Becoming an Author
My agent asked if I’d be interested in giving writing a go, Collins were looking for a sporty story to be part of their ‘Big Cat Read On’ series. These are books aimed at children aged around 10-12 who are about to graduate onto longer chapter books. I was a little hesitant at first, I’d not written anything substantial since university, and had never written with a younger audience in mind.
I’m so glad I rose to the challenge, as I discovered I really enjoyed writing, and love the idea that my book might help a disabled child feel represented, whether they’re sporty or not!
The book is partly autobiographical (how I went from hating PE at school to becoming a Paralympic athlete) and partly the origin story of the Paralympic Games, from its humble beginnings as rehabilitation for wounded WWII veterans, to the international sporting movement it is today.