At NLocale, we don’t just hunt down the best local table or the perfect getaway cottage. Our region is also home to local talents who bring it to life with their words. So when we come across authors living in our beloved Aisne department, we grab our keyboards to tell you about them. And when they live in Laon, well, it’s practically a moral duty to introduce them.
Meet Audrey, then: the local author who took her daughter at her word (and might just wreck your productivity at work).
Does your teenager’s career choices give you cold sweats? For Audrey, it sparked a vocation. Forget the myth of the tortured writer in an ivory tower—our author takes a far more direct approach to literature.
The ‘Parcoursup’ Moment
It all started with her daughter Astride’s daunting university choices. When the girl struggled to answer what she’d do if she had ‘no limits,’ the question bounced back to her mother: ‘Why don’t *you* write a book, then?’ The challenge was set. Audrey had started a story about a certain Aglaé back in 2013 but had given up. The reason? She’s dysorthographic, which has always made her relationship with written French complicated, even though story ideas overflowed in her mind. To prove to her children that dreams can be realised, she reopened the floodgates of writing. The result? She finished Aglaé’s story and published her debut novel, *Les choses arrivent pour une bonne raison*, in 2025.
A Second Novel That Hits Hard
Riding the wave, Audrey released her second book in 2026: *Voir nos chemins se rencontrer*. It follows Suzanne, a young woman facing an unplanned pregnancy, forced to give birth under anonymous adoption. To reclaim her life and endure the 18 long years until potential reunions with her child, she moves to Lille. There, she becomes flatmates with Simone, a sparkling, resilient octogenarian who helps her rediscover the joy of living. A story of resilience, maternal love, and powerful emotions that strikes right at the heart.
Warning: Addictive Reading Ahead
If you pick up her books, warn your boss. Recently, a reader confessed to her that she couldn’t put the book down and kept thinking about it—even at work! Word of mouth is powerful: someone who bought her book at a Cultura signing in July came back to see her at Fnac in September just to say how much they loved it.
Tata Nadège’s Take
You know me—I’m not one to get sentimental over nothing. But I’ll admit, Suzanne and Simone’s story got me right in the feels. What I love most about Audrey is her go-getter attitude. A mum who struggles with spelling and still writes two novels just to show her daughter that nothing should hold you back? That’s the kind of spirit we love in the Aisne. My advice: start reading with a good coffee and keep a tissue handy. And if your boss complains about you reading at work, tell them I wrote the note excusing you.
Where to Find Her
Her two novels, *Les choses arrivent pour une bonne raison* and *Voir nos chemins se rencontrer*, are available (Amazon, Fnac, Cultura, or order from your local bookshop). If you want to meet her in person nearby, clear your diary:
Sunday, 4 October 2026: She’ll be at the Merlieux Book Festival.
Coming soon: signings are planned at Leclerc in Chambry and Carrefour in Reims La Neuvillette.
*Voir nos chemins se rencontrer* on Amazon: https://www.amazon.fr/Voir-nos-chemins-se-rencontrer/dp/B0H2TXBQ8S
Audrey Toury’s two novels.
