July/August 2024 Newsletter

 Celebration 2 of this year came mid-way in July – Our 50^th Wedding Anniversary. Here we are celebrating in Derbyshire with afternoon tea, Ipswich and later in Constable Country.

What lovely weather we had on our Middleton’s Coach trip to Suffolk staying on the coast at Ipwich looking over the harbour with expensive boats. Highly recommend The Salt House Hotel salthouseharbour.co.uk and www.middletonstours.co.uk

Needless to say, Oscar the Owl had a holiday from being taken out and about so much. But on 21^st July we were back at Hoar Park for a table top sale in the red barn craft event. https://www.hoar-park.co.uk/

          

HAPPY BIRTHDAY OSCAR THE OWL – one year since published into a book.

Many copies have flown to new homes up and down the UK and abroad. Thank you to all who have purchased a copy from me, at an event or from Amazon. I’m truly grateful and it makes me so happy. And a special thank you to those who have written a review too.

Monday 5^th August saw us at The Bank Coffee House, Alrewas, near Burton-on-Trent. We were made so welcome and enjoyed a small audience of 3 girls and one boy, with their parents. The children coloured owl pictures as they waited for the book to be read to them and then were very observant pointing out things in the pictures.

What a lovely venue – nice décor, gifts and card to buy and delicious coffee and cakes etc. You’ll find it just off the A38. http://www.thebankcoffeehouse.co.uk/

Thursday 8^th August we had an interesting train trip to Worcester and paid our second visit to the independent bookshop, Script Haven. https://scripthaven.co.uk/ where Leena invited children and parents in and I read Oscar the Owl to two groups.

 Although my friend Christine lives in Worcester, I had not before spent time walking around the town so took the opportunity to do so before our train trip back to Tamworth. Wow, it is a larger city than I thought.

There’s a Penguin trail for people to follow and children could tick off having spotted them (we have an elephant trail in Tamworth). Such lovely artistic talent on display.

 

 

Lastly, but not least, meet Tommy. He was the lucky winner of a ‘Giveaway’ on Twitter/X. His grandma Louise in Nottingham, shares the same birthday as Oscar and was chosen to win a copy of my book, a T-shirt and knitted owl. I see Postman Pat has the T-shirt on. I just love to receive pictures of children reading Oscar the Owl – Tommy seems engrossed in the pictures. Super cute.

And now it’s time for me to undertake more writing lessons at Swanwick Writers Summer School at The Hayes Conference Centre, https://www.swanwickwritersschool.org.uk/ where, this year, I will be meeting and greeting, selling raffle tickets and having my book in the bookshop as well as attending workshops, enjoying the grounds and WRITING of course! SWSS are celebrating 75 years this year, a fab introduction to writing of any genre, editing, publishing, script writing, etc. Do look them up for details.

 Footnotes:

1.      All photos printed with permission.

 

2.      If you no longer wish to receive these newsletters do let me know.