Karen said she has been overwhelmed by the popularity of the first book, adding: “I have got really amazing and loyal readers.

“The feedback I has been that they have really like the instalments as it gives them something to look forward to when the next one comes out.”

Former Mail on Sunday journalist Karen became known for her travel memoirs during her eight years living in France, but she decided she wanted to return to England and did not want to come back to London.

In 2012, she read an article in a national newspaper about Budleigh Salterton and became fascinated with the name of the town.

After a road trip detour to Budleigh, where she had a cream tea, Karen decided she wanted to move there but could not find a suitable home. She instead found a cottage in Lympstone.

“I absolutely love this part if Devon.

“I just happened to be passing by in a road trip through to Cornwall.

“We stopped in Budleigh Salterton and I thought it was just so quaint.

“The people in Lympstone are lovely and it is a very close community – it reminds me of a place I used to live near in France.

“The book has a lot of descriptions of the scenery here and is written with the absolutely lovely Devon countryside in mind.”

Published by Sweetpea Publishing, the eBook is available via Amazon.