Retired Grantham woman publishes first book ‘The Secret Amulet’ 30 years after first writing it

A retired woman who started her first book 30 years ago has had it published.

Last year when Glynis Matthews, 71, was clearing out some old papers, when she came across chapters of a book she started to write in 1994 while working as a teacher at the former St Wulfram’s School in Grantham.

After retiring from Vale Garden Houses, also based in Grantham, after 29 years, she decided to pick up the pen once again and continue her book from all those years ago.

Her book, named The Secret Amulet, has now been published by Austin Macauley Publishers.

“I love the written word and I thought, now I have time, I am going to do this now,” said Glynis.

She added: “It all started when I would sit at the back of my classes and I had nothing else to do in particular.

“However, at the time I had a change of job and I was on my own with my kids, so I had to prioritise looking after them.

“I stopped my writing, but it was also last year that spurred me on when I also wrote a short children’s book that was based on my daughter’s hamster. I published this by myself on Amazon.

“I then did a more serious one, a love story. That was again published by myself and that did quite well.

“I am quite proud of that story. But then I thought, I am going to finish this one off as well.

“This is my first that has been published by a proper publisher.”

The Secret Amulet sees a sorceress extend her hand to a young girl, unaware that she is the key to the fate of two worlds.

The girl becomes entrusted with an amulet, which allows her to be transported between the two worlds.

As she embarks on her journey, she faces trials and tribulations along the way.

Glynis, a lover of fantasy, said she wanted to focus the book on a “strong female heroine”.

She added: “It’s a young adult fantasy based on a heroine rather than heroes.

“There are so many books with heroes and boys, I wanted to create a strong female.

“I love fantasy, but I have also intertwined it with my love for nature as well, as a key to the story is also an old oak tree.

“I hope in some way I have also written it very grounded so everybody can relate to the girl.”

When Glynis came across her chapters again, she said it “wasn’t long before the juices got flowing again”.

She added: “There were times when I had to put the writing down, thinking about where is she going or what is happening next. It had quite a lot of thought put into it.”

Glynis believes ‘anyone aged between 12 and 112’ will enjoy reading her book, as well as other fantasy fans and admirers of nature.

She added: “I have also donated a couple of books to schools, including Kesteven and Grantham Girls School and Walton Academy.

“I am an old Walton girl. I would love for it to do well in Grantham, my hometown.”

Now that Glynis has caught the writing bug, she is already working on the sequel to The Secret Amulet, as well as ideas for other short stories.

The Secret Amulet can be purchased at retailers including WHSmith and Waterstones.

It can be purchased in paperback or digital format.