A TALENTED writer from Worcestershire is preparing for the launch of her first book.

Helen Wendy Cooper, of Eardiston, near Tenbury Wells is celebrating the release of her first children's book, which she wrote and illustrated, called Trevor Triangle Loses the Mail.

Miss Cooper, aged 28, is planning a whole series of the Shape Land picture books which are aimed at nursery children, aged between 0 to five years old.

"I'm really excited about my first book coming out, I have waited a long time for it to be published," she said.

The book will be released on Monday, October 1 and Miss Cooper is planning a tour around Worcestershire, Herefordshire, Shropshire and the West Midlands.

"I am going to be visiting nurseries, pre-school, pre-schools libraries and books shops to do story telling and book signings sessions," she added.

The story is about Trevor Triangle, Shape Land's happy postman. He has mail to deliver to different shapes, including three birthday cards for Rebecca Rectangle.

It's a very windy day in Shape Land and Trevor triangle loses the cards and he has to ask his shaped friends to help him find them in time for her birthday.

Miss Cooper began writing at an early age and wrote her first Shape Land book for her GCSE child development coursework at Bewdley High School.

At 16 years old she went to Worcester College of Technology and qualified as a nursery nurse in 1997. She will be returning to the nursery in St John's, Poppins Day Nursery, where she used to work.

Miss Cooper added her favourite part of training was reading stories to young children.

"I used to write my own little stories for the children and read the books to them, and they really enjoyed them."

She also plays the French horn and joined the Army at 18, spending four and a half years as a military musician. During this time she studied freelance writing and began having articles published.

Since leaving the army, she has worked with the police as a Custody Assistant and Firearms Enquiry officer in Kidderminster, worked in a nursery and also in the health library at Kidderminster Hospital.

To listen to the first Shape Land story and buy a signed copy from her, she will be at WH Smith in Kidderminster on Saturday, October 6 from 10am until 2pm.

The book is currently available to buy for £4.99 from WH Smith online, amazon.co.uk and traffordbookstore.com