SET against the colourful backdrop of the North Shore, artist Jo Josephsen captured in images the humour and drama of a story told by her mother.
Josephsen, of Killara, relished working as part of the mother-daughter team bringing the area to life in The Amazing Adventures of Claude and Albert.
Author Patricia Woolfrey – Josephsen’s mother – had fun writing about drug busts, prison escapes, turtle rescues and thieving terriers involving her two leading characters, elderly gentlemen Claude and Albert.
And Josephsen, 59, enjoyed providing the pencil drawings to head each chapter of the book.
“Even though mum lives on the north coast, we always talk about the stories she is working on,” Josephsen said.
“She started creative writing when she retired 20 years ago, and she decided to write a series of adventures about the mischief that two retirees can get up to, and I was always entertained by the stories.
“Then she started talking about self-publishing the book so I thought it would help to have some illustrations.”
Woolfrey, 85, self-published with Ace Press because she thought everyone would be able to relate to her characters who were bored with retirement.
So they set about finding something different and challenging to do with their time, muddying their feet in the local crime scene.
Although usually law-abiding citizens, in their search for excitement they blot their copybook, but feeling remorseful they embark on a series of “helpful” adventures.
Woolfrey has taken part in several creative writing workshops over the years and is an active member of her local writing group.
“Mum likes to write based on her own life experiences and she sympathised with her two mischievous characters, Claude and Albert, who are basically sticky beaks,” Josephsen said.
“It’s funny to see them still getting up to mischief at their age.”