You might imagine writing a novel requires peace and quiet. Barbara Hodgson asks a busy mother-of- five how she did it.

May 5 2008 The Journal

AMONG the established literary stars appearing during the Hexham Book Festival this Bank Holiday weekend were some who might be the stars of the future.

Writing talent from around the region was recognised yesterday when Northern Writers’ Awards were presented to seven winners – chosen from more than 120 entries – who shared £25,000 in prize money.

The ceremony took place at the Queen’s Hall Arts Centre where extracts from the successful entries were read out.

The winners, as you might expect, were a mixed bunch. They included Iraqi-born Zainab Radhi, who featured in The Journal on Saturday, two young Gateshead poets – and mother-of-five Gibby Keys. Gibby, who has lived in Hexham for 10 years, won the special Andrea Badenoch Fiction Award in memory of the Newcastle novelist who died of breast cancer in 2004.

She impressed judges with an extract from a novel – a “work in progress” called The Handfastin’. It was the first time she had entered the awards.

“It was quite a surprise,” admits the 47-year-old. “You don’t expect that with a first attempt.”

Her story, which she describes as “quite a dark comedy”, is about a woman called Grace whose life reaches a crisis point one morning in her local baker’s when she suddenly questions what she is doing with her life.

Gibby explains: “She has a large family but breaks all the stereotypes of what mums are supposed to be like and ends up at the Edinburgh Festival working for a theatre group.”

It rather begs the question, is any of Gibby’s writing based on her own life?

She laughs and insists that, while she thinks everyone at some stage feels like running away from life’s stresses – “I think anyone who says they don’t isn’t telling the truth!” – what she writes is purely fiction.

“Grace, the character in my book, actually came out of hearing two women talk about what it’s like to give birth.” For someone with a large family herself, and who works part-time as a teacher, it’s extraordinary that Gibby finds a spare half-hour to write a letter, never mind pen a winning manuscript.

While she’s written poetry and drama on and off for some time, she says: “I’ve been writing for about eight years but it’s only in the past year that I’ve started being able to write seriously.

“It’s easier now that my children are getting older.”

She says they’re all hugely supportive of her work and adds: “I think my writing has been good for the whole family – they’ve all had to learn how to cook!”

The youngest of her five children with husband Geof, who is artistic director of the Queen’s Hall Arts Centre, is 10-year-old Bobby.

Then there are Harry, 14, Tom, 17, Vicky, 19, who’s a psychology student at Newcastle University, and 22-year-old Charlie, who is doing a media studies course at Leeds Metropolitan University and is himself already a published author in a short story anthology.

“He got there before me,” says Gibby, who also has a first play under her belt.

Stuff, about a divorced couple who meet again by chance, was produced by Queen’s Hall Arts Centre last year.

Gibby is now intent on finishing her novel and also has a play in progress, in response to a request from BBC Radio 4 for her to submit ideas for its afternoon drama slot.

She also has plans for a story set in the future, about two young people forced to wear tagging devices.

Gibby is often inspired by the pupils she teaches at Queen Elizabeth High School in Hexham where she works part-time, having decided to train as a drama teacher at the age of 40 after working in theatre in education.

“They’re always offering ideas,” she says.

The Northern Writers’ Awards are intended to help applicants further their writing careers.

Of hers, Gibby says: “It’s going to make such a difference.

“It’ll help with childcare which will free up time for me and I’m also in a writing group, part of an organisation called the Arvon Foundation, and we meet down in Devon twice a year and share a house, so this will help as it’s quite expensive.”

There is a mentoring aspect to the awards too and Gibby’s special one – which is supported by Andrea Badenoch’s friends and relatives – also includes a short writing course at Newcastle University.

For the past nine years, New Writing North, through the Northern Writers’ Awards, has been offering grants and awards to help develop work of both established and new writers living in the region.

New Writing North’s director, Claire Malcolm said: “The seven winners show both the depth and diversity of the North East writing scene at the moment.”