Clare Balding heading to Wrexham as part of book tour
Copies of the book will be available from The Berwyn Bookshop.
Ms Balding said: "It's all Jilly Cooper's fault.
"I was interviewing Jilly at a literary when she took me to task for only writing novels for children.
"Despite many non-fiction books, I had been wary of writing a novel for adults.
"'Don't be ridiculous,' she said.
"'You can write.
"Get on with it.'"
Clare is best known for her broadcasting and journalism career, which has taken her from growing up in the countrysideto commentating on the King's Coronation procession and fronting major sporting events including the Olympics and Wimbledon.
Pastures New tells the story of Alex, a woman nearing 40 who unexpectedly inherits a crumbling sheep farm in Wales.
With only a Welsh terrier for company, she sets out to solve the mystery behind her inheritance while adjusting to rural life and the quirks of a close-knit community.
Clare said: "It has taken a few years and a lot of angst but I have tried to honestly represent the complicated relationship between mothers and daughters, the way love can pop up in the most surprising places, the beauty of our landscape and the kindness of small communities who understand what it means to support each other.
"I have met the local sheep farmers, the pub landlords, the struggling racehorse trainer and the local odd job man who can do anything.
"These people are real to me, and I hope they come across as such in Pastures New."
Clare grew up in the countryside surrounded by horses and dogs, and her childhood reading included everything from Jilly Cooper to Henry James.
Her autobiography, My Animals and Other Family, won the National Book Award for Autobiography of the Year.
She competed as an amateur flat jockey in her youth, earning the title of Champion Lady Rider in 1990.
After studying English Literature at Cambridge, she began a career in journalism.
READ MORE:
'Extraordinary' Wrexham-based football club featured on Premier League's website
Alongside her award-winning broadcasting work and coverage of major royal events, Clare is known for her long-running Radio 4 series Ramblings, which explores the British landscape through storytelling and conversation.
A passionate advocate for equality and women's sport, she was awarded a CBE for services to sport and charity in 2022.
Her debut novel, Pastures New, will be published by HarperCollins on September 11, 2025.
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