A HAMPSHIRE author has just had her latest murder mystery novel published.

Eileen Long, who writes under her maiden name of Eileen de Lisle, has taken a change in direction from the family sagas of her first two books to write Blood on God's Carpet.

The crime fiction novel has already attracted the interest of a Bristol production company interested in the film rights.

Mrs Long, 64, said: "I started out going to do something on stalking because a couple of my friends had been stalked, but as I started to write, it seemed to become a serial killing story.

"I've heard authors say the characters take over and thought it was silly. Now it's happened to me."

It took Mrs Long, who lives in Totton, eight months to finish the novel.

She said: "I never thought I would be able to write a murder novel and never plan what I am going to write.

"I just type away at the computer and become intrigued by the characters."

Mrs Long, a former secretary and PA, has printed 1,000 copies of the novel through Beagle Publications, which she set up.

The book is on sale at Chapter One Book Shop in High Street, Hythe, and other bookshops locally.