A former West Herts College lecturer will be signing copies of her first novel at the Hemel Hempstead branch of the Waterstones bookshop chain on Saturday.
Carolyn Mathews, who taught classes in English as a foreign language, took a creative writing course at London’s Birkbeck College before writing Transforming Pandora, which explores the life and loves of a woman in her prime with the action cutting back and forth between the 1970s and 2003.
Carolyn was inspired by her interest in contemporary spirituality and an awareness of how ridiculous this can seem to friends and family.
And given the recent trend for romances between older people striking a chord with audiences in print as well on TV and in the cinema, she has her fingers crossed that the story will prove popular.
At the start of the story childless Pandora, 51 and still beautiful, is attempting to come to terms with her husband’s death. After reluctantly attending an evening of clairvoyance, she unwittingly raises a spirit who becomes her supernatural penfriend.
He sets her on a spiritual path, but when romance presents itself in the shape of two men – one younger, one older – she is faced with a tricky choice. Can her spiritual buddy help?
She said: “While my book traces the heroine’s love life, it also follows her spiritual journey.
“It’s written with the intention of uplifting readers – appealing to their hearts and their souls.”
She hopes that her book will appeal mainly to women readers, and members of the baby boomer generation.
Carolyn will be signing copies of her book from 11am to 2pm.