A YORKSHIRE author has just seen his first published work named as one of this year’s top ten books.
Roger K Driscoll’s children’s book Echo McCool Outlaw Through Time was picked out for praised by independent literature comparison website www.goodreads.com
The children’s fantasy novel aimed at nine to 12-year olds is also now on sale at WHSmith bookstores throughout Yorkshire.
Mr Driscoll from Curlew Close, Beverley, said: “I’ve been scribbling for years but this is the first one that’s been published, it took a lot of practice.”
The author grew up in the Beverley area and was inspired to write because of his enjoyable childhood playing out from dawn till dusk.
His story about a magical medieval girl linking up with a 12-year-old runaway is set in a mythical place called Oswaldley.
“Oswaldley is really Beverley, Witch Wood is Burton Bushes and Hazelby is Driffield. I don’t have any children myself and it’s difficult to say why I chose to write children’s books, they chose me.
“I think it depends on what sort of time you had when you were that age. I had a great time.
“I lived not far from where I live now and we used to play out all the time. I don’t think that happens so much.
“Sometimes we went raking off for miles.”
Mr Driscoll is a former legal executive who was made redundant in 2008 and used his redundancy money as an “advance” so he could take time out to write.
He was able to secure a deal with Grosvenor House Publishing, one of the directors of which is the respected Scarborough author GP Taylor.
He said: “I wouldn’t say my career has ended but it’s on hold. It was difficult to do both at the same time because legal work is quite taxing. You end up shoe-horning in the writing.”
Whatever happens, anyone who enjoys Echo McCool Outlaw Through Time can be assured there is a sequel on the way.
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