First-time Staffordshire author celebrates children's book success
A Staffordshire, mother of three has celebrated after finding critical success following the release of her first book.
New author Jamie Craven, 31, from Longdon, in between Lichfield and Rugeley, is celebrating the successful release of her first book My Magnificent Memories, which has made it to number seven on Amazon's genre list of fiction for children about death and dying.
The book follows a young girl called Amelia as she struggles to come to terms with some terrible news, clouding her dream world in darkness.
Jamie said: "The story is based on the struggles that a close family member is currently struggling with, I had the idea for this book to try to help her understand how grief works and help her through it.
"When I was 13 I was involved in the 2004 tsunami incident, shortly after I suffered with PTSD quite badly, I thought I'm a good position to help talk to kids about how to overcome their grief."
The tsunami on Boxing Day 2004 killed at least 225,000 people across a dozen countries, with Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Maldives and Thailand sustaining massive damage.
Jamie added: "I am really proud, I wasn't sure of how people would take it initially, you never know if people are going to like it, but it is doing quite well.
"The reviews on Amazon have been really great too. A social worker has actually messaged me saying that she has recommended it to her colleague, and a funeral director has kept a copy in the shop to help the children who may have lost someone.
"For me, I'm using it to help a young family member, the fact that it is doing so well is really just a bonus. In my eyes as long as it helps a young person then it is doing what it intended to do really."
Anyone who wants a copy of the book can purchase it from Amazon's website at amazon.co.uk/Magnificent-Memories-Mrs-Jaime-Craven/dp/1399934244
