Sources returnpage
Parker, Shelley E
Category: Writer
Shelley E Parker is a children's author, who gave up medical training to write.
Her book Return to Allapatria, the first in a series of four, tells the story of Daniel Green, a 12-year-old boy who is looking forward to spending his school holidays playing computer games before meeting his neighbour, Barnaby Dawson, "whose family is linked to a world of myth and folklore known as Allapatria". It has received glowing reviews.
She has experienced premonitions since her childhood and had a premonition when she was 19 years old that she would get cancer in her mid-thirties. And indeed, Shelley’s writing career was brought to a stop in August 2009 when she was diagnosed with cancer.
“I had been having symptoms for months, an incredible pain in my sternum, and pains in my back. Then one morning I woke up with an enormous lump in my breast.”
Tests confirmed Shelley was suffering from Birketts Lymphoma, a cancer of the blood which, though 90% of patients make a full recovery, is particularly aggressive.
By the time she was diagnosed, doctors warned she was just weeks away from death. And within an hour of being told, Shelley was starting a gruelling form of chemotherapy which involved treatment virtually every day for four months and included injections into her back to reach her brain.
“I lost my hair, I got ulcers in my mouth, I got pneumonia and the Picc lines (points at which the chemo is administered into the body) became infected".
And as a consequence she had an NDE which she never discussed for fear of being thought crazy or disbelieved. The following is a biography giving more details about her from her publisher.
Shelley E. Parker was born on 5th December 1971 in Whiston Hospital, Merseyside. She is a proud Sagittarian and Liverpool F.C supporter.
English was always her favourite subject at school and she graduated with a degree in English Language and Literature, before receiving a Postgraduate Certificate in Advanced Education from The University of Liverpool.
After spending time in America, she returned to England and it was in a flat in Southampton (on Archer's Road, to be precise), that the seeds for the Allapatria books were sown.
However, it was whilst Shelley was re-training to become a Doctor that the story really took hold. On 10th June 2003, at approximately 11.00am, Peekin the Defardian Elf, complete with three-piece tweed suit, stormed into her head, demanding to be heard. Three months' later, the book was complete and was published in June 2005.
'Return to Allapatria' was W.H. Smith Welsh book of the month for August 2005 and the distribution centre's number one best-selling English language children's book in Wales for July and August 2005.
'Return to Allapatria' is the first book in a series of four. The sequel is complete and Shelley is currently working on the third book in the series. The books draw heavily on the landscape surrounding Bala, North Wales and the little road leading to Peekin's cottage in Allapatria actually does exist.
Shelley has a younger brother, Simon, who created the cover to 'Malok' & whom she is attempting to wean off golf. She lives near Liverpool with her cats, Willem & Moses Hellboy.
Here is what one Amazon customer said about Shelley's books.
"I found the tale of young protagonist Daniel Green and the many people he meets in Allapatria often times funny, well considered and thoroughly entertaining. Parker has created a world full of wonderful detail and unusual characters, some good, some bad, that keep the reader enthralled from start to finish. As an adult reader I really enjoyed this book and I'm very intrigued to see where the story will go next".
Observations
For iPad/iPhone users: tap letter twice to get list of items.