Brinsley author achieves her lifetime ambition to write first book

Jo Gotheridge was just an ordinary girl who went to Brinsley Primary School, then on to Matthew Holland School in Selston.

Whilst there, she was taught by an inspiring English teacher, Edith Hawley and she revelled in all things literary, committed to embarking on an English degree.

Instead, she embarked on a 29-year teaching career, where she was able to inspire others - but was still frustrated that writing had to take a back seat.

Then, as she was caring for her mum (who was also a teacher at Matthew Holland) in the last few months of her life, something life-changing happened.

She picked up her pen to write her mum’s eulogy and felt herself being encouraged that very same English teacher she had at 16, who said, 'you have to keep writing!'.

At that point she decided to ‘close the curtain’ on her teaching career to commit herself to achieving her lifetime’s ambition.

Attending a short six-hour writing course, then establishing with a friend her own writing group, has allowed Jo to find her written voice once more.

Her aim is to reach readers who have similar life experiences and wish to read a message of hope and renewal, and also to support the younger versions of herself who may be fighting those same battles and need a glimmer of hope, a sprinkle of joy and a burst of optimism.

Her book, Love Labour and Loss, was written in five months, was commissioned by Austin Macauley Publishers and is set to be published at the end of April.

Jo has used her maiden name as her author name as this how she was known in her hometown.

One of the chapters in the book is called 'Postcards from my Hometown' and features her recollections of The Emmet Clock, The City Ground, Eastwood including the influence DH Lawrence had on her, Rock City and the powerful story of Jacob Dunne (featured in the recent production of Punch at Nottingham Playhouse).

The book is dispersed with her late father's photographs which she discovered after his death, as he was a talented amateur photographer and part of Eastwood Photographic Society for many years.

The book also features line drawings from one of her ex-pupils when she taught at Orchard Primary School in Kirkby from 1996-2001.

The final image in the book was created by her close friend and scenery production manager at Nottingham Playhouse – who lives in Eastwood and completed the scenery for Punch at the Playhouse, in the West End and even Broadway.

Love, Labour and Loss is available to buy from Waterstones online, Amazon or Austin Macauley online.