09 Dec 2023
A former St Albans musician has set his debut novel – which is also a musical – in and around the city where he grew up.
Simon Whitworth, 57, who now lives in Kent, has penned Jessie Granton and The Invisible Steps, which is primarily set around the Abbey, parklands and in the city centre itself.
He lived in Chiswell Green and attended Killigrew Primary School and Townsend before forming guitar pop band GI Orange in 1982.
The group played consistently around local pubs including The King Harry, The Horn and Gems wine bar, before escalating to The Marquee Club and The Embassy Club in London. They were spotted by a CBS Sony scout and went on to find stardom in Japan between 1983-1986 before disbanding in 1987.
He explained how he came to write a novel and musical set in his home city.
“St Albans is such a part of me ,that I didn’t consciously choose to set the novel there it just happened. It’s the history that is captivating so it’s a perfect place to entwine fantasy with reality.
“I love coming back to St Albans so it was a perfect excuse to reabsorb my self with its past and present. I would love people to read the novel, particularly the young, as it has such a strong message of loyalty and friendship, and never judging by appearance.
“I have always had a gift for lyrics and poetry and I knew one day I would write a novel. The musical came along as I began writing. I would write a chapter then pick up the guitar and write a couple of songs about what I had just written. So by the end of novel I had written the music for the musical.”
You can purchase Simon’s novel from https://www.troubador.co.uk/bookshop/young-adult/jessie-granton-and-the-invisible-steps
