AN established author from Warrington who has gone from writing Ofsted reports to publishing autobiographies will be touring libraries around town in the coming months.

A former teacher at Warrington Collegiate Cilla Shiels has published five of her own books as well as many more within the weekly writing group she holds at the Warrington Disability Partnership centre.

Cilla will be hosting sessions at three local libraries in February and March in a bid to inspire others to write and to promote her and her writing group All Season’s collection of work.

Members of the writing group, who meet every Wednesday at the charity’s headquarters, will be there at the sessions to meet and speak to as well.

Telling of where her journey into writing first began, Cilla said: “I moved to Warrington from St Helens 30 years ago and never looked back.

“I enjoyed teaching at Warrington Collegiate for ten years, followed by a headship at St. Helens college. As head of department, I was always writing inspection reports for various awarding bodies and Ofsted. I joked to staff, ‘when I retire, I’ll write a book as it will be less arduous’.”

The former teacher took voluntary redundancy in 2010 and enrolled on an online writing course.

“In one assignment, I had to write chapter headings with a brief outline of its content for an autobiography. My on-line tutor told me there was a book in there which inspired me to write An Everyday Housewife.”

This first book was published in 2016 was followed by another autobiography, before Cilla then ventured into writing children’s books.

Many of her stories have mirrored the various challenges she has faced in life, she explained.

“When my dear second husband died, I started writing on screen, how I felt each day and the journey I made from pure grief to moving on in life.

“I hadn’t planned to write this book, it just evolved. I hope it helps others in the early days of bereavement, to know, the sun will shine again.”

Cilla added that she ‘enjoys encouraging others to write’ having previously had doubts about her own capabilities of writing a book.

You can visit one of the three sessions she will hold with other members of the All Season’s writing group. These will take place on the following dates:

  • February 1 at Culcheth Library between 2p and 4pm

  • February 29 at Grappenhall Library between 7.30pm to 9pm

  • March 7 at Padgate Library between 4.30pm and 5.30pm

Keep a look out for more of Cilla’s work to come in the future.