Recovering Ayrshire addict launches new novel 'The Jaggy Bunnet' giving insight into addiction
Cheryl Kane is the author of the Jaggy Bunnet, which launched in the Gaiety Theatre on Thursday 20 April.
Last updated 24th Apr 2023
A recovering addict from Ayrshire has had a novel published that aims to give people an insight into addiction.
Cheryl Kane is the author of the Jaggy Bunnet, which launched in the Gaiety Theatre on Thursday 20 April.
The Jaggy Bunnet tells the tale of Maggie, a functioning drug addict in witness protection who falls in love with someone who hates drug users.
It’s been a long road to recovery with Cheryl. She finished the novel when taking part in creative writing workshops held by the Gaiety Theatre and Riverside Community trust.
However, before that she was a functioning addict herself living in England with a successful job and marriage. Then she turned to harder drugs.
Cheryl only found out about the creative workshops when she’d moved back to Ayr and her addiction had become to much to handle.
She said: “I’d already started the book, and at this point a support worker, Mark, had handed me flyer when I was literally on the streets begging, my life had really turned into a lot worse I’d ever thought it could be.”
The group was run by another recovering addict, Des Dillon. Des is the author of the Junkie Miracles which sold out the Gaiety Theatre last year. In fact, one of the stories in the play is about Cheryl.
READ MORE: Ayr Gaiety play 'The Junkie Miracles' hopes to help remove stigma of addicts.
When Cheryl joined the group, she started putting her energy back into writing and after having Des read over her work, he said he couldn’t put it down and finished it in two nights.
Cheryl has been chatting with Greatest Hits Radio and saying just how important the creative writing workshops are to people who’ve become trapped by addiction, and just what she wants people to take away from the Jaggy Bunnet.
She said: “That group has been essential for so many people. It’s been an amazing thing to be part of and it’s helped addicts to be brought back into a routine and even just the basic need of talking to other people with the same experiences.
“It closes so many doors being an addict. And this community effort has opened the door for so many to help people understand us and give us an avenue to do something productive again and feel good about ourselves. That’s all anyone really wants.
“The main focus for this book was that It would help inform and educate people slightly, and remove the stigma. I want it to give people a window into that world, and I feel I’ve managed to do that, and the feedback I’ve had so far has been wonderful from so many people.”
The Jaggy Bunnet is out now for purchase online and on Kindle.