Last updated at 13:42, Tuesday, 22 November 2011

A DAD’S dream has been realised after the bedtime story he read to his children was published as a picture book.

Dad-of-four, Kenny Bower, was born in Ulverston and has worked in the town all his life at Furness Winding, the electric motor sales and service firm.

The 44-year-old started drawing at an early age and always dreamt that one day he would illustrate a book.

And it came true with the publication of Timmy Ted and the Chapel Island Adventure.

The idea evolved from Mr Bower’s fascination with Chapel Island and the legend of the hidden tunnel which supposedly exists between the island and Conishead Priory.

The former Ulverston Victoria High School pupil created the character of Timmy for his children and started work on a series of drawings depicting the protagonist and his pals’ adventures around Ulverston.

With the help of Cumbrian publisher Handstand Press and Lindsay Staniforth, who set the story to verse, the book was put together and went on sale yesterday.

Mr Bower said: “It started when I was a lad. We had to do a topic at school and my topic was on illustrated children’s books and my teacher, Mrs Rae, said ‘if you really want it bad enough, you will get there’.

“When I started, I just did it for the kids and I wasn’t bothered if it turned into a book or just sat on my shelf for the kids.”

Mr Bowes’ eldest daughter, Jessica, 19, was four when he started reading it to her.

He is also dad to Keiron, 16, Joshua, 15, and Tonicha, 12, and husband to Nicola, a teacher in Barrow, who gave him lots of support.

Mr Bowes said: “I knew the story from the start and I used to tell the kids it at night time and they loved it.

“They used to ask me ‘read us that story again’ and it was all in my head and I used to read it from memory.

“It probably differed slightly every time, but the basis was there.”

Handstand Press owner Liz Nuttall, who used to run Tinner’s Rabbit bookshop in Ulverston, said: “I actually met Kenny about five years ago and he showed me his drawings and I thought they were beautiful.

“We’ve been working on if for five years but, for him, it’s a lifetime dream.”

m Timmy Ted and the Chapel Island Adventure will be officially launched at Ulverston Library on Friday at 6pm.

Kenny Bower will also sign copies at the NSPCC Dickensian coffee morning in Ulverston on Saturday.

On Saturday December 4, he will be at Sutton’s Bookshop between 10.30am and 12.30pm and at the Bookshack in Ulverston Indoor Market between 2pm and 4pm.

First published at 13:06, Tuesday, 22 November 2011
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk