Children’s author pens a ‘racy’ adult novel

William Forde’s new release Rebecca’s Revenge begins and ends in Mirfield, where the author used to live, and tells a story of rape and vegeance.

Mr Forde wrote the book more than 20 years ago but said to publish earlier would have contrasted too severely with his image as a writer of children’s books, which he had taken many years to establish.

He said: “Now, however, as I approach the final years of my life and care less about my public image, besides no longer writing for children, I feel the time to be appropriate to publish this ‘strictly for adults only’ novel alongside the remainder of my work.

“It is not 50 Shades of Grey but it is quite racy. Like a sexy Danielle Steel novel.”

Mr Forde is undergoing a six month treatment for leukaemia, which cannot be cured but only slowed down.

He said: “It is incurable. I may have months or I may have years.”

Rebecca’s Revenge begins in Mirfield in the 1950s and concerns the partner of its lesbian protagonist, Sally, being raped by the son of a rural squire.

After Sally’s mother leaves the family and she is abused by her father, who then kills himself, she moves to the mills of Manchester and slowly builds a new life.

The novel is now available on ebook and will be available in hardback in October.