A local author and former journalist has put down her pen and paper to start a new business making cyantotype prints, cards and collages.

Writer of historical, detective and teen fiction, Pam Kelt has started selling her designs at local fayres and markets with her new business 'BlueFernPrints'.

Cyanotype prints are made by putting a light-sensitive solution on paper, covering some of it with a design and then exposing it to light to create striking white silhouettes on a Prussian blue background.

Pam discovered the art whilst researching her latest book 'The Black Fern Conspiracy' which is a sequel to her novel 'The Lost Orchid' on Victorian plant hunters.

Having stumbled across the technique, which was invented by John Herschel in the 1840's, she decided to give it a go and got hooked instantly.

With the book now on hold until next year, Pam confessed that her house is beginning to be "taken over" by cyantoypes.

"The more I get into it, the more extraordinary it became," said Pam.

"So I thought, I can have a go at this, so about three of four years ago I made some and it was such good fun."

But initially she didn't have the space to do it properly.

Then when she and her husband moved to Kenilworth, and were looking to decorate their new house, Pam decided to start making more cyanotypes.

"I had the idea to get going again in May and by June or July my pantry was completely converted to it.

"Having learned to do lots of bits for it I suddenly realised that I was setting up a business.

"I have got prints spilling out all over the place and thought 'I really do need to sell some of these'."

She has experimented with using ferns and other botanicals to create initial designs and then with scanning and blowing up images to create collages and cards.

She even made a spooky version of Kenilworth Castle in time for Halloween.

Pam went to her first fayre in Warwick in October and was amazed by the reception.

"People were so interested," she said, "I think it is the mixture of art and science that interests people.

"It really appeals to people's imaginations."

Despite having spent most of her life as a writer, the cyanotypes do use a lot of the design skills from her various jobs.

Whilst working as a journalist Pam was involved in a lot of layout design work, and then worked for Scholastic in Leamington Spa; she has also designed the covers for some of her books.

"So I am really hooked," she said, "but I do need to finish the books!

"So the plan for next year is to get to bigger markets and to finally finish those books, as they really do compliment each other."

If you would like to purchase some of Pam's prints, she will be at the Warwick Lights Switch on, dressed as a Victorian Printer no less, on November 25.