An aspiring author has written his first book.
‘Our Doris’ is a collection of 10 monologues following the escapades of a 72-year-old woman named Doris, and told from the point of view of her husband.
Charles Heathcote, 22, wrote the collection, drawing on influences from his grandparents and the people he met during volunteer work with Age UK East Cheshire.
Charles, who lives at Danes Square with mum Cathy, dad Andrew, brother Andrew and sister Jessica, said: “The book is entitled Our Doris and is written as a series of ten monologues following the escapades of a seventy-two year old woman Doris, told from the point of view of her long-suffering husband ‘arold.
“This first book sees her as she tries to become fifth house in the garden safari that’s being held by her town’s WI.”
Charles, a former Macclesfield High School and Puss Bank Primary School student, works part time for Age UK Cheshire East in Congleton after volunteering with the group for many years.
He added: “A lot of people are surprised when they realise I’m 22 and I’m writing about an old couple, but people have often said I’m quite ‘old headed’, and I have just written about what I know about but from the perspective of an older couple.”
Charles studied Creative Writing at Manchester Metropolitan University and is the secretary of the Macclesfield Creative Writing Group.
He added: “The book probably goes against every ‘rule’ I was taught at university, but it’s also what I consider my best piece of writing.
“There’s an almost conversational style that I think was inspired by my grandparents and how they tell their stories.
“I’ve always been a lover of comedy like Last of the Summer Wine and at university heard the Talking Heads series by Alan Bennett and these really inspired Our Doris.
“I’m not completely sure why I wrote the book other than really I was writing it for myself and for the people at the Creative Writing Group before it expanded into a novel-length piece that I decided to unleash upon the world.”
Charles, who has set his tales in a fictional version of Macclesfield, said he has good feedback on the book and plans to release more books about Doris’s escapades. He said: “I’ve had some quite good feedback, I did a writers forum a month or so ago and someone said it was Cheshire’s answer to Peter Kaye, which was good to hear. Usually I get a few laughs from people.”
Charles’s book launch will be held at Macclesfield Library on Saturday, June 20, between 10.30am and 12.30pm. He will be reading excerpts from the book and selling copies.You can also order copies from Amazon and Waterstones.
