Arthritis won't stop my dream #SP #PressRelease

A nurse who was left bed bound by arthritis has published her first book.

A dedicated Nurse from Ackworth thought her life was over when she had to give up the job she loved, due to chronic arthritis.
But after becoming almost bed bound by the condition, Linda Jones decided to start writing a novel.

She could barely hold a pen but would occasionally manage typing.
Mrs Jones, 58, said: “I was devastated to leave my job as I loved working at the nursing home.
"It was there I started when I first became a nurse, and it was one of the most fulfilling jobs I’ve ever had.
"It was exasperating; my mind was as active as ever but my body felt like it was made of lead."
Mrs Jones had always enjoyed writing and even used it in her work to help her patients through a difficult time.

She said: "I always encourage my patients to write as a way of expressing themselves and focusing on something positive."

And Linda, now herself struggling, decided to listen to her own advice.
She said: "It was impossible to hold a pen for more than a few minutes but I could tap away at a keyboard.

And I could even do this when confined to my bed on a bad day."
Mrs Jones continued to do just that throughout the next two years.
"I started to dream of becoming an author but never imagined it would actually happen."

But the self-taught Mrs Jones penned her debut novel which has been picked up by independent publishers The Writing Hall, based in Yorkshire.
She said: "My arthritis meant all my joints had swollen up so I had very little confidence but knowing that someone believed in my book, was the first step back into believing in myself."
With medication, little exertion and less wear and tear on her body, Mrs Jones' condition gradually improved. It still controlled whether she had a ’good day’ or a ‘bad day’, but focusing on her writing meant she saw beyond her restrictions, and it helped her to fight against the depression that threatened to take over.

Her first novel, A Fistful of Feathers, is in a trilogy for children aged 9-12 years, went a long way to saving her sanity.
Mrs Jones added: “When I was forced to give up nursing I felt my life was going backwards, and at speed. Now I see that it was simply changing course.
“I never dreamt I’d be able to make writing my career, and I truly appreciate all the help and support the medical staff, my family, and my friends, have given me to get me here.”

Mrs Jones will be sharing her story with pupils at Ackworth Howard School at the end of the month.

Copies of ‘A Fistful of Feathers’ can be purchased via www.thewritinghall.co.uk.

For press enquiries:
Contact: Author, Linda Jones – 07907 905114; linda.jones2703@gmail.com
Publisher: The Writing Hall – 0800 978 8314; info@thewritinghall.co.uk.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

Author Linda Jones: Biography

Linda was diagnosed with inflammatory response arthritis, a condition caused by a suppressed immune system. This affected her joints, causing them to swell; the ensuing pain, particularly in her hands and feet, meant even the smallest tasks were difficult to carry out. Though she struggled on, working as a senior psychiatric nurse in elderly care, for a little while following her diagnosis, Linda was eventually forced to give up work - her condition aggravated by the job she loved.

A Fistful of Feathers: Biography

Jo, part of an illegal experiment that could cost him his life, goes on the run, so the sinister Dr Bowden can’t perform the ‘final examination’ – no one has ever survived that experience. Jo eventually finds safety amongst a group of people who don’t see him as a freak.

But Bowden’s men are lurking; Jo has to make a choice: submit and be hauled back to the clinic, or expose his secret to save them all, and risk losing the only friends he’s ever had.”

An old-fashioned, rip-roaring adventure perfect for 9-12 year-olds, ‘A Fistful of Feathers’ is the first in ‘The Fraser Chronicles’ – a new trilogy of children’s fiction featuring a plethora of heroic, engaging characters, who just happen to be fighting for their lives.

Particularly suitable for young readers with a thirst for more challenging stories, the book is truly an immersive read. Harry Potter has had his day and it’s time for a new family of characters – step forward Dan, Lucy, Zoe, Sarah, Ade and Paul…a good-natured bunch with a huge passion for martial arts.

The debut novel by author Linda Jones, from Ackworth, West Yorkshire, ‘A Fistful of Feathers’ has already exceeded predicted sales targets and also received fantastic feedback across the main platforms.

Not every child wants stories based on our bodily functions; some hanker after traditional, well-written, vivid storylines that transport and excite the reader. ‘A Fistful of Feathers’ is exactly that book.