Author of the Policeman Peter children’s book series.
Barbara Ann
I have been privileged to live on a farm in Denshaw for over thirty years. Denshaw is one of the seven small villages that make up Saddleworth, which historically came under the wing of the West Riding of Yorkshire. The Saddleworth villages are nestled within the foothills of the Pennines and meander along the river Tame. Within these small villages there is a great feeling of camaraderie and of community spirit - usually, everybody seems to know each other.
Since turning sixty, I have noticed a big change in my friends and acquaintances within this age bracket. Most are now retired, but they also seem to ‘shut down’. In myself, I realised that my physical fitness is not that of ten years ago, but I have compensated that with freeing my mind, by reevaluating past restraining beliefs. I am now far more creative, hence the self-publishing of seventeen children’s books (sixteen of which belong to the ‘Policeman Pete’ series). In fact, I believe in myself more now than I have ever done.
Due to this new-found belief in self, I have become more adventurous, which in turn, has awakened a new thirst for life and knowledge. Our technology is racing ahead and everything is at our fingertips. Anyone wishing to learn can easily do so, without going down the ‘old road’ of further education. If you want to do something, do it. Don’t let the lack of a certificate stop you.
Many people ask ‘Have you always wanted to write?’. Well, no, I haven’t. It had never even entered my head. I also think that it may have been due to a lack of self-belief, back then. It was only when I was faced with the prospect of downsizing from the farm, that I began to have a strong urge to put pen to paper in order to record the adventurous memories of the past thirty years that had taken place between my own two children, Sarah and Adam, their friends, animals on the farm and our pets. These short stories are straight from the heart and filled with loving memories.
As the stories developed, I found something else - a great passion from within. This passion really brought me alive and created a whole new world. I am motivated and happy, I go into primary schools and read my books. I also go into sixth form colleges and hopefully, inspire the teenagers to follow their dreams and not get lost in the labyrinth of life; not to wait forty or fifty years to follow their passion.
As books ‘grew’, so did I, in some strange, symbiotic way. The books kind of took on a life of their own. Things and events would happen out of the blue, or chance meetings would occur. This has led me to live a much more relaxed and spontaneous life.
I have discovered that there are many ways to get something done, not to take no for an an swear, but to try and try again. ‘Where there is a will, there is a way’.
I found that whenever I was working on my books, time would fly by. It was lovely and invigorating to slip into such a focused and magical world.
Overall, I would say that age has been a gift. I seem to have found the magical me - happy and enthusiastic about all sorts of things. In fact, I am now far more adventurous than I have ever been. A lovely saying springs to mind: ‘ Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul.’ (Sam Ullman).
This last point is an important one: I now have no fear, as at my age, I have come to realise that it no longer matters!
About the author: Brought up and schooled in Oldham, Greater Manchester, at the age of 17, Barbara decided on a nursing career. Later, she set up her own day nursery which she ran for a few years before supporting her husband in his busy profession. Fast forward to 2013, Barbara started writing and illustrating the Policeman Pete series. She currently lives at Brimmycroft Farm, in the small Saddleworth village of Denshaw, Oldham with her husband, horses, geese, ducks and cats. She is an active participant in charities involving law enforcement including the Blue Lamp Foundation. She has previously appeared on BBC Radio Manchester and been featured in the Oldham Advertiser and the Manchester Evening News. Each book in The Policeman Pete series by Barbara Ann is published by Creative Locations Ltd in paperback RRP £4.99 and are available to purchase from online retailers including amazon.co.uk and to order from all good bookstores. For more information please visit: http://policemanpetebooks.co.uk.