A Beverley author has sent some joy to a little girl who achieved a gargantuan swimming feat inspired by her late grandad. In July, Hull Live reported how three-year-old Skyla swam 10 metres, surpassing expectations of someone of her age. Author Gavin Wynne saw the story and thought it sounded very similar to the plot of his children’s novel, and gifted Skyla a copy.
Skyla, from Hull, had seen a white feather earlier in the day and believed it was her late grandfather watching over her. Her 10m achievement astounded her parents and swimming teachers, who said she “just kept going and going”, Beverley writer Gavin Wynne saw the news story and thought Skyla’s story was very much like his own children’s book, The Adventures of Foggy Goggles.
In Gavin’s debut children’s book, main character Foggy Goggles finds a magic pair of swimming goggles in her grandad’s possession, which take her on an underwater adventure that only her grandad can fathom – because he has lived the unbelievable experience too. Gavin sent Skyla the book as a “well done”, and to act as inspiration for future swimming challenges. Her mum said she is “thrilled” and her little girl is “very happy”.
Skyla’s mother, Cindy, said: “I was really touched and cried when reading the inscription from the author. Skyla was thrilled and couldn’t wait to take the book home and read it. Please extend our heartfelt thanks to the author, it was such a wonderful gesture and has made a little girl very happy.”
Gavin said: “This is the second edition, I sold out the first one. I’ve always wanted to write a book. I created the character one time randomly and it went from there. A lot of the children’s books I’ve seen were about bodily functions and I thought I’d write a nice adventure story. My niece and nephew had a lot of books about pooping dinosaurs. This one is about helping the environment too.”
Gavin, 52, self-published the book because he was “too impatient and stubborn” to find an agent, and the first edition sold out quickly. It is illustrated by Molly Paveley, who “sent some magic back” in the form of illustrations after Gavin provided her with stick drawings.
Former radio presenter Gavin tries to take on one personal challenge a year. That was the challenge the year he wrote Foggy Goggles. He is going to be taking on a sporting challenge in September – a 170 mile bike ride along “The Way of the Roses” from Morecambe to Bridlington to raise funds for local wildlife charities.
Donate to Gavin’s fundraising page here.
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