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| Author Helen Bailey's disappearance 'out of character' | Author Helen Bailey's disappearance 'out of character' |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Missing children's author Helen Bailey's disappearance is "totally out of character", her friend has said. | Missing children's author Helen Bailey's disappearance is "totally out of character", her friend has said. |
| The 51-year-old, who wrote the Electra Brown series for teenagers, was last seen walking her dog near her home in Royston, Hertfordshire over a week ago. | The 51-year-old, who wrote the Electra Brown series for teenagers, was last seen walking her dog near her home in Royston, Hertfordshire over a week ago. |
| Friend Shelley Whitehead said: "We're very concerned. We feel desperate and very distraught." | Friend Shelley Whitehead said: "We're very concerned. We feel desperate and very distraught." |
| Police searched the author's house earlier and said they were keeping the situation under review. | Police searched the author's house earlier and said they were keeping the situation under review. |
| Live: More on this and other Hertfordshire stories | Live: More on this and other Hertfordshire stories |
| Det Insp Lynda Coates said: "We understand that before Helen was reported missing she had apparently stated she needed a little time to herself. | |
| "However it is now been over a week since she was last seen or heard from and we are growing increasingly concerned for her welfare." | |
| Ms Whitehead said: "There's just no information and it doesn't make sense. It's incredibly worrying and totally out of character. | Ms Whitehead said: "There's just no information and it doesn't make sense. It's incredibly worrying and totally out of character. |
| "Helen was last active on social media at about 10:30 last Monday." | "Helen was last active on social media at about 10:30 last Monday." |
| She was last seen on Monday 11 April at around 14:45 BST and was thought to be walking her dog, a miniature Dachshund. | She was last seen on Monday 11 April at around 14:45 BST and was thought to be walking her dog, a miniature Dachshund. |
| 'Grief monster' | 'Grief monster' |
| Speaking to the BBC in January, the missing author she said she owed it to her late husband to "live the best life [she] can" after his death in Barbados. Her blog on the death, Planet Grief, was later turned into a book. | Speaking to the BBC in January, the missing author she said she owed it to her late husband to "live the best life [she] can" after his death in Barbados. Her blog on the death, Planet Grief, was later turned into a book. |
| In a video blog, posted eight months ago, she said: "There will be people who land on Planet Grief who look at me and see that life is good again and it really is. | In a video blog, posted eight months ago, she said: "There will be people who land on Planet Grief who look at me and see that life is good again and it really is. |
| "I still have bad days where the 'grief monster' grabs me on the shoulder and wrestles me to the ground, but those days are few and far between. | "I still have bad days where the 'grief monster' grabs me on the shoulder and wrestles me to the ground, but those days are few and far between. |
| "When it does happen, I know I can pick myself up and carry on." | "When it does happen, I know I can pick myself up and carry on." |
| She has connections to Kent, London and her home village of Ponteland in Northumberland, officers said. | She has connections to Kent, London and her home village of Ponteland in Northumberland, officers said. |