A world where everyone’s life must end at the age of 90 is the setting for a Harrogate author’s first novel, due to be published next month. 

The action in Deathday, by Colin Philpott, takes place in England in 2045, where euthanasia is not just legal but compulsory, and where severe economic depression in the wake of “the Great Pandemic” and Brexit, a collapse in the care system and inter-generational conflict have changed attitudes to death and old age.  

Those people who still accept the law, plan for “Deathday parties”, while “evaders” try to escape abroad and “remainders” – people already over 90 who were spared at the time the law came in – live in colonies in rundown seaside resorts.

Meanwhile, the young King plots with politicians opposed to the laws which are enforced by the sinister National Age Regulation Authority. 

The novel, which is published by Fisher King Publishing, is set in several different parts of England, including Yorkshire, Northumberland, Greater Manchester, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and London, and includes scenes in Harrogate locations such as Brimham Rocks, the Royal Hall, and the Army Foundation College. 

Colin Philpott, who lives in Bishop Monkton, said:

“I was inspired to write this novel after witnessing the differing end-of-life experiences of members of my own family, and also my experience as a volunteer with a food delivery and befriending charity.

“I am not advocating compulsory euthanasia, but I do believe society needs to create a higher quality of life in old age and radically rethink our approach to end-of-life care.”  

Deathday is Colin Philpott’s first work of fiction. He has previously written three books about 20th-century history: A Place in History, which includes the stories of places in Britain touched by news events; Relics of the Reich, which examines how Germany has dealt with the buildings left by the Nazis; and Secret Wartime Britain, about hidden places in Britain that helped the war effort in the Second World War.  

Colin worked for the BBC for 25 years as a journalist and senior executive. Later he was director of the National Media Museum in Bradford. 

Rick Armstrong, managing director of Fisher King Publishing, said:

“We’re delighted to be publishing Colin Philpott’s debut novel. When I first read the manuscript, it was clear that the basis of the narrative is highly thought-provoking, tackling very pressing contemporary issues in an interesting and clever way.” 

Deathday will be published on April 24 and will be available in print and digital versions worldwide.

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Prolific Ripon author Ian Gouge, is joining a distinguished group of UK writers after being selected as the 2022 winner of the Swanwick Short Story Competition.

The sought-after annual literary prize attracts hundreds of entries and his story titled Park’n’Ride caught they eye of the judging panel.

In addition to the prestige of winning the competition, his award includes a week-long place at the famous Swanwick Writers Summer School in Derbyshire.

He will also gain wide exposure through the publication of his story in Writing Magazine.

Ian, who has recently been appointed as the Author in Residence at Ripon Library, told the Stray Ferret:

“This is the first time that I have entered the Swanwick and I was both surprised and delighted when I received an email saying that I had won.”

His 900-word story drew on the experience of overheard conversations on tram journeys  that he took while working in the IT industry in Nottinghamshire.

Ian, who is also a publisher and acts as a mentor to fellow creative writers and poets, said:

“If you are a good listener, you will gain a wealth of material that can provide the inspiration for stories and poems that reflect real-life situations.”

His imagination has enabled him to develop characters and storylines from the age of five, when he wrote about a boy who went into space. He also produced accompanying illustrations.

More than 50 years later and with the IT career behind him, Ian has a growing portfolio of published works including six novels, three short story collections, eight poetry and four non-fiction books.

Working with American poets, most of whom live in California, he leads a virtual Transatlantic reading group and has published four international anthologies  and  a further anthology featuring the poems of Yorkshire-based poets.

With the Swanwick prize now added to his CV, the versatile and experienced author and publisher, has another novel and short story collection in the pipeline and, will continue to help other creative writers to achieve the dream of seeing their name in print.