Bette does it by the book

Being confined to hospital didn’t stop North Geelong’s Bette Pitman from living her dream.
The tech-savvy great-grandmother made the best of a bad situation with an idea for a children’s book several years ago.
“I was bored to tears and I looked out the window at the clouds and saw some shapes like faces, so I scribbled down the first story,” she said.
“After that I was looking for someone to illustrate it, but it was hard to find someone with the right style at an affordable price.”
“I’ve always liked writing and painting, so I decided to do the pictures myself. Once I got started painting it got better as I went along.
Recently Mrs Pitman published three illustrated short stories in The Adventures of Claude the Cloud, proving it’s never too late to chase dreams.
“I’ve always loved kids so I did it for my great-grandchildren, but everyone else has said they liked it,’ she said, “They all want me to sign it.”
Having already self-published with a Melbourne-based printer, Mrs Pitman said living in an aged care facility would not stop her pursuit of a publishing deal.
“The book has given me something to work towards. My legs have deteriorated but I’ve still got my mind.
“I’ve got my computer, I’m on Facebook and emails, so I’m never bored by myself.”