A talented grandmother from Shrewsbury is celebrating after a lifelong ambition to become a published writer has become a reality.
Eleanor Minihane is now looking forward to an event on Saturday 23rd November where she will sign copies of her book, Unexpected Consequences: 10 Short Stories Of Dastardly Deeds, at Shire Living Withywood where she is a tenant with her husband Kevin.
The 77-year-old, who grew up in Whitchurch, has enjoyed writing since she was a little girl. “I was told from a young age that I had a talent for writing,” she said. “I don’t need to plan out my writing – I just come up with an idea and get it all down on paper. Each story in my book has a twist at the end of the tale and I hope everyone who reads it will enjoy it.”
Eleanor says she isn’t a stranger to achieving ambitions later in life as she got married, and went to university, when she was in her 40s.
“I met my husband at Shrewsbury Cathedral when I was 41 years old and he is wonderful with my two daughters, Kathryn and Mandy, and four grandchildren,” she said. “I worked at the café in Rackhams in Shrewsbury and then as an auxiliary nurse at Copthorne Hospital South on the children’s ward.
“I wanted a job that would tax my brain and so went to Birmingham Polytechnic where I gained a degree in sociology, combined with a certificate in social work. I was awarded my masters degree while working at the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford where I was as a social worker. My job was to make sure that people were discharged from hospital with appropriate care in place.”
Eleanor said her family have been instrumental in getting her stories published, as her grandson Jack designed the book cover and helped her get it on Amazon. Also, Eleanor has published the work under her late mother’s name Molly Wilson as a tribute to her.
“I’ve only been able to get into my writing since coming to live at Withywood,” she said. “It is so close to the centre of town that I was easily able to get to a creative writing course at The Gateway Education & Arts Centre, where they encouraged me to publish my work.
“Also, living at Withywood I’m the happiest I’ve ever been and I’ve just found that my creativity has flourished.”
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