Mel Penrose

One Author. Two writers

‘Mel Penrose’ is the pen name of former journalists Mike Truscott and Francesca Hanikova whose heartwarming, amusing storylines – laced with Cornish sea air – aim to appeal to a broad readership.

Following many years working in the media, including 25 years running his own PR company, Cornish-born Mike began writing local history books before embracing fiction.  Married with two adult daughters, Mike lives in Falmouth. As well as writing, he enjoys painting, walking, swimming, and blogging.

Mike is a life-long football fan and, until retirement, was PR officer for Truro City, Cornwall’s premier football club.

Francesca started her career as a trainee reporter at the Falmouth Packet newspaper, under Mike’s tutelage. After working on provincial papers and in local radio, she moved into PR, working in the UK and abroad. Married with five adult children, she lives near Hayle.

A keen walker, cyclist and circuit-training fan, Francesca enjoys gardening and takes an active interest in environmental and health-care issues, currently campaigning to improve dental provision in Cornwall. She loves spaniels, having had several, and has kept chickens for many years.

Mike and Francesca started collaborating in 2016 after discussing their mutual addiction to writing. Francesca persuaded Mike to dig out an unfinished draft and, during several coastal walks with springer spaniel Whisper, the Mel Penrose collaboration was born. The pair have completed the draft of a second novel with a third in the pipeline.

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Coming soon …