An award-winning novelist from Neyland is behind a spooky new show which premieres at Wales Millennium Centre this evening (Thursday).

Sarah Waters has written five novels: Tipping the Velvet (1998); Affinity (1999); Fingersmith (2002); The Night Watch (2006); and The Little Stranger (2009). Her latest novel The Paying Guests has just been published.

Her career accolades include the Somerset Maugham Award, the Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year Award, the South Bank Show Award for Literature and the CWA Historical Dagger.

Sarah, 49, attended Neyland Primary School and Milford Haven School where her flair for writing was evident from a young age.

“I loved writing as a child, we were encouraged all the time to do it at school,” she said.

“It was only when I became more academic that I stopped.”

Sarah, who now makes her home in London, re-connected with her childhood love of writing during her first novel, Tipping the Velvet, which was later adapted for television for the BBC.

She has now turned her attention to writing for the stage, collaborating with the Olivier award-winning writer and performer Christopher Green on The Frozen Scream, which is based on a largely forgotten 1920s murder mystery novel by CC Gilbert.

Asked how she adapted writing for the stage, Sarah said: “It’s been really interesting and enjoyable.

“I wasn’t sure how I would find it. I’m used to writing fiction which is a very solitary and slow process. My last novel took four years.

“Chris, my co-writer is really experienced, so I was always in safe hands. It was lovely to work with the actors and designers.”

Sarah added that the original novel fell out of favour when a series of mysterious deaths led to the belief that it was cursed.

She and Chris are undeterred by the conspiracy theories and ‘are hoping to break the curse.’ Sarah said: “I’m really pleased with the finished product and that it’s getting its premiere in Wales. It’s a bit spooky and there will be some surprises on the night.”

The Frozen Scream runs at Wales Millennium Centre from December 11-20, before moving on to Birmingham Hippodrome.

For tickets visit www.wmc.org.uk