How a Sheffield man went from civil servant to children’s author

Paul Grimshaw began writing the book in lockdown and describes it as “a book about “friendship, love and belonging”.

Alvin: The Cat Who Couldn’t Cat, tells the real life story of a rescue cat, named Alvin, who had a somewhat challenging start to life.

Paul said: “It’s based on a true story. We got Alvin from The Sheffield Cats Shelter. He had problems as a kitten, he was abandoned, he had not developed properly. The story deals with what we can piece together of his early weeks.

“We brought him home to where we have another cat and they created such a bond and friendship.

“I wanted to put it out there - a positive message in these quite dark times.”

The book has been written for children aged five to 10, however, Paul describes it as an “old school story book” suitable for children to read alongside their parents.

As a new author with no prior experience, Paul has ‘road-tested’ the book on various audiences including children, teachers and friends.

Although the book is currently undergoing a ‘soft launch’, Paul is hopeful of continued success, as it has so far received “excellent feedback”.

He is “delighted” that friend of a friend, Elizabeth Anderson, was able to accurately capture Alvin’s character in the book's illustrations, as Paul believed it was important to reflect that.

All profits of Alvin: The Cat Who Couldn’t Cat are going to four cat rescue charities based around the city - The Sheffield Cats Shelter, 8 Lives Cat Rescue Sheffield, Cat-ching, and Friends of Ferals.

Paul, who retired in January, said: “I hope I will raise awareness of the need to support small charities which receive no formal funding.”

The book is currently available to buy for £7.99 at select locations around Sheffield including the charities’ respective charity shops if they have one, and independent stores, such as Create Coffee on Chesterfield Road.

The book can also be ordered directly for £10, including postage, by sending an email to: [email protected]