A FATHER was inspired to release his first novel after his daughter wrote a story about the relationship between herself and her twin brother who has Down's Syndrome.

Hugh Evans from Marlow had been writing The Amber Room since 2000 but had never got around to publishing it.

His daughter, Jessica, then surprised him two years ago with a book she had written herself aged 15 called The Alex and Sapphire Adventures: Good and Evil, The Knight, The Caveman and The Bomb Technician.

He was even more touched to read the story was about herself and her twin brother Alex.

Hugh, who is a director at Bourne End Garden Centre, said: "Her twin Alex has Down's Syndrome. It has been difficult for her to grow up with a disabled twin.

"She has had to balance things in her life and be more mature and passive than her years. "In primary school when no-one was playing with Alex in the playground she would stop playing with her friends and go and play with him."

In the book both Alex and Sapphire, ie Jessica, are the same and they go to a school for super kids.

Hugh, 47, said it has the empathy and insight of a young adult but it is written in quite a young style, so is both for children and adults.

Jessica is at Sir William Borlase's Grammar School and Alex works with his dad at the garden centre.

Hugh was so impressed with his daughter he set about researching ways to publish the book which is when he began to consider publishing his own.

Since 2000 he had been researching and writing his novel, The Amber Room.

He read a lot of military history and started reading more about The Amber Room, which was lost during World War Two.

The amber panels backed with gold leaf and mirrors were in a chamber in a Russian Palace, and gained a reputation for being the Eighth Wonder of the World. Hugh, who also had two adults sons called Steven and Martin, said he came across The Amber Room being taken during the Second World War which sparked his interest, and he was also interested in the spiritual side of it and how some believed amber contained the spirit of life.

He said the room was very unlikely to have been destroyed by bombing, which is the most common theory. But he said it is more likely the German forces removed the Amber Room and took it to Germany.

And he said the first part of the book is the history before the second world war. And then the second part is like a modern day Dan Brown where it is, who dunnit. There is a focus on four periods on a different couple in each period. He has now self-published and it is available to buy.

He said: "When my daughter finished her book I was so impressed and humbled I determined to finish my book."

Jessica's story will be released next year. His mum, Libby, has done the artwork for the front of Jessica's book. Hugh, who lives with his wife, Janice, is now working on his sequel which will be out next summer.

For more details go to www.theamberroom.info/

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