Jacqueline Creek

Jacqueline was born in 1944 and grew up in Sheffield to the sound of the steelworks’ hammers. At ten years old she had dreams of becoming a doctor/surgeon. But to do this, a scholarship had to be won and she failed her eleven plus.

She left school at fifteen and eventually settled into regular work as a shop assistant at a local pharmacy. She married at twenty-one and moved from Owlerton to a council flat on the New Norfolk Park estate. She did various jobs, but was never totally satisfied.

At the age of thirty-five, fate played a hand and she started her own business and moved from Sheffield to Penistone where she built a factory and retail outlet, employing over thirty people - Jackie's Novelties/Fancy Dress. The business was a huge success and gave her a very satisfactory lifestyle which lasted thirty-one years.

In 2012, it was time to call it a day. She was reluctant to give up 'her baby,' but health issues ensued and so the business was sold.

She took up writing and joined a writing and poetry group and now lives in the foothills of the South Pennines, with assorted rescue dogs and surrounded by an abundance of nature and wildlife. The Girl with The Emerald Brooch, and The Power of Love are the first books of a trilogy. Jackie also writes poetry, verse and flash fiction.

Jackie is now married and living in a high-rise council flat. It is the early seventies, a time of hippies, flower power and 'Sheffield on the Move'. Although she and John have a comfortable life, family issues still prevail.

A new man enters her life and throws her completely off balance as she cannot cast aside his show of affection as easily as the men in the pub where she works. Full of guilt and her love for John, Jackie must give up her lover, which causes much heartache.

She bluffs her way into a variety of working positions and soon realises her potential. Re-discovering a long-lost talent puts her on the path to becoming a highly successful business woman.

Read how the Power of Love can change things beyond belief, as she embarks on a very different journey. Once again, Jacqueline's story unveils humour and pathos, and a definitive aspect on the eternal triangle.

One winter’s day, Jacqueline’s mother gives her an emerald brooch and tells a secret that will change her forever.
In the industrial city of Sheffield in 1954, ten year-old Jacqueline has to care for her whole family: her ailing mother, aged father, five year old sister and three-week old brother.
At a tender age, when Jacqueline should be playing with her friends, she has to come to terms with birth and death, as well as cooking, cleaning and keeping the home fires burning.
Jacqueline becomes a rebellious teenager, discovering boys, cigarettes and rock ‘n’ roll, before facing the challenges of growing up and choosing her own path in life.
This wonderful tale is based on the writer’s own childhood. You’ll be gripped from the first sentence as you meet Jacqueline’s family and friends. If you enjoy reading Catherine Cookson novels and watching Call the Midwife, you’ll love this story.