Samaritans Volunteer scores six figure book deal

 

For years James Norbury lived beneath the poverty line and spent his spare time as a volunteer with the Samaritans where he took phone calls from desperate people looking for someone to listen to their problems.

Norbury, a 44-year-old self-taught artist and writer, who lives in Swansea, has had his life turned around after his collection of drawings of two unlikely friends – a panda and a dragon – captioned with life-enhancing proverbs.

Big Panda and Tiny Dragon will be published in the UK by Penguin Michael Joseph on 16 September. It features two friends, who often find themselves lost, but discover beautiful sights that they never would have found if they had gone the right way. Together, they overcome life’s obstacles.

Norbury plans to buy a house with some land when his advance comes through so he can start a sanctuary.

Well done, that man