Have you ever wondered what happened to the characters in those books you loved as a child when they grew up? How would they survive in the real world? Would they still have a lovely time together – or not? Frome authors Suzy and Neil Howlett have.
Come and discover more about their new novel at Frome’s Hunting Raven Bookshop on Tuesday 14th November from 6.30pm. Enjoy some wine and refreshments, including home-made ginger beer (of course), and readings from Return to Kirrin. Please put your name on the guest list by mailing huntingravenbooks@gmail.com or phoning 01373 473111, as places are limited.
This humorous and affectionate story takes Julian, Dick, Anne and George from the world of endless summer holidays by the sea and explores how life might be for them as adults in 1979. Mrs Thatcher has just become Prime Minister, punks and Ford Capris are everywhere. Can Julian, the thrusting entrepreneur with big ideas to monetise Kirrin Island convince Dick, Anne and George to play along? Does Anne really have a perfect marriage and brilliant twins? Will Sgt Dick of the Met find the villain and the love of a good woman? Will George be as fierce and independent as ever, despite her teenage son? Can her dog, Gary, ever be like Timmy!
“This book began many years ago when we were on Sark, which reminded us of the unsophisticated fictional world of Kirrin Island, which had been part of our childhoods. We began to speculate what life would be like if the characters had grown up, like we had. After all, the world had changed and we and our friends had changed,” the authors say. “We hope this novel will delight anyone who enjoyed the original stories, and anyone who remembers 1979.”
Suzy is a teacher who achieved her fifteen minutes of fame (and became Nigel Farage’s least favourite woman) by applying her red pen to a local UKIP leaflet. Neil is a lawyer, who has never been an internet sensation; his last book was launched at the Groucho Club in Soho, though Suzy will point out that was a very long time ago.
Suzy and Neil will read some extracts from Return to Kirrin, which is just right for book clubs, and try to explain how they are still married despite writing a book together. Come and talk with them about childhood freedom, fiction, reality and nostalgia, and awful ads of 1979. Buy a copy of the book to pop into Christmas stockings, or even to read.
