Original Coronation Street writer releases new poetry book

John Finch is the only surviving member of the original Coronation Street writing team. In 1960 John became the first freelance writer to be contracted to write Coronation Street, and he later became editor and producer. 

He went on to become Granada’s most prolific writer and created, wrote and edited many of the company's longest running serials and series

A few years ago we interviewed John Finch and you can read our full interview with John Finch here.

And now, he's just released a poetry book which we're very happy to help publicise for him.  John’s book of poetry – Before During & After The War is now available to buy here.

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Winner announced in our Corrie scriptwriter book competition

Congratulations go to Coronation Street Blog reader Beverley Burgoyne in Canada who has been drawn at random from all correct entries received to win John Finch's novel, Shaft of Light.

John Finch is a name that should ring a bell for die-hard Coronation Street fans.  John was Coronation Street's first ever trainee writer to be contracted to write for Coronation Street. He later became Editor and then Coronation Street Producer from 1968-9.

In 2009 we interviewed John for the Coronation Street Blog and you can read it here.

John's new book, the novel A SHAFT OF LIGHT follows the fortunes of a group of young people growing up in a Yorkshire mining village in the 1930s.

You can buy John Finch's book from Amazon here.

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WIN! New novel from acclaimed Coronation Street scriptwriter

John Finch is a name that should ring a bell for die-hard Coronation Street fans.  John was Coronation Street's first ever trainee writer to be contracted to write for Coronation Street. He later became Editor and then Coronation Street Producer from 1968-9.

In 2009 we interviewed John for the Coronation Street Blog and you can read it here.

John has now released a new book. The novel A SHAFT OF LIGHT  follows the fortunes of a group of young people growing up in a Yorkshire mining village in the 1930s.

With thanks to the lovely people at Corazon Books, we have a paperback copy of John Finch's novel to give away in a special competition here on the Coronation Street Blog. 

All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning the book is to answer the following two questions correctly and email you answers to glenda.young@btinternet.com with FINCH in your email header.

One correct entry will be drawn at random to win the book. The winner will be announced on the Coronation Street Blog. Deadline for entries is Saturday 13 February 2016 at 12 noon.  Overseas fans can enter. 

Here are your questions, good luck!  Answers can be found in our interview with John Finch.

1. John Finch became the first trainee writer to be contracted to write for Coronation Street. He later became Editor and then Producer from 1968-9, and is one of only two people to have done all three jobs for Coronation Street.  Can you name the other person who has held all three jobs?

2. Name one of the other television shows (in addition to Coronation Street) that John Finch has written.

You can buy John Finch's book from Amazon here.

Entries to this competition from Loquax, moneysavingsexperforum and other competition entry websites will not be included.

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All original work on the Coronation Street Blog is covered by a Creative Commons License

New book from acclaimed Coronation Street scriptwriter

John Finch is a name that should ring a bell for die-hard Coronation Street fans.  John was Coronation Street's first ever trainee writer to be contracted to write for Coronation Street. He later became Editor and then Coronation Street Producer from 1968-9, and along with Harry Kershaw, is the only person to have done all three jobs for the Street.

In 2009 we interviewed John for the Coronation Street Blog and you can read it here.

John has now released a new book. The novel A SHAFT OF LIGHT  follows the fortunes of a group of young people growing up in a Yorkshire mining village in the 1930s.

John Finch has created and written many of television's most popular dramas, including the classic Granada TV series SAM, which starred TAGGART'S Mark McManus. He was the first trainee writer on CORONATION STREET, starting with episode 24, and later became editor and producer. Other TV hits include A FAMILY AT WAR (Granada) and FLESH AND BLOOD (BBC). In the 1970s, John's programmes had audiences exceeding 25 million and frequently beat CORONATION STREET and MORECAMBE AND WISE at the top of the television ratings.

In A SHAFT OF LIGHT Denis and Ted are best friends, but in some ways their lives are world's apart. For shopkeeper’s son Denis, the advent of war shows him the possibilities of a life far from all he knows. Yet Ted, from the poorest part of the village, dreams only of becoming a man and starting to work down the pit, like his father before him. Both boys are drawn to Jean, a spirited young woman from their village, but only one of them can win her heart.

John says: “I based A SHAFT OF LIGHT on the mining town of Featherstone, where I was brought up. After the miner's strikes Featherstone suffered more than most mining communities from the decline in the coal industry.”

A SHAFT OF LIGHT was originally published in hardback, to critical acclaim, as CUDDON RETURN. This new reissue is the first time that the novel has been made available as an ebook and in paperback.

You can buy it from Amazon here.

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Exclusive! Coronation Street’s first ever trainee writer

I'm privileged to have been in conversation with Mr John Finch.

For those Corrie fans with long memories, the name might ring a few bells.

The interview's a little long for a blog post and to give John Finch's words the space they deserve, you can read the full interview here.