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| Kate Furnivall, Annette Shaw and Jane Corry |
Many congratulations to Stoke Lodge Hotel for hosting another brilliant World Book Night Extravaganza last Friday and Saturday.
It was, as always, a hugely enjoyable event for writers and readers alike and I am sure that all who attended went home feeling newly Inspired, Informed, Interested, Imaginative, and Inevitably Impressed!
This then evolved into, as things do when people are enjoying themselves, a round of book name charades which produced much entertainment and laughter - which of course was the whole idea! The 'Just A Minute' quiz was won by local author Jill Treseder who was presented with a copy of 'Atlas Obscura'.
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| Jane Corry |
Saturday started with coffee at 10.00 and, after a short introduction from Alan about Stoke Lodge Hotel, author Jane Corry gave us a very interesting talk on how she came to write her Sunday Times bestseller debut novel 'My Husband's Wife'.
Who can resist reading a book with a strapline like 'First comes love. Then comes marriage. Then comes murder...' ?? We are eagerly awaiting her second novel 'Blood Sisters' which will be published in June.
Please see website for details:
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| Jill Treseder and Victoria Sutor |
After a short break for photographs on the sunny terrace overlooking the sea, we were given two very informative and interesting talks by Victoria Sutor of the NHS Leadership Academy and writer Jill Treseder.
They discussed and explained the many benefits that regular reading can bring, both mentally and physically - including stress relief, improvement of brain functions, and even longevity!
For more information on this fascinating subject please visit: readingagency.org.uk and jilltresederwriter.com
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| L-R Lucy, friend Chloe Hughes, and Julie |
This was followed by a talk each from local authors Julie Archer and Lucy Willetts, who were both inspired by last year's event and have now published their debut novels 'Cocktails, Rock Tales and Betrayals' and 'Crosskiller' respectively.
Happy, replete and relaxed, we returned to the lounge for a fascinating talk from best-selling novelist Kate Furnivall - with nine books to her credit - who gave us an insight into the meticulous research needed to write her historical novels. Her most recent books are 'The Italian Wife' and 'The Liberation'.
Her latest novel, entitled 'The Betrayal', is set in Paris in 1938 and will be released in November.
Her latest novel, entitled 'The Betrayal', is set in Paris in 1938 and will be released in November.
More info: http://katefurnivall.com/
There then followed an informal networking session with short talks from local authors, including Steve Stephenson-Olds, Elizabeth Ducie, Mel Menzies, Phil Barber and Ian Hobbs, founder of book lovers' website Goodreads.
All in all it was a most informative and inspirational - not to mention enjoyable - day which ended at about 3.30pm when we left, happily clutching or 'new' book finds and giving us all a lot to think about.
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| Alan and Annette |
With huge thanks to organiser Annette Shaw, Book Reviewer for Devon Life magazine, and to all at Stoke Lodge Hotel who hosted the event and looked after us so well - not forgetting of course the inimitable MC Alan Depledge, and indeed everyone who came along and helped to make it such a great event.
Info:
We sincerely hope they will do it all over again next year - do you..?? Got to go now - lots of lovely books to read... (Guest Blogger Val Depledge)
Stoke Lodge Hotel - the country house hotel by the sea.
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