THE successes just keep on coming for a Selby woman who has rebuilt her life following a devastating car accident more than a decade ago.

Gillian Firth, 41, has just had her first book released by a publisher, who has also given her a deal for the follow-up.

Gillian, who lives in Selby town centre, was involved in a car accident in Bahrain in 1994, while living in the country. She was in a coma for six weeks following the smash.

Then she spent a year in a wheelchair, before slowly relearning the day-to-day skills we all take for granted.

From being at death's door, she fought back courageously, spending a year in a neurological rehabilitation unit in Leeds, learning to breathe, talk, eat and walk again.

She chronicled her journey to hell and back in her self-published book Gillian Mk2, which she bankrolled using her own £1,000 life savings.

Now the book has been picked up by professional firm Chipmunka Publishing. "I sent it to a publisher in London," she said.

"He received it on the Tuesday and then offered me a deal on the Thursday."

The book is available from www.chipmunkpublishing.com at £12. Gillian said she had had lots of comments on the book, which charts her remarkable recovery following brain damage, and her struggle to relearn walking, talking and other simple tasks. "I've had amazing feedback from people," she said.

"It's been a whirlwind. My favourite quote from the website was one guy who said the book jumped out at him and smacked him in the face.

"I seem to have an eclectic readership - from people who have suffered head injuries themselves to people who are just curious."

She said she had received letters from parents of children who have sustained head injuries.

"They've told me they understand a lot better what their children are going through after reading it," Gillian said.

Now the writer is busy working on her next book, Typically Gillian, which has also been snapped up by Chipmunka Publishing.

"People have written to me, asking when the new book was coming out - they want to know what I've been doing," she said.