Devon great gran’s book published soon after passing away
Added: (Tue Aug 22 2023)
Pressbox (Press Release) -
A friendship dating back more than half a century has led to a great-grandmother finally publishing her first children’s book - just a few months before her death.
Hazel Fowles from Devon passed away in July at the age of 98.
But earlier this year she had completed the thrilling adventure story, Bapu and the Jewel Thief, which had been started as a joint project with renowned author Peter Greave in the 1970s.
Hazel was employed by the writer of The Second Miracle, Young Man in the Sun and The Painted Leopard in his final years after he’d gone blind.
After his death in 1977 the mother-of-four kept their partly-written adventure story with a promise to herself of one day finding a magical conclusion – and a publisher.
Prior to her own recent death Hazel said: “I was in my 50s when I started to write my children’s novel with Peter.
“I worked for Peter towards the end of his life and it was his captivating stories about life in India that inspired me to start writing Bapu and the Jewel Thief with him.”
Bapu and the Jewel Thief follows the thrilling adventures of a young Indian boy who leaves his home village to seek his fortune in the city.
Inspired by Peter’s own experiences in India, Bapu faces a series of challenges and adventures as he attempts to realise his big dream for his family.
As well as witnessing crimes and facing extreme danger, Hazel and Peter’s protagonist is also caught up in police operations.
But an upbringing of hardship and struggles, equips Bapu for his big city challenges.
Hazel added: “Bapu is resourceful, courageous and highly observant.
“He risks his life, for the sake of his family.
“Even though he comes from a lowly background, he still sees that he can effect change and his strength of character carries him through some dangerous and tricky situations.
“He returns to his village a hero having achieved his dream of alleviating his family’s poverty and being able to present them with an incredible prize.”
Although Hazel worked mainly as a typist for Peter, she was already an accomplished poet before taking his employment.
Inspired by authors such as Ernest Hemingway, Somerset Maugham and Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn – as well as Peter – she quickly showed a natural ability for story-telling.
Bapu and the Jewel Thief is aimed at eight-to-12-year-old children, although adult readers have also provided glowing reviews.
For more details, visit Amazon and search for Hazel MacLeod Fowles and Peter Greave, where the paperback and Kindle formats of Bapu and the Jewel Thief are both available.
Notes to the editor
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