An 80 year old Formby woman publishes her first novel

Formby Bubble
Jan 11, 2016
2 min read

A FORMBY pensioner is celebrating after publishing her first ever book - at the age of 80!

'Bella - Child Of The Universe' is an emotional fantasy journey through the life of an eight year old girl from Cornwall who struggles to cope with domestic abuse and was written by Formby woman Elizabeth Douglas. She celebrated to official release of her debut novel on December 24 - the same day as her 80th birthday! First getting a taste for the art of creative writing after attending a summer writing course at Lancaster University in the summer, she drew on her expertise from her role as a midwife in Cornwall to help stage the setting and plot to the book. Elizabeth now hopes it will garner local popularity after publishing it both online via Amazon Kindle and as a paperback. She told The Champion: “I launched the book back in December the same day I turned 80-years-old - well nobody told me I was old!. ”My book ‘Bella, Child of the Universe’ is about an eight-year-old girl whose father has moved abroad and whose mother becomes very depressed. “Puzzled by the change in her mother, and beginning to suffer physical and verbal abuse, Bella believes the fairies have stolen her real mother away and left a goblin in her place. ”Bella and her brother go to stay with an aunt who lives in Cornwall. There the children find a new way of life, new friends, and dramatic adventure. “The book is available on Amazon Kindle and as a paperback. ”It garnered attention after Debbie McGowan from BeatTrack publishers came to talk to Formby Writers about publishing and offered to publish the book. “She decided that an 80th birthday would be an ideal publication date! ”I have lived in Formby for over half my lifetime, but only after retirement found the time to write. “I worked in Cornwall as a midwife many years ago, and return there regularly with my family. ”Lancaster University ran writing courses in the summer and I began the book whilst attending one of these classes. “I am also a member of Formby Writers, who write and publish and perform their work, and give the exact encouragement and support that every writer values!”