A WEAVERHAM woman who spent almost three decades in the civil service has just released her first novel.

Gill Atkinson, 62, left her position as a Personal advisor in Northwich Job Centre last May, having worked for the civil service for 29 years.

After going for a number of other roles, she decided to retire and focus on something she had always wanted to do – write a novel.

“When I retired from work last year I went to couple of interviews but it wasn’t what I wanted to do,” Gill said.

“I always wanted to write a novel but I never felt confident enough,”

She started the book, Secret of the Fireflies, in May and it took her about five months to complete it. It has spent the last few months being edited for print.

“I was writing every day,” she said. “I became a bit obsessed. It just consumed me.”

Set in 1962, the crime-thriller tells the nail-biting tale of a fugitive on the run for murder.

Gill said: “I gave it to my daughter and her friend, who are avid readers. They both said it was fantastic and said I needed to get it printed and out there.

“I have had brilliant feedback from people already who have bought it and read it.”

Gill, who was born and grew up in Weaverham before moving to Barnton in 1982, drew inspiration from close to home when writing the book.

The story is initially set in Manchester and goes through Weaverham, where Gill grew up, through Delamere to Chester and then Wales.

“I didn’t know where to start,” she said. “I thought, go back to your roots, use something you know and that is where the story developed from.”

Gill revealed many of the characters in the book are based on her own family.

She also decided to use the pen name J G Nicholls as a tribute to her late mum.

“It’s only when you get older, when you have children and grandchildren that you realise how much they sacrifices for you,” she said.

“It’s a thank you to my mum.”

Gill revealed she found writing the book ‘therapeutic’, and has already started writing the follow-up, which she hopes will form part of a trilogy.

The book is currently available to order on Amazon as a paperback.

The official book launch will take place at Barton Memorial Hall on Saturday, March 4, from 2pm to 4pm. A

nother will take place at Barnton Library on Wednesday, March 15, from 6pm to 7pm.