77-year-old Chesterfield novelist pens steamy '˜Fifty Shades' style romp

A first time Chesterfield novelist has penned a steamy, '˜Fifty Shades' style book - at the tender age of 77.
First-time novelist, Margaret Loxley.First-time novelist, Margaret Loxley.
First-time novelist, Margaret Loxley.

Margaret Loxley, of Old Tupton, says her book - The Mistletoe Run - is a ‘good old-fashioned romance’ with humour, sadness - and lots of explicit sex.

Margaret says she contacted 83 literary agents before getting her big break, going on to self-publish the book in January.

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She said: “This is my very first book and at the ripe old age of 77 I did not think it would be possible.

The Mistletoe Run by Margaret Loxley.The Mistletoe Run by Margaret Loxley.
The Mistletoe Run by Margaret Loxley.

“I am an avid reader - in recent years more than ever before - but I have read some books that I thought were rubbish.

“I wondered how they ever got published and was sure I could do better.”

Margaret said she was unsure what to write about but doubted she could ‘do justice’ to a thriller or murder.

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She had noticed the stunning success EL James had enjoyed with Fifty Shades of Grey, however, and liked the idea of writing a love story.

The Mistletoe Run by Margaret Loxley.The Mistletoe Run by Margaret Loxley.
The Mistletoe Run by Margaret Loxley.

“I wrote a good romance, that does not leave you having to guess what happens at the end, with plenty of explicit sex,” she explained.

“There is humour, sadness, murder, attempted rape and last but not least a good romantic story.”

Margaret has been married to her second husband - who is 14 years her junior - for 35 years.

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She says he is proud of what she has achieved and has encouraged her all the way.

After writing the book, Margaret says people have even questioned if she has ‘lost the plot’.

She has also been asked why anyone would want to write a book - and a book of this kind - at her age.

Perseverance pays off for racy writer

“After contacting 83 agents I was no further on,” explained Margaret.

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“Several agents read the full novel and said it was well written and gave me various other compliments, but said it was not their genre.”

However, after self-publishing her novel, it is now available through Amazon and she has been trying to get the word out with appearances on radio in recent weeks as well.

“The people at Radio Derby said they thought it was better than Fifty Shades,” she said.

“But unless I sell some books I will never know.”

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