Devon children's author doing a reading in Ottery St. Mary café

Debra Wellington (aged 57) has written a children's book, entitled The Animal Says, and on Tuesday February 15 she is coming to Ottery St. Mary's The Coffee Bank to read to local children.

Debra lives in Exmouth with her husband Richard and son Matthew (aged 22.) She also has a daughter named Jennifer (aged 26.)

Debra studied for an Art diploma in 1980s, but her passion for the creative was neglected for quite a few years. Little did she know it would be resurrected so successfully!

After studying for her diploma in the 1980s, Debra worked in local government for almost thirty years, before leaving in 2012. However, she missed Art and so she found a way back to her creative side when she started working as an Activity Co-Ordinator at a Budleigh Salterton care home.

Debra told Nub News: "I noticed it was the Art that was really beneficial, especially for people with dementia, and it was the Art that I really enjoyed doing."

Before long, Debra started working for herself and going into care homes providing Art activities for residents.

When the pandemic struck in March 2020, and Debra was unable to do this work anymore, she decided to concentrate on her own artwork: "I had a set of animal designs that I was selling as prints for children's rooms, and last July I thought to myself, 'I can see them in a picture book.'

"I sent off the images to a few publishing companies, and someone from Candy Jar Books contacted me said they absolutely loved the images."

'The Animal Says' is aimed at babies up to young readers. It is non-fiction and features ten colourful animal illustrations, with a few facts about each animal and an illustration of the noise that they make.

The artwork is created by using recycled paper, which is then stamped and marked, before being shaped into designs. Debra is hoping to visit schools and teach her techniques to children.

On her publishing success, Debra said: "I'm absolutely thrilled, and sometimes I have to pinch myself!"

Debra has enjoyed the process of creating the book so much that she is already planning her second book, so watch this space!

Debra will be at The Coffee Bank on February 15 at 10am.

The book is available here