A former primary school teacher is launching a new career as a children’s author after publishing her first book.
The new venture will see Sarah Griffiths, 40, a former teacher at Tibberton CE Primary School, near Newport, visiting schools and nurseries across the borough to share her passion for reading and writing with youngsters.
It follows the publication of her new picture book Douglas’s Trousers, which is now available on Amazon.
The book follows the adventure of a young boy called Douglas, who helps to save his school from closure when his magic trousers come to life.
The inspiration for Sarah’s new book came from her former teaching days at Morville Primary School, near Bridgnorth.
She said: “I’ve been writing as a hobby for a number of years and I wrote this particular story a few years ago when I was still teaching at Morville.
“In 2008 the school, along with around 21 other primary schools in Shropshire, was facing the threat of closure. I remember it being a really difficult time for everyone. Then one day when I was stood in the staff room I recall hearing a colleague shouting ‘Douglas pick up those trousers’ and in an instant the idea for a story about Douglas and his magic trousers saving the school came to me.
“I wrote all the ideas down and drafted the story but then, like most writers, I put it in a drawer and forgot about it.”
Sarah, mum to two-year-old Eva from Leegomery, added: “It was only more recently that I decided I wanted to focus full-time on becoming an author and I’m absolutely thrilled to have finally had the story published.
“It felt like it was just a dream and I didn’t think it was possible to make it a reality. I’m now really looking forward to sharing my story with children across Shropshire and I cannot wait to visit schools and inspire a new generation of writers.
“It’s my ambition to help generate excitement about reading and writing in children from a young age and teach them to use and explore their own imaginations.
“It’s going to be a very exciting new venture and will enable me to use all my skills as a teacher but in a slightly different way.”
Douglas’s Trousers will officially launch at Wenlock Books in Much Wenlock on September 2, at 2pm. Sarah will do a public reading of the book and will also be signing copies afterwards.
Driven to become a successful children’s author indie-writer Sarah is already in the process of penning her second children’s picture book George and Mord, which will be published next year.
She has been supported throughout her self-publishing journey by Team Author UK - a collaboration of professionals helping writers to become published authors. The book has been illustrated by Liverpool-based artist Holly Bushnell.
