Long-standing Circle member and novelist, Anne Bond, died on Friday 2nd May after a sustained period of illness.

Anne was born and bred in Scarborough and worked in a variety of jobs locally, but found an interest in writing while still a child. Over the years, she had many short stories and articles published in a variety of magazines, but her greatest achievement came in the late 1980s when she started on the road to becoming a successful romantic novelist.

Her first book, ‘Dance Without Music’ (published under her full name of Frances Anne Bond) was an instant success. Set in the period leading up to WW2, it tells the story of local girl, Sarah Armstrong, a barmaid in a seaside holiday resort, who meets and marries Victor, a strange and taciturn man who works at the local theatre. The book proved especially popular with readers at Scarborough libraries. A further six books followed throughout the 1990s (available on Amazon, from booksellers or the library).

Anne attributed much of her success to the support and advice she got from her fellow members in the Writers’ Circle, where she was a long-time member and served as Secretary for a number of years. And, although self-effacing about her own undoubted talent, she was always ready and willing to pass on her considerable knowledge to aspiring writers.

She had been out of circulation for a few years due to severe illness, but she will be remembered and much missed by those of us who knew her and counted her as a friend, and our deepest sympathies go to her husband, Peter, and her two daughters.

(Book list 1989-1999: Dance Without Music, Return of the Swallow, Darling Lady, A Different Tune, Changing Step, Catching the Lark, Old Acquaintances)

Mike Park