Husband's life inspires wife's debut novel

FOLLOWING a '˜harrowing experience', one couple has decided to share their story about the stresses of the emergency services through a book.

Jemma Hawkins and her husband Dave, who works in the police, know more than most the pressures the emergency services are under.

Jemma from Stubbington said: '˜My husband has various mental health problems, including post-traumatic stress disorder due to some really horrific things that happened when he was a child.

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'˜He was triggered because one of the people involved in what happened to him started a campaign of harassment against him, and he tried to hang himself.'

Two years later, Jemma has written her first book, Through His Eyes, to reflect life working within the emergency services and how they come to the rescue of everyday people.

The book follows PC Cameron Bell, describing his journey through officer training until he saves someone's life and develops post-traumatic stress disorder himself.

The 38-year-old said: '˜The book is about how he deals with that and work at the same time.

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'˜He ends up going to a respite facility and having to deal with his demons, as well as his job.'

Through His Eyes started as a 16-page short story that Jemma wrote shortly following the incident with her husband but soon developed into the fully-fledged novel on shelves today.

She said: '˜I wanted to write it from a police officer's view because the officers who worked with my husband were absolutely fantastic.

'˜If it were it not for the quick response, kindness, and compassion of our local police, my family would not be whole as it is today.'

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Jemma has received positive comments on her book already after she released it on Monday, August 20.

She said: '˜The reception so far has been good and I have had some five-star reviews.'

'˜I'm also going to be doing a book signing on Tuesday, September 4 at Fareham Shopping Centre Bandstand.'

For Jemma the release of Through His Eyes could be the start of her career as a novelist.

She added: '˜I'm actually writing the sequel at the moment.

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'˜I'm already a quarter of the way through and I have four others planned as well.'

To purchase a copy of Jemma's book visit lulu.com/shop/jemma-hawkins/through-his-eyes/paperback/product-23756149.html