By Tricia Mifsud
A WALLAN resident has celebrated the launch of her debut picture story book that honours the memory of her late mother and the ways she managed through a period of depression.
Karen Shelton Ficheroux, the author of the storybook Granny Franny, said she was proud of her mother Fran, and the way she got through she a difficult time when her husband, Ms Shelton Ficheroux’s father, died.
Fran used knitting as a coping mechanism, crafting blankets that she donated to charities.
“My mum struggled with my dad’s passing and developed severe depression. Knitting was the one thing that helped her through it,” Ms Shelton Ficheroux said.
“I was so proud of her and wanted to honour her in some way.
“At first I was going to see if my sister, who is a journalist, wanted to write the story but her and my husband said that it should be me who writes it.”
Ms Shelton Ficheroux said she sat down during a tea break at work and managed to complete the whole story.
“I wrote it in about half an hour, it was a bit like a tornado of words,” she said.
Despite Fran’s own struggles, she wanted to make sure that others all around the world were thought of, and shown support in some way.
“The story has children wondering where did all the blankets go and shares that it’s all about doing something for people who are not as fortunate as us,” Ms Shelton Ficheroux said.
The process from writing the story, finding an illustrator, and having the book published took about two years.
Ms Shelton Ficheroux said she was not sure whether or not it would be the first and last children’s story she wrote, but something special would have to again be the reason for her to create another book.
“Granny Franny has been mostly a passion project, which I hope children read and take from it some valuable messages,” she said.
“I don’t know if I’d write another, I’d have to find the write story. My dad did do some amazing things, so he probably would be the subject of the next one if I did [write another book].”
Granny Franny is available for hardcopy purchase at barnesandnoble.com/ or you can purchase the eBook at amazon.com/
