Carrick heroine star of new kids’ books

A young detective from Carrickfergus is to star in an upcoming series of fiction books for children.

‘Katherine of Carrick’ will, according to a blurb from its publishers, follow the adventures of the ‘world’s youngest history detective who is determined to put girls back on the map’.

Currently being produced by Hampshire-based ProjectPublish Ltd, the children’s book is due for release in October this year.

The novels were drawn to the attention of Carrickfergus Borough Council on Monday night with a letter from ProjectPublish’s Katherine Holmes, herself a former resident of the town.

Requesting the local authority’s permission to reproduce the Carrickfergus coat of arms in the series, Ms Holmes said: “The story is based in Carrickfergus and revolves around many of the characters that make up the history of the town; the series includes references to John Paul Jones and King John.

“The castle and the town are crucial elements in the story and the title of the book reflects the primary focus on the town.

“I lived in Carrickfergus at 1 Larne Road for a number of years and wish to convey my appreciation of the town that I once called home by highlighting its importance and role in this publication.”

The story sees the heroine Katherine embark on a quest to find the unsung heroines of the past to make sure they are not forgotten in our time.

With help from her friend Methuselah, Katherine’s first mission is to sail the seas to find girl pirates to stop Sammy ‘The Bull” O’Banion and his gang of trolls .

Members agreed to grant permission for the use of the coat of arms subject to the usual criteria.