Derbyshire author hopes bedtime story book for children will help little ones experiencing sleep problems

Mum of five Genna Rowbotham, who lives in Dronfield, hopes that her publication “Ellie-May & her Toy Dragon, Ben” will help little ones who are experiencing sleep problems.

She said: “My daughter, Charlie inspired me to write my latest book. As a toddler, she struggled to sleep well and would often wake up early, being too excited for a new day ahead. She’s much better now, but my youngest daughter, Beatrice is still like it. She’s excited about everything, which is lovely, but then she’s too tired to enjoy whatever it was she was excited about the next day.”

“Ellie-May & her Toy Dragon, Ben”, a rhyming picture book which is aimed at 3-5 years, is based around a little girl who is too excited to sleep in the early hours of the morning. Her toy dragon grows into a real-life dragon and they embark on a night-time adventure, visiting a castle and going to a party where there is games, dancing and food. But as the sun rises, will Ellie-May be able to stay awake? Will she realise how important it is to sleep?

Genna said that daughter Charlie’s recollection and recitation of verses from two chapters of “Ellie-May & her Toy Dragon, Ben” encouraged her to finish a story that she had put away to continue other writing commitments.

It was only when she became a full-time mum in 2017 that former secretary Genna began writing children’s books. She said: “Lots of inspiration come from my family and my own childhood...even dreams I’ve had. Escaping the seriousness of life and entering a world of magic that’s entertaining, educating and inspiring for young and old alike is very rewarding. I also think it’s a great legacy to leave behind for family.”

Her four daughters and one son are aged between eight and 25 years. Genna said: “They do read my stories before they’re published. They are very supportive and enjoy my books, but they are also honest, and I wouldn’t want it any other way. I always take on board any constructive criticism as it helps me to become a better storyteller. My youngest daughter in particular has a keen editorial eye and is always on a mission to find mistakes in my writing. She does this with other published books too and always spots something.”

Of all the books she has written, Genna, 50, said that last year’s publication “Lottie, The Ladybird’s Adventure” was the longest process. “It took a few years to complete because I put it to one side to concentrate on other projects,” she said. “When I eventually revisited it, I changed the story slightly which meant more and more editing. Eventually, CAAB Publishing were interested in publishing the book, but they were to a tight deadline, so it was all systems go towards the end.

"All of my latest books have done particularly well, especially as my writing’s improved and I’ve learned the marketing side of things. “Ellie-May & her Toy Dragon, Ben” is proving to be popular in terms of sales and I’ve also had some excellent reviews for it.

"I would love to write a romantic comedy under a different pen name, but I will always primarily be a children’s author because that’s where my passion lies.”

To order a paperback copy of “Ellie-May & her Toy Dragon, Ben” for £8.99, go to www.gennarowbotham.co.uk. The book is also available as an e-book or paperback on Amazon, as a paperback from Waterstones and Shop Direct and as an e-book from Kobo and Google Play.