Her fiction novel Tribulation Escape Manual will be launched on Saturday at Warrnambool Books.

“Everybody tells me it’s a shocking name,” she said. 

“People have said to me straight that is such a boring name, and my husband’s quite strong about it but I feel I’m committed to it now.”

Mrs Arms was an art teacher at King’s College for 15 years before she retired. 

She said her new novel was based on the book of Revelation which she said was an exciting piece of writing.

“All I did was take it chapter by chapter and I’ve made it into people being there – one young man and one young woman,” she said.

“I’ve spun it into a light romance.”

The novel was three years in the making and Mrs Arms said it was prompted by her thirst to know more about the book of Revelation.

“I didn’t know it at all and when I heard people saying things (about it) it was so fuzzy to me I thought I’m going to have to look,” she said.

“Somehow, I don’t know how, it turned into a novel.

“It is a tumultuous time.

“It’s really geographically horrendous.

“Tribulation is a seven-year period.”

Mrs Arms said she hoped by writing the book more people would become aware of the story.

She said the process of writing was extremely fun, so much so that she had to set herself time limits.

“I have to set myself a time to stop and it’s the same with painting,” she said.

“I’m not allowed to paint during the day or write.

“That’s my rule. Because it’s all I’ll do.

“I do love it, I loved my work too when I was teaching.”

Mrs Arms said she was yet to experience joy or elation at finishing the book.

“All I’m aware of is the short falls,” she said. 

“What I should have done and what I shouldn’t have done.

“I haven’t felt an elation which people have promised.”

Mrs Arms has also written and illustrated a book about her treasured granddaughter. “She was born at 24 weeks and has cerebral palsy,” she said.

“She’s now 17 and has never walked.”

Mrs Arms said she had a number of other book ideas in the pipeline, including a children’s book about birds.

“I’ve got more on the way,” she said.

Tribulation Escape Manual is available at First Port of Call and Warrnambool books. It will be launched on Saturday at Warrnambool Books and Mrs Arms hoped other writers, artists and photographers would attend to share their stories.