'I retired early to live my life to the full when I found my mum's unfinished novel - I finished it for her, now I have book signings in Dudley'

Kay Bowen was a Digital Skills teacher and also ran a construction business with her husband before she took early retirement in December 2024. 

The 59-year-old, who lives in Sedgley with her husband and five cats, told the Express & Star that she felt she needed to "live her life to the full" after the loss of her mum in 2020 - but while glancing at some of her mum's files on her computer, she discovered something that would change the course of her life. 

She said:  I lost my mom very suddenly and unexpectedly. We had been talking on the phone in the morning and I found her on the afternoon.

"I did go through a rough time but pulled myself together and went back to teaching until I retired. Her passing was one of the reason's I retired, life can be sort and I wanted to enjoy my time while I was still young enough and healthy enough to do so. 

"One day I was going through my files on my computer and found a folder called 'Sue's folder' so I had a look only to find she had started a novel that she called Gina."

Kay explained that her mum had only wrote one chapter of the story before her tragic passing and decided that she wanted to try and finish it for her in her memory.

However, Kay "never once" thought she's manage it, having never set out to be a writer before - but ended up finding a new passion. 

She added: "I absolutely loved writing, I'd be there in the scene and I'd write for hours, I have no ideas where the ideas came from but they just kept on coming. 

"I sent the book to 4 literacy agents and all 4 offered me a publishing contract, I chose Austin Macauley because they gave me the most detail positive feedback."

Now, Kay is a published author of the book "Secrets", where strangers with dark secrets cross paths at a luxury hotel. They must decide whether to reveal the truth or keep hiding it, and two years later we see how their choices shape their lives. 

So far, it has been showcased at a New York book fair and she is scheduled for a meet-and-greet event in Sedgley library at 1pm on Saturday, September 27. 

The book is available online on Amazon for £10.99 - with a sequel confirmed to be on the way!