AN AUTHOR who has been working on her turbulent life's work for over two decades is celebrating having her book published.


Doreen Joseph, of Worple Road, Isleworth, started writing her book, Perfect Circles, in 1990 but due to a tumultuous string of events which included stints in both psychiatric units and prison, she has only just finished the book.

The 53-year-old's revelatory book covers a varied array of pressing issues, from child abuse and health to the entertainment industry and the after life, all drawing on her own experiences.

A proud west Londoner, she was born in Southall, won a scholarship to Ealing Grammar School for Girls and now lives in Isleworth.

As a child, the mother-of-three was routinely abused by her own mother so feels very strongly about the issue and has focused on it in her book, especially after it has come under fire over the past year with the Jimmy Saville allegations.

Doreen started writing the book in 1990 but shortly after, she fell ill and was placed under care for mental health issues while her two daughters were taken into care.

Over the years she has been in and out of psychiatric wards and was even in prison for two weeks.

She explained: "I was really ill, I had my two daughters who were 12 and 14 at the time and I tried to strangle my baby daughter, so the other two called the police.

"They thought I was a criminal so put me in Holloway Prison but after two weeks they realised I was actually ill so transferred me to hospital for 10 months, I could have been placed in Broadmoor but my sister fought for me, otherwise I probably wouldn't be here now."

Having studied sociology at university, Doreen went on to get her teaching qualifications so in between teaching, bouts of illness and raising a family she had little time to finish off the book she started 23 years ago.

But she feels that time has given her the opportunity to learn so much more about the world, which she hopes is reflected in her book. 

The author used to be a Roman Catholic but has since converted to become a Seventh Day Adventist and was baptised in 2008. This has shaped her view on the after life. She said: "The book comments on the past and how we should live our lives to the full now and strive to be good because it will be even better in the after life.

"Some Roman Catholics believe if you suffer now you will have a better life after but I believe the opposite."

She also claims to have had premonitions since she was eight-years-old and predicted when Geri Halliwell would leave the Spice Girls.

Talking about the book, she said how she absolutely loved writing it and did not finish updating it until Christmas Eve 2012 - the day before it went off to be published - as she felt it was important for all the details to be accurate and up to date.

For a chance to meet the author and buy a signed book, head to Isleworth Library from 7:15pm to 8:45pm this Thursday (31).