A Preston woman is fulfilling her lifelong dream of becoming a writer after a rare form of arthritis ended her working life as a priest and left her in a wheelchair.

Rosie Radcliffe writes about challenging life issues with a lighter touch, where coffee shops, cake, food, and people watching feature heavily, just as they do in her own life.

Her novel Frankie and Dot was released in November. Set in Preston, the book is described as a gripping piece of contemporary fiction.

The story follows ex-socialite Frankie as she rebuilds her life after being framed and subsequently imprisoned for arson.

Filled with a range of diverse and inclusive characters, the book was inspired by Rosie’s visit to a women’s prison while also drawing comparisons from her own life.

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Rosie said: “Having been forced to stay home and shield during the height of Covid, I coped by writing a novel or three.

“As a former priest, I’ve visited a number of prisons, but it was the women’s prison I went to which had a profound effect on me.

“I started wondering what the experience of incarceration might be like, particularly for someone from a relatively privileged background. I know the effect it had on me.

“As a lifelong lipstick feminist, I’ve always had a passion for justice and advocated for women who find themselves ignored and marginalised – try getting taken seriously as an older (wiser) wheelchair user who’s a bit religious!”

Frankie and Dot is available to purchase from The Book Guild Publishing website.

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This story was made possible by you, our readers, and a host of organisations in the city, through our Crowdfund Lancashire appeal, which unlocked support from the Lancashire Culture and Sport Fund provided by Lancashire County Council. You can see all our coverage and, if you know of an arts project or event in the city we should be covering, you can submit it for our event listings and/or send details to contactus@blogpreston.co.uk for us to cover it as a story on the Blog.