Stonehouse woman's autobiography is best seller

Jan 21 2010 by Sandra Walls, Hamilton Advertiser

A STONEHOUSE woman’s first autobiography has reached number 15 in the top 100 UK bestsellers list.

Eileen Munro (46), from Brankston Avenue, was delighted to learn that her book had shot up the charts.

Eileen, after years of struggling with ill-health, being adopted, then being placed in a children's home after the death of her adoptive mother, is now writing her second book.

She wrote her first book, entitled 'As I Lay Me Down to Sleep' and published in 2008, after completing an Open University course on creative writing and has gone on to achieve her diploma in creative writing.

After only three months, Mainstream Publishers contracted her and the book was written in six months. A further six months was needed for editing requirements, after which it went on sale.

It has so far sold more than 45,000 copies costing £6.99 each. In addition, the rights have been sold to North America and Canada.

MSP Andy Kerr was so impressed with Eileen and her traumatic life story that he launched her book, which raised money for charity.

The next book, also an autobiography and which features the second instalment of her life from age 16 to 40, is named 'If I Should Die Before I Wake'.

It is a work-in-progress and it is anticipated that it will be available by Christmas time.

Both books are about Eileen's life after being adopted by parents not fit to look after children, her experiences of being in the care system and her subsequent journey to discover who she was.

Eileen suffered an acquired brain injury resulting from encephalitis, inflammation of the brain, after contracting chicken pox.

Due to lack of medical intervention she almost died and was misdiagnosed for years with ME.

Eileen also suffered the tragic loss of her son Craig in 2002. He had been born deaf due to lack of rubella inoculation whilst Eileen had been in care.

Only in his 20s he committed suicide and Eileen, who thought that she would be unable to endure her loss, decided to write the book to leave a memoir of the truth of her life.

She said: "I had no fluidity in my life and wanted it all to end; I was living in constant pain."

However, writing the book, gave her an edge for life that she hadn't felt for years.

She said: "I'm still here, and now am on chapter three of the second instalment of a trilogy of my life.

"There is not one day that goes by without thinking about and mourning my son Craig, who was only 22 years old at the time.

"Life for me goes on and if my story can help or inspire anyone to make crucial changes in their life then the pain and suffering has a meaning.”

Eileen also had a 50-minute play made of her first book, which was performed at several locations including, Guys Marsh Prison, Devon, in December, 2008.

As a successful writer, Eileen wants to convey the message that any life, no matter how difficult, can be turned around.

She added: "I want to thank the Moira Anderson Foundation and Headway South Lanarkshire. Both are charities that have helped me through some of my roughest times."

If you would like a copy of the first book, before the second one is published, the ISBN number is 9781845963446.

Contact Eileen by e-mail: info@eileenmunro.com or visit: www.eileenmunro.com.