AN AUTHOR spreading a positive message about disability has received praise from royalty and a famous illustrator ahead of its Redditch launch.
Jess Hiles inspired Jess The Goth Fairy which has been written in conjunction with her mother Jo Allmond and is now touring venues across Worcestershire and beyond.
The pair aim to promote the positive side of being disabled and have attracted letters of praise from Prince Harry and Quentin Blake, who illustrated Roald Dahl’s books.
Their first book was funded by donations from 139 backers, including one man who gave them £1,500 towards the cost of it being published after hearing them promoting it on a radio show.
As well as working on future books which they hope will form a whole series about the fairy and her friends, Jo and Jess have been visiting schools where Jo read excerpts, also told in sign language by Jess.
Some of the proceeds will be going to MacIntyre, a national charity which supports disabled people, and the book’s release will be marked by a signing at Where Next in Easemore Road between 2pm and 4pm on November 19.
Jo said: “The funding came from people we know and others we don’t which was very humbling. Rather than being about the negative side of being disabled, it’s the positive side.
“The Paralympics was wonderful for disability but we still don’t feel that perhaps there’s enough recognition of people like Jess and what they can achieve in their own communities.”
For more information, e-mail [email protected] or search ‘Jess The Goth Fairy’ on Facebook.
