A former North Yorkshire police inspector turned award-winning children’s author is hoping to leave a lasting legacy for generations to come.
Zoe Billings, based in Poppleton, York, is the successful self-published author of the Great Friends from Grey Owls series – an adventure mystery series that follows four children as they battle external and internal adversaries.
The most recent book in the series, The Challenge of Palores Point, was released on 18 November 2024.
YorkMix chatted to local author Zoe to find out more about her writing, her success, and what’s coming next.
The Great Friends from Grey Owls series follows four friends James, Barrie, Jenny and Liz who join together on wild adventures to ‘solve secrets and outsmart villains’. Aimed at ages nine and upwards, there are three books in the series so far: The Mystery of Tully Hall, The Secret of Flittermouse Cliffs, and The Challenge of Palores Point.
Zoe grew up in North Yorkshire and now lives in Poppleton. She went to the University of York where she studied Biology and also completed her PhD. She went on to join the North Yorkshire Police because of a “real desire to help people”.
Zoe spent 18 years with the North Yorkshire Police and retired in 2024 as the Inspector in charge of investigating all road deaths in North Yorkshire and road safety.
While she was still with the police, Zoe started writing inspired by the books she grew up on – like Enid Blyton, Colin Dann and Brambly Hedge.
“My mum was so influential growing up – there was never not a book to read,” said Zoe.
“It also gave me my love of nature.”
Nearly nine years ago, Zoe spent her life savings on 19 acres of land just outside of York, which she is turning “effectively” into a private nature reserve.
Zoe has since planted 1,800 trees and the land is also home to owls and bees.
Though Zoe is a lifelong fan of Enid Blyton, “her books haven’t aged well, have they? There’s a certain unacceptability which is absolutely correct in today’s world.
“But at the end of the day, they got a lot of children loving reading.
“However, the attempts to modernise them are really clumsy. So I thought I want to write a series of books to give children relatable role models.
“I don’t have children myself, but that could be my legacy for generations going forward.”
As well as being an adventure series, the books also tackles issues like anxiety, online bullying and xenophobia.
“I introduced these topics to let kids know that it happens but that they’re not alone, and if you are going through it there are things that can be done to help.”
Zoe says that the children use modern technology in her books but that it doesn’t replace things like “teamwork, courage and friendship.”
She also draws on her experience from being a police officer while writing her books, with an insider knowledge to police procedures and real crime prevention methods used in her books such as trail cameras.
Zoe has many young fans of her books, including Betsy, who Zoe bumped into on her walk to school. Betsy recognised Zoe, being a huge fan of her books, and Zoe promised her the first signed copy of her new book.
“She had the first signed copy delivered two days before her birthday.
“I get some lovely messages on Facebook and Instagram from young readers who have just finished reading – it’s brilliant.”
Zoe makes time for writing alongside her current full time job with the organisation Adapt & Evolve Consultancy. “We go into organisations to reduce sickness. I basically teach the biology behind stress and how to stop it from killing you.”
Zoe is a self-published author. “I tried sending the first book to publishers – the vast majority of which don’t even contact you back. It’s quite soul destroying.”
After talking with a writer colleague, Zoe discovered that self-publishing was an option.
“My aim isn’t to get mega rich from the books and have a big publishing house. My aim is to give children of today relatable role models and have kids see that there are people like them in the books that go on to have these fantastic adventures.”
The first book, The Mystery of Tully Hall, has also received international recognition after Zoe submitted it to the inaugural BookFest awards.
“I thought, why not? I entered it, not expecting anything at all.”
Several months later though, Zoe received the notification that her book had won the Gold award in the Children’s Action and Adventure Books category.
“It was really nice, and confirmation that I’d actually done well.”
There are currently three books in the Great Friends from Grey Owls series, and Zoe is already planning book four.
“It’s going to be set in Scotland and there’s going to be either a manor house or a derelict castle.”
The Great Friends from Grey Owls books are available to buy from Amazon, either paperback or Kindle editions, and the first two books are available in paperback via Waterstones.
You can find Zoe Billings on her author social media pages likes Facebook and Instagram.