AN AUTHOR has just seen her first novel for adults published - after working out many of her plot ideas while jogging.

Kate Kelly of Upwey, is celebrating the release of her new thriller, The Sleepers. Writing as KM Kelly, her novel is an action-packed thriller with assassins, conspiracies and spies.

Marine scientist Kate works for a local technology company and is married with two grown up daughters.

She said: "When I'm not writing I run. I'm a member of the Dorset Sole Sisters and I find running the perfect time for clearing my mind and working out story ideas, plots and characters. I get my best ideas when I'm out for a run."

Kate’s first novel was the popular young adult climate fiction novel, Red Rock.

The Sleepers follows two very different characters, Corran, a somewhat inept secret agent, and Sylvie, the woman he thinks he is saving, whose lives are brought crashing together by a list of names on a piece of paper, and Sylvie’s name is on it.

Kate said: “I first had the idea for The Sleepers while on holiday in France. There was a mysterious chateau near where we were staying, surrounded by fences and cameras, and I couldn’t help wondering what went on there to justify the security.”

Corran and Sylvie’s adventure also takes them across the UK, from the wilds of the Scottish Highlands to the south west. And always the assassin is on their tail.

Kate said. “I have always loved thrillers. They’re hugely popular at the moment, so I decided to turn my hand to writing one myself. I was delighted how quickly it found a home, with an independent publisher.”

She added: “The invention of the ebook reader has opened up a world of opportunities for authors and enables smaller publishers to reach their audience.”

The biggest challenge for Kate with The Sleepers has been finding time to write.

"But if you want to do something badly enough somehow you make the time," she said. "Plus with writing, the time physically sitting at a keyboard is only part of it. I spend a lot of time thinking, you might say daydreaming, but I reckon this all counts as writing too."

The Sleepers is available from Amazon (both ebook and paperback).