Article by Keiron Pim, EDP. Published Saturday 1st April 2006.

Norfolk has inspired a few classic children's books over the years, and now Cromer has a character to call its own - Clay the Cromer Crab.

Author Salena Dawson told KEIRON PIM how she decided to write a book for young readers focusing on her favourite stretch of coastline.

Have you ever stood on Cromer Pier and looked down, wondering what lies beneath the waves below? Salena Dawson's vision of what might be down there in the dark seawater is illustrated in her charming new series of books for children, which create a collection of characters that she hopes will be widely associated with the famous North Norfolk resort.

Clay the Cromer Crab lives in Shipden Cove, a tiny village under the sea, with friends and family such as Simeon Skate, Grandma Hermit and Snitterley the Grey Seal.

Their adventures are set entirely along the Norfolk coast, from Cromer along to Blakeney, and the books give a nod to local history, Shipden and Snitterley were the medieval names for Cromer and Blakeney respectively.

The first volume, Clay the Cromer Crab and the Search for the Lost Seal Pup, is out now and Salena is already writing the next, which will take in another aspect of Norfolk folklore - the legend of Black Shuck.

The Characters' adventures are aimed at children of all ages.

The idea is that those of pre-school age will enjoy having the stories read to them and looking at the bright and colourful illustrations, while older kids will be able to read the stories alone.

"I wanted to have illustrations where parents would pick up the book and read it to the children. It's got good stopping points so you can read it a couple of pages at a time," says Salena. "Pre-school kids can look at the pictures and older children can read it for themselves. It's for early readers through to eight year-olds."

The first book tells the tale of what happens when Clay and his friends play a game of "line-lurching", which involves teasing the people who are crab-fishing up on the quay. They cling on to the crab lines...and then the young crab finds himself in trouble.

"There's a gust of wind that leaves Clay stranded on Cromer Pier," explains Salena. "Then Sammy the Stilt comes along and he offers to help Clay, and he is fearful at first."

Sammy and Clay become best friends, however, with Sammy flying the crab on his back all over Norfolk. He is also helped by the Razorbill Airforce, a crack team of seabirds led by Wing Commander Razorbill Rainham, who is looking for the lost seal pup.

The stories are heavily and brightly illustrated by James Munro, who is originally from Norfolk and now living in Liverpool. The local production theme continues, with Biddles of King's Lynn doing the printing and Hethersett company C4 Multimedia designing the website.

Salena, who works as an employment lawyer at a Norwich law firm, moved from the Midlands to Norfolk five years ago with her young family, initially living in Dereham before moving to the village of Thompson, near Watton.

She soon fell in love with the North Norfolk coast, travelling there with Daniel, 15, Ellen, 14, and Luke, 10.

"After going up there a few times I couldn't believe there wasn't an associated character for what Cromer is famous for. About three years ago I came up with the idea," she said.

"As you can guess my children were like, "Mum, what are you doing with a talking crab?"

"I knew I would need an illustrator because I can't draw for toffee! My sister knew James Munro and put be together with him, and he just loved the story and wanted to jump on board.

"It was quite an informal project for a while - we would send pictures back and forth, rewrite parts of it, and it was something we both did as a hobby."

She gradually developed the idea and in the process, she expanded Clay the Cromer Crab to being about more than just the books.

"There will be T-shirts, and I have had postcards done," says Salena. There will also be children's activity sheets on the website www.claythecromercrab.com, designed for trips to North Norfolk, and there are also online games.

Then there's the idea of an annual Clay Badge Hunt, in which free Clay pin-badges will be distributed throughout Norfolk. Anyone who finds a badge can then contact the website to say where they found it and be entered into a prize draw.

It all adds up to a comprehensive package of fun for young readers - and because Salena has formed her own publishing company, she will retain control over the direction that Clay and the various offshoots take.

"I have already got two other books in mind and I don't want to be writing to a contracted time. That's why I came up with Little Fish Publishing." she says.

As well as publishing Salena's books, Little Fish is going to bring out books by other writers focusing on the same geographical area. Its stated aim is "to help local authors, photographers and artists to publish and market products that are....influenced by the natural beauty and history of the Norfolk countryside, with a prime focus on the North Norfolk coast".

That should mean there are plenty more adventures in future for Clay and his friends beneath the pier - and a chance for others with a passion for North Norfolk to become published too.

Interview and Article by KEIRON PIM and printed in the Eastern Daily Press on Saturday April 1 2006. Picture by NICK BUTCHER.