From a childhood in the London slums in the 1820s, Gladys Tunner rose to high society, only to have it all taken away from her.

So ended The Girl from Old Nichol, Betty Annand鈥檚 first novel, published in 2017.

The Woman From Dover picks up where the first book ended; part two of the trilogy.

Annand is officially launching the book Sunday, Jan. 21 at the Filberg Centre - three days prior to her 91st birthday.

Annand is well-known throughout the Comox Valley for her play-writing, and historical writing.

But what compels a nonagenarian to delve into the fiction novel business?

鈥淚 was studying my family tree鈥�,鈥� said Annand, from her Courtenay home. 鈥淚 realized I have some English in me and I guess that鈥檚 where it started.鈥�

Like the first book, The Woman From Dover is set in England.

Gladys, now in her 20s, has landed employment as a housekeeper for a wealthy widower.

A chance one-night encounter with her first true love produces an unplanned pregnancy, and when she confesses the situation to her employer, he offers to marry her and legitimize the child.

All is well, until the biological father of the child returns to England and is introduced to his son, leaving Gladys with difficult choices to make.

鈥淭here are so many little stories within the story鈥� and I keep it fast-paced,鈥� said Annand.

The book-signing will be in the lower level lounge at the Filberg Centre, 411 Anderton Ave. in Courtenay, from 2-4 p.m.

Annand had originally scheduled the book launch for December, but had to postpone it after falling and breaking her wrist during a Panama cruise in November.

鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 have a book signing when I couldn鈥檛 sign books, could I?鈥�

And why did it take Annand so long to get her start at writing novels?

鈥淚鈥檒l tell you what: I never thought I could,鈥� she said. 鈥淵ou know, I went to Grade 9, in one door and out the other鈥� I was always smart, but quit school to get into bookkeeping. My mom wasn鈥檛 well and there was a war going on, so I quit school. Those days, if you were smart, you could get a job no matter how much education you had.

鈥淏ut every book you pick up, you read where [the author] went to this university, or that college, and for me, I had no such [credentials], so I didn鈥檛 think I could do it.鈥�

She鈥檚 done it.

Twice.

And while she isn鈥檛 making millions at the profession, Annand said profits from her first book paid for her November holiday.

So, is there another cruise in the works with the profits from the second book?

鈥淣o, I don鈥檛 want another cruise. What I want to do is publish that third book鈥� the story has to wrap up.鈥�

To order The Woman From Dover online, visit