WHAT'S ON

Novelist, playwright and actress Elaine Spires, who spends her time between Rainham, Essex and Five Islands, Antigua, is delighted that one of her books has been adapted into a stage play and a pilot episode for TV.

The book is set on the island of Antigua, where Elaine lives for as much time as she possibly can, and the lead role is taken by Eve, a tour guide for a travel company who specialise in holidays for singles and gives an incredible insight into the lives of a bunch of complete strangers who only have one thing in common: they’re single. 

Singles’ Holiday, the first in the Singles Trilogy, will take to the stage in Essex, England in October.  A pilot TV episode is also being planned for later this summer.  Both are projects of Melabeau Productions, a new stage and TV production company of which Elaine is a director. 

Book reviewer and blogger Kim Nash from Staffordshire, England said "After picking up the book and not being able to concentrate on anything else until I had read it, I felt like I had actually been to Antigua and had an amazing holiday there.  More than that, it has actually put Antigua top of my 'places I'd love to visit' list.  It's an incredibly feel-good story and the way that Elaine has written about the island makes it sound so very appealing."

When Elaine is not busy penning her latest novel or play, she can be found holding high-quality professional training for actors at Stages, Mercury Hall in, Romford.   Elaine is also a director of Melabeau Productions, a dynamic young company specialising in producing theatre.

Elaine says “Extensive travelling and a background in education and tourism have perfected my keen eye for the quirky characteristics of people, and I attempt to captivate the humorous observations and share them with the readers of my novels. It was my dream to write a novel set on the island which I love so much. 

“It’s so exciting that Singles’ Holiday has been chosen to transfer to stage and TV and I’m delighted with the response and the early reviews for Singles and Spice, the second in the Singles Trilogy.”

The third book in the trilogy – Single All The Way, is due out in November 2014.  Elaine’s books What’s Eating Me and Sweet Lady (also set in Antigua) are also highly commended by her readers.

She is also very proud to have been part of the Women of Antigua movement for the last two years as a writer and performer.

Elaine is writing and directing Melabeau Productions' Cinderella, which will be at the Brookside Theatre, Romford, Essex, 18-28 December. 

You can find out more about Elaine and buy her books at www.elainespires.co.uk.