attending the annual 8th Literary lunch hosted by the ladies of the two Wickhambrook W.I. Reading Groups enjoyed a delicious buffet including some yummy home baked desserts in the company of author Edward Parnell from near Norwich.
Edward spoke about how he had wanted to write and while completing an inspiring MA in Creative Writing as a mature student at University of East Anglia, he embarked on his first novel. Having a previous background in conservation and the environment and remembering his formative years spend on a small village farm owned by his grandmother in the Norfolk countryside this formed the basis and starting point for his effort.
After many drafts, changes, help and/ or negativity from various people he eventually finished “The Listeners” and self-published the book. In 2014 it won the Rethink New Novels Prize and now he is developing several themes and ideas for his follow up novel, an even more daunting prospect as he informed us during his talk.
He answered many questions from the floor, happily and honestly and read excerpts from his book to illustrate the points he was making afterwards he sold and signed copies for purchasers. Thanking him Dorothy Anderson wished him well for the new book and for giving us his “listeners” an idea what it takes to commit a successful story to paper. A most enjoyable afternoon hopefully to be repeated again next year, congratulations to all concerned.
This was the seventh Literary Lunch and we look forward to the next.