Picture a Yorkshire storyteller who unearthed the unsung heroines of Sheffield’s wartime steelworks—meet Michelle Rawlins! A former journalist with a knack for real-life tales, Rawlins has woven history and heart into her acclaimed non-fiction book Women of Steel and the beloved Steel Girls fiction series. Her work celebrates the grit and camaraderie of women who kept Britain’s war machine running, making her a champion of forgotten voices.
With a career spanning journalism, teaching, and authorship, Rawlins brings warmth and authenticity to every page. Let’s dive into her journey, from curious reporter to the author who immortalized Sheffield’s feisty factory sisters!
The Making of Michelle Rawlins
Born and raised in Yorkshire, Michelle Rawlins honed her storytelling as an award-winning journalist with over 25 years of experience. Her mantra, 'it’s always the most ordinary people who have the most extraordinary stories,' guided her work for national newspapers and women’s magazines. After studying history at university, she found her calling in real-life narratives, a passion that later fueled her literary career. Since 2019, she’s also inspired students as a journalism lecturer at the University of Sheffield, balancing her roles as educator, mother, and author with a lively cavapoo in tow.
Michelle Rawlins’s Unforgettable Stories
Rawlins’s breakout work, Women of Steel (2020), is a poignant non-fiction tribute to the women who toiled in Sheffield’s steel factories during World War II. Through two years of interviews with surviving workers, many in their 90s, she captured their courage and sacrifices, from operating dangerous machinery to enduring the Sheffield Blitz. The book, praised by Daily Mail for its 'powerful personal stories,' ensures these heroines’ voices resonate.
Inspired by this research, Rawlins launched the Steel Girls series, a heartwarming saga blending fact and fiction. The first novel, The Steel Girls (2021), introduces Nancy, Betty, and Patty—three women forging unbreakable bonds at Vickers steelworks. Follow-ups like Christmas Hope for the Steel Girls (2021), Steel Girls on the Home Front (2022), Steel Girls at War (2023), and Steel Girls in the Blitz (2024) weave tales of love, loss, and resilience against wartime challenges like rationing and Dunkirk. Critics, including Yours magazine, laud the series for its 'heart-warming' depiction of female friendship, making it a must-read for saga fans.
Rawlins’s style is immersive yet accessible, blending meticulous research with Yorkshire humor and emotional depth. Her characters, inspired by real women like Kathleen Roberts, feel like old friends, their stories a testament to the power of ordinary people in extraordinary times.
Why Michelle Rawlins Matters
Michelle Rawlins has done more than write books—she’s rewritten history by spotlighting Sheffield’s wartime women. Her work helped amplify the legacy of the Women of Steel statue, unveiled in 2016, ensuring these workers’ sacrifices are never forgotten. Through her novels, she reaches new audiences, blending nostalgia with universal themes of friendship and resilience. As a teacher, she inspires future storytellers, proving that history is alive in the stories we share.
Her impact lies in her ability to make the past personal, reminding us that behind every war were women who 'just got on with it.' Rawlins’s stories resonate with readers worldwide, earning her a cherished place in historical fiction.
- Born: Yorkshire, UK
- Key Works: Women of Steel, The Steel Girls series
- Awards: International Media Award (2017) for journalism
- Fun Fact: She juggles writing with teaching and chasing her cavapoo!
Snag Women of Steel or dive into the Steel Girls series for a heartfelt journey into Sheffield’s wartime spirit. Michelle Rawlins’s stories will leave you inspired and ready to cheer for her factory sisters!