93 yr old debut novelist helps friends move out of care homes

London, Aug 11 : A 93-year-old debut novelist has helped three of her friends move out of nursing homes, and live with her in her new country house, bought from the proceeds of her book.

The advances and sales of feminist thriller novel 'A Dangerous Weakness' helped Lorna Page trade her one-bedroom flat in Surrey for a big, detached country house.

She has also invited her contemporaries from care homes to move in.

"Care homes can be such miserable places. You sit there all day staring out the window with no one to talk to. I thought it would be lovely to give a home and family life to one or two people who would otherwise be sitting around there," the Guardian quoted Page as saying.

"It's nice for me too because at my age it's handy to have someone to live with. Now every book that sells will help towards making a home for someone.

"I started asking people if they wanted to move out of their care homes and live with me and I've had dozens of offers. They are queuing up," she added.

Page had written the novel three years ago, but did not send it for publishing until her daughter-in-law, who found the manuscript, forced her to do so.

The book has been published in both hardback and paperback.

The granny of two, who taught Morse code to the Air Training Corps during the Second World War, is working on a sequel collection of short stories.

ANI