Meet local author: Shelley Wilcockson
What does your Granny get up to when you are not there? She probably walks the dog, watches a bit of The Bill or does the crossword in the back of S41 and S40 Local Magazines!
Well, Granny Annie is different, she hasn’t quite grown up yet and she likes to get up to no good!
Grannie Annie is the lead character in a wonderful children’s book written by local mum and teacher, Shelley Wilcockson. I was lucky enough to meet up with Shelley for a coffee and a chat at Koo.
How did you come up with the Character, Granny Annie?
Shelley: Well, I wish I had a more interesting story than I just started writing. Although, I like to think she’s based on my older alter ego. I don’t take life too seriously and neither does Granny Annie.
So, who is Granny Annie?
Shelley: She is an absolutely wonderful Grandma who looks after her grandchildren, a lot, but when no one is around, she gets up to lots of mischief, like playing practical jokes on the post person, but the children don't know this! You could say she leads a double life.
What age group is the book aimed at?
Shelley: Granny Annie has no minimum age and can be enjoyed by anyone, but the little ones up to about the age of eight enjoy it the most. As well as the book I have created some downloadable worksheets for parents, guardians and schools to use. These are completely free and great for learning verbs, finding sounds, spelling and encouraging kids to write their own story’s. As they are written by a primary school teacher, they are perfect for use in the classroom.
Do you have a series of adventures planned for Granny Annie?
Shelley: I would love to write more, but it depends on the success of the first book. I want to go into primary schools to read the book for free and then if the school and the kids like it they can purchase the book and use the worksheets as part of their lesson plans. It would be fantastic if Granny Annie had a series of adventures!
Is the book for sale in any local bookstores?
Shelley: My publisher said that Waterstones have a section for local authors, so I’ll approach them. It would be nice to do some book signings in our local store.
Who are your favourite authors?
Shelley: I think David Walliams is brilliant. He’s written so many great children’s books. I know it’s a cliché, but I love Shakespeare. The key messages in his work are still relevant today
The illustrations match the character and story perfectly.
Shelley: I met Liz the illustrator through Bannister Publications. I couldn’t be any happier with them I am so glad that I had the book printed and illustrated on a local level and Rob (Bannister Publications) was so helpful.
Shelley was kind enough to bring me a copy of Granny Annie which I took home and read to Florie (age 3) that night and she loved it. I’d highly recommend grabbing a copy from her website and can’t wait to read what Granny Annie gets up to next time.
Text: Simon Paterson
Images: Granny Annie
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