A FORMER deputy town clerk has swapped the recording of minutes for the writing of fiction.

Debbie Spink, who this month resigned as Keighley Town Council deputy clerk, has published her latest novel.

The Confessions Of A Pet Sitter, published in her pen name of Debbie Chase, is an illustrated children’s story told from a pet’s point of view.

Mother-of-one Debbie, 56, has been writing prose in her spare time for the 11 years she served the town politicians.

In 2006 she self-published a novel entitled You To Me Are Everything which she describes as part-fact part-fiction.

She said: “I have had many short stories for children and adults published over the years in magazines such as Girl Talk, Twinkle and Fiction Feast.

“I have had poetry in many different publications, and also been given an Outstanding Achievement in Poetry certificate.”

Debbie said she had many qualifications in writing including copywriting, romance writing and writing for children.

Debbie said The Confessions Of A Pet Sitter was loosely based on a real-life pet-sitting job she carried out with her family two years ago.

She said: “It was my daughter’s job but we invited ourselves along to help and I’m so glad that I did because it gave me the idea for this book.

“The book follows the adventures of three very special dogs, Rolo, Barbie and Smartie and two cats, Lucky and Gracie. Even my own two cats have bit parts!”

In Debbie’s book, the animals are shocked when their ‘pets’ disappear on holiday only to be replaced by three strangers.

Rolo isn’t satisfied with the pet-sitting usurpers and calls a meeting to decide what to do, but even he eventually realises the new humans have their uses.

The book is now available on Amazon, both as a paperback and Kindle e-book.