A Bolton-born woman is dedicating her first novel to her dad after writing it almost 40 years ago.
Elizabeth Green, 53, wrote the original version of Detective Dopeyworth when she was aged just 14 after getting a typewriter for Christmas from her parents Laurence and Marie Dillon.
Elizabeth always had a vivid imagination and a love for reading and writing, so she started typing away the story of the detective, and her dad “loved it”.
She said: “I remember just writing the story that came in my head.
“I have no idea where the detective story came from.
“And my dad absolutely loved it and sent it to my uncle Kevin who was the headmaster at a private boys school, and the boys there loved it.”
But it wasn’t until three years ago when her parents died two weeks apart from each other, that she came across the original story again in her dad’s writing desk when clearing out their house.
Her dad died at the age of 91 from cancer, and her mum died at 84 after suffering with dementia.
Elizabeth said: “They were married for 60 odd years and where they had their funeral, at St Joseph’s in Halliwell, is the same church they got married at.
“Having them at the altar together when they died was quite nice and quite comforting in a way.
“They wouldn’t have been able to survive without each other.
“It’s bittersweet because I would have loved my dad to have seen it now because he would have loved it.”
Elizabeth says that the main character looks just like her dad, which she didn’t intend, it’s just how it happened.
She said: “The character also has a lot of me in it, but at 14 I didn’t realise it.
“It has evolved so much since writing the story.
“It is still the same, but it has been professionally edited, illustrated and shaped to my style now.”
Although Elizabeth has moved to the North Yorkshire Moors, she says that Bolton is “where her heart was when writing”.
She mostly loves being able to lose herself when reading.
Elizabeth said: “Ever since I was a little girl, I would be reading a book.
“I would walk home from school and be reading The Famous Five or Malory Towers, while others read magazines like Smash Hits.”
The book is expected to be released on October 7, which can be pre-ordered from Amazon or Waterstones.
Elizabeth added: “My parents lived in Smithills all their lives and my dad used to buy the Bolton Evening News daily.
“I know how proud my dad would have been to have seen it.
“He loved this story and that’s why I have done this for him.
“I wish he could have seen it come out.”
Detective Dopeyworth follows the story of a hapless but loveable detective who never gives up on his dreams.
Elizabeth hopes that she can turn the book into a series and follow her passion as an author.
She can also be contacted via email Elizabethgreenauthor@outlook.com for book signings and school visits.
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