A NORTH Yorkshire author has had her sixth teenage novel issued by an international publisher in only four years.

Chasing Rainbows by Julia Clarke, of Harrogate, is published this month by Oxford University Press.

The novel tells the story of Rose, who has the idea of arranging a marriage between her creative but chaotic mother and the organised but uninspired father of her friend, Ash, who lives next door - but her plans face many obstacles.

It is Ms Clarke's fourth teenage novel published by Oxford University Press. Two have also been published by HarperCollins as part of their Flamingo imprint.

Chasing Rainbows is the follow-up to the novel You Lose Some, You Win Some, about a North Yorkshire farming family caught in the aftermath of the foot and mouth outbreak, which was published a year ago.

Ms Clarke, a former actress and teacher who had six romantic novels published before turning to teenage fiction, said: "Chasing Rainbows is a light-hearted book about a flawed but loveable heroine whose childish dreams clash with adult reality - which is what being a teenager is all about.

"I always try to find different themes for my books. Chasing Rainbows is about matchmaking and dancing, which have been of interest to girls since the time of Jane Austen. I was inspired by a dancing show my daughter was in. I thought - I want to write about that."