There’s nothing quite like an evening spent in the company of lovely people, sharing stories, enjoying a good laugh and talking about a subject you’re passionate about. And when that evening involves a village hall full of friendly WI ladies, a wonderful anniversary celebration and a rather popular pair of hedgehogs, well, what more could an author ask for?

Last week, I had the absolute pleasure of being the guest speaker at Wolds Newton Women’s Institute, and what a fabulous evening it turned out to be.

A very special anniversary

When Sue contacted me to ask whether I’d be interested in speaking at their WI, I was delighted to accept. I’ve had the pleasure of visiting many Women’s Institutes over the years, and I’ve always enjoyed the opportunity to meet new people and share my experiences as an author.

What made this particular visit even more special was that Wolds Newton WI is celebrating its 111th anniversary. Yes, you read that correctly. 111 years! That’s an incredible milestone, and it was lovely to be invited to join the ladies during such a significant year in their history.

The event took place in a small village hall, and from the moment I arrived, I was made to feel incredibly welcome. There was also a rather lovely theme to the evening. Purple!

Now, I hadn’t realised that everyone had been asked to wear purple, so I hadn’t dressed for the occasion. However, there was a very good reason behind the colour choice. Purple was one of the three famous colours adopted by the British suffragettes, representing dignity and freedom, alongside white for purity and green for hope. It was a fitting tribute to the women who fought for the right to vote, particularly at a gathering celebrating more than a century of friendship, community and women’s voices. And the purple theme didn’t stop at the clothing.

Flowers, creativity and a knitted surprise 🌸

As part of the celebrations, the ladies had been invited to enter a competition by bringing along a purple flower, either real or artificial. I was lucky enough to be asked to help judge the entries, which was no easy task with so many lovely creations to choose from. One particularly delightful entry was a purple flower that someone had knitted.

I thought that was such a creative idea, and it certainly deserved its third-place prize. It’s always lovely to see people putting their own stamp on a competition, and the flowers added a wonderful touch to the evening.

Of course, no WI gathering would be complete without a cuppa and a slice of cake, and the ladies celebrated their anniversary in true WI fashion. Tea, cake, flowers and good company. What a lovely combination.

From aspiring writer to published author

The main reason for my visit, of course, was to talk about my journey as a writer. Writing can be a rather solitary occupation. We spend countless hours at our desks, creating characters, developing plots, wrestling with troublesome chapters and occasionally wondering whether the words on the page are quite as brilliant as they seemed the night before. But one of the greatest pleasures of being an author is having the opportunity to step away from the computer and meet people who are genuinely interested in the stories behind the books. And the ladies of Wolds Newton WI certainly didn’t disappoint. There was plenty of conversation, lots of laughter and a wonderfully jolly atmosphere throughout the evening.

I chatted with several of the women about my writing journey, and it was lovely to see how interested they were in the life of an author. One question that came up was about book reviews. Now, if there’s one subject I could happily talk about for hours, it’s the importance of reviews to authors.

I explained just how much they mean to us, particularly independent authors who work incredibly hard to get their books noticed. A review doesn’t have to be long or beautifully written. A few words from a reader explaining what they enjoyed can make a tremendous difference. Reviews help other readers discover our books, give potential buyers the confidence to try an unfamiliar author and, perhaps most importantly, remind us that the stories we’ve poured our hearts into are being enjoyed. There’s nothing quite like discovering that a book you’ve written has made someone smile, laugh, think or feel a little less alone.

So, if you’ve recently read a book you’ve enjoyed, please consider leaving a review. You might be surprised by just how much it means to the person who wrote it.

The Hoglets make themselves at home! 🦔📚

Naturally, I couldn’t visit the WI without bringing along a couple of familiar little faces. Prickles and Primrose came with me, and I’m delighted to say that the Hoglets proved rather popular.

It’s always such a joy when my children’s books find new homes. There’s a particular kind of happiness that comes from knowing that the characters you’ve created are heading off to meet new readers, and I love imagining the Hoglets being enjoyed during bedtime stories or shared reading sessions.

Prickles and Primrose have accompanied me on quite a few adventures, and I think it’s fair to say they enjoyed their evening at Wolds Newton just as much as I did.

An evening to remember

What made the evening so special wasn’t simply the opportunity to talk about my books or celebrate the Institute’s remarkable anniversary. It was the people. The ladies were such a fun, friendly group, and I thoroughly enjoyed chatting with them, sharing my experiences and having a good laugh. When you’re passionate about what you do, there’s a real pleasure in sharing that enthusiasm with people who are interested in hearing your story.

For me, these events mean the world.

I love writing, but I also love the conversations that happen because of it. The questions, the shared experiences, the laughter and the unexpected connections are all part of what makes being an author so rewarding. And it’s always lovely to know that people have enjoyed listening to you.

Later that same evening, Sue contacted me to say that the ladies had really enjoyed my talk and that the evening had gone down very well. What a lovely message to receive. It was the perfect end to an already wonderful evening.

Thank you, Wolds Newton WI! 💜

A huge thank you to Sue and the committee for inviting me, and to all the lovely ladies who made me feel so welcome. Congratulations on reaching your incredible 111th anniversary. What a wonderful achievement, and what a testament to the enduring spirit of the Women’s Institute. I thoroughly enjoyed being part of your celebrations, and I hope you all continue to enjoy many more years of friendship, laughter, tea and cake.

And, of course, thank you to everyone who gave the Hoglets a new home. Prickles and Primrose are always delighted to make new friends. Here’s to 111 years of Wolds Newton WI, and many more to come.💜

Would your WI or community group like a visit from an author?

I absolutely love visiting Women’s Institutes, libraries and community groups to talk about my journey as a writer, share my experiences of the publishing world and introduce readers to my books.

If you’re looking for a guest speaker for an upcoming event, I’d be delighted to hear from you. Whether you’re interested in the life of an author, the inspiration behind my stories or simply fancy an enjoyable evening with plenty of conversation and laughter, please do get in touch.

And who knows? I might even bring the Hoglets along. 🦔📚