Prize-winning author likes to write about real people' "I like to write about real people and allow readers to make up their own mind about them," Orange prize-winning author Lionel Shriver told her audience at Kendal's Brewery Arts Centre.

In 2003, the American-born writer's chilling tale, We Need to Talk About Kevin, was published, selling 600,000 copies in the UK alone and catapulting Shriver into the limelight.

The book follows the cold and cruel Kevin, through the eyes of his mother, Eva.

Days before his 16th birthday, the teenager murders his classmates in a shooting, leaving the reader to question if Kevin is wholly responsible or whether some of the blame lies with Eva, who admits to having never bonded with her son.

Shriver's latest offering, The Post Birthday World, promises to be equally thought-provoking.

In a rare public appearance in the North West, she presented the book at the Brewery festival.

The crux of the story hangs on a kiss, which takes place in the first chapter. For years Irina McGovern and her partner Lawrence Trainer have invited their famous friend Ramsey Acton, a professional snooker player, to spend his birthday at their home.

One year Lawrence is away, but Irina and Ramsey still decide to celebrate the day together.

Suddenly Irina is overcome with an inexplicable urge to give Ramsay a passionate birthday kiss.

From then on, the book offers alternative futures for the heroine in two different versions of each chapter.

"There's no right or wrong decision, it's up to the reader to decide what they would do," the writer explained.

Despite her award and book deal with Harper Collins, Shriver admits that she does not consider herself to be "a particularly successful author".

Until Kevin, Shriver, who as a 15-year-old tomboy, changed her name from Margaret Ann to Lionel, had never truly struck gold in her long writing career.

And some critics have suggested that the book was a flash in the pan, after The Post Birthday World received mixed reviews.

But the audience was left clearly enthralled by the cleverly chosen readings.

And the sheer number of admiring readers who formed a long line for book signings afterwards, revealed that more success for Shriver (pictured above) is clearly on cue.

Review by Ruth Lythe