A BORDERS woman has just released her debut novel, and already has plans for a Borders-based thriller.

Jodie Lawrance, of Coldstream, released the first instalment of her DS Helen Carter series last month, and her second book will be released later this month.

The Uniform is the first introduction to DS Carter as she takes on her first case as a sergeant.

"I have to be quite factual in the day, writing takes me out of myself," said Lawrance.

Lawrance, 33, who works in technology, has always had an interest in writing, and started an Open University creative writing course in 2011 before completing an MA creative writing.

It was during her MA that Lawrance wrote The Uniform as her dissertation.

She explained that the book becoming a series was a "happy accident".

She said: "I finished one then we talked about [writing] more.

"After I'd written the third book we talked about a fourth.

"It could turn into five or six."

During lockdown Lawrance completed her third book in the series, with portions of her fourth also written over the last year.

"Writing was something I did anyway," the author explained, "lockdown just made it a lot easier to write."

The story is set in 1970s Edinburgh, and follows the career of the newly promoted DS Carter.

Lawrance told the Border Telegraph how her studies influenced her decision to write a female protagonist.

"There are not a lot of strong, female protagonists within the genre [crime fiction]," said Lawrance.

She added: "Female detectives are written as being ditsy or masculine – there's no in between.

"I felt I had to write from my own point of view – from me through her [Carter].

"I can't solve crimes, but I write better from a female perspective."

And looking to future projects, Lawrance has plans to highlight the Borders in a psychological thriller, but only once the DS Carter series is complete.

"I'd like to write children's books too," she said.

Although the Borders aren't featured in The Uniform, the region has had an effect on Lawrance's writing.

She said: "The surroundings here make it easier to write.

"I can go for a walk and think of ideas.

"The calm has a big influence on helping me to write."

The Uniform is available to buy through Amazon as a paperback edition or for a Kindle device.

Visit Amazon to purchase the book and read reviews.