Writer puts disabled children centre stage

A writer hopes to inspire disabled and working-class children to follow in her footsteps and "do whatever their hearts desire".

Lisette Auton is about to publish her third children's book, and like her others, Lights Out features a young, disabled protagonist.

The disabled Darlington author said it was important for children of similar backgrounds to see themselves represented on bookshelves.

"When I was growing up, there weren't many decent disabled characters, they were all stories of pity or they got left behind during adventures, or magically fixed. I think that's rubbish," she said.

"It's really important to me that disabled children see themselves in books, in proper bookshops, because that's what I needed to see and I didn't growing up.

"An author is not something I knew I could be when I was a child and I'd love others to know they can be who they want to be."

Most of Ms Auton’s stories are set in the North East, with Lights Out based in Darlington’s haunted Hippodrome theatre, the history of which inspired her ghostly tale.

The main character is Hetty, who “zooms about” in a mobility scooter and is the latest example of the author's commitment to representing disabled children.

She hopes her books inspire youngsters to follow their dreams, and in a message to readers, said: "If you’re like me and you’re a secret scribbler and you love writing but don’t know what to do with the words, ask your teachers, ask your librarians about how to write books.

"We need more of you from little towns like Darlington, we need more of our stories on the shelves to show that these jobs are possible."

Ms Auton was discovered after being mentored by Writers Block North East and winning a competition held by publishers Puffin.

She was recently named a Tees Valley Artist of the Year.

"It’s still very much 'pinch me'," she said.

"I can’t believe my job is making things up, it’s just a bit blooming brilliant, isn’t it?"

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