It has been more than three decades since Lindsay MacLeod wrote her first book.

But the 44-year-old, who had two stories published at the age of 12, today releases her first book as an adult.

The Glasgow-born author said she was inspired to write for children again and urged anyone with ideas to pick up a pen.

She said: “I thought I had lost my ideas because I hadn’t written in years, but once I sat down to write I realised I had lots.

“If anyone is inspired they should definitely start writing. I carry a notebook with me everywhere – even in my swimbag.”

Lindsay lives in Giffnock with her husband Norman and their two children, Jennifer, seven, and Callum, 11.

Her new book, Mia’s Magic Uncle, is aimed at readers aged five to eight.

It’s about a young girl who is fascinated by her Uncle Robbie, who uses a wheelchair, and his ablility to perform magic tricks.

It’s billed by publishing house Walker Books as a ‘charming story about family and overcoming disability.’

According to the author it’s inspired by the relationship between her brother, Multiple Sclerosis (MS) sufferer Graeme Brown, and her daughter Jennifer.

Lindsay said: “My brother gave me the idea to do the book as he said children often come up to him and ask him why he’s sitting down.

“He said he tells them he has spaghetti legs and I just thought that’s exactly how children might understand things like MS.

“Graeme also often has a magic trick up his sleeve when he visits us to entertain the kids.”

Walker Books senior editor Emma Lidbury said the book was “heartfelt” and added: “Primarily we wanted a good story and that’s what we felt with Lindsay’s story.

“It teaches children about life as well as being really heartfelt, so I think it will be useful to parents and teachers.”

She went on: “At the end of the day it’s about a really great uncle and it’s secondary that he’s in a wheelchair.”

As a child Lindsay constantly wrote stories and this resulted in two of them – The Treasure of Dubarry Castle and The Secret of the Silver Lockets – being published in 1978. Her parents call this her “period of fame”.

The young Lindsay, whose maiden name was Brown, was featured in the Evening Times and was invited to numerous radio interviews and even appeared on TV, reading her first book on Jackanory, and also guesting on Blue Peter.

The author was so nervous about appearing on the top- rated children’s show she was relieved when the presenter made a mistake.

She said: “It was absolutely terrifying. I had done radio interviews by this point but this was my first appearance on the TV.

“We had several rehearsals and I was sure I would mess up. But I felt more relaxed when Simon Groom fluffed his lines, because I thought at least it’s okay if I do it then.”

And does she think her children might follow in her footsteps?

“They’re both very creative and always making up stories,” she said.

“Callum is at the age where he doesn’t show me anything he writes, but I’ve heard from his teachers that he’s good so who knows what might happen.”