New chapter for Pontefract artist Brian Lewis

Artist Brian Lewis has written his first novel - The Sexy Bits of Lady C.

Mr Lewis, who opened an art gallery in Pontefract earlier this year, has released The Sexy Bits of Lady C - a novel based on the controversial book Lady Chatterley’s Lover by DH Lawrence.

The book tells the tale of a fictional academic trying to find out if it was actually Lawrence’s wife Frieda who penned the novel’s passionate love scenes.

Mr Lewis, 77, said: “Lady Chatterley’s Lover is one of the most controversial books of all time.

“It was illegal to buy it when it was published in 1928 because it was considered obscene.

“It used a lot of explicit language that had never been seen in books before.

“This was challenged by Penguin Books who brought it out in the 1960s and it smashed all the records.

“What I argue in my book is that it was not Lawrence who wrote the book, it was his wife Frieda because she is more sensitive than him.

“What DH Lawrence did was change literature and what could be written forever.

“Penguin Books argued at a trial that the explicit words in the book were of artistic merit.”

Mr Lewis said he had the idea for the book after the release of EL James’ Fifty Shades of Grey series in 2010.

He has also written The Hesitant Woman and Shakespeare Was Dyslexic which also follow the theme of Lady Chatterley’s Lover.

Mr Lewis said: “I decided that I wanted to try and write a novel.

“I have written 140 books on poetry and community development but I wanted to try something different.

“At the same time I decided to write a novel everyone was talking about the Fifty Shades of Grey series and if you contrast those books with Lady Chatterley’s Lover they are very similar.

The story is set in Birmingham and follows the academic’s quest for the truth.

Mr Lewis, originally from Birmingham, also looks at the development of West Midlands’ heritage industry.

It took Mr Lewis around a year and three months to write the books.

Mr Lewis said: “I love art and love writing but now I am trying to emerge as a novelist of the English language in my 78th year.

The Sexy Bits of Lady C, by Brian Lewis, is available from Mr Lewis’ gallery above the ETSY Shop, Pontefract, price at £10.