Myself and Liz Waddell will be giving a talk about Songster to the Quorn Local History Group on Thursday 25th September, telling them the story of Loughborough’s own war horse and how we got involved in the project to create a book about him for the Carillon Tower Museum and War Memorial.

We learned lots about what’s needed for telling historical stories in words and pictures over the process of creating it, and, as I’ve mentioned before, I learned a fair bit about myself as a writer, too. The talk’s open to QLHG members and non-members alike and I’m looking forward to sharing our story with the audience, some of whom, I’m told, may be wanting to create historical picture books of their own.

By coincidence, I spotted a copy of ‘Songster’ in the local Oxfam shop last week. It was displayed facing outwards alongside many other great story books, so I’m taking that as a positive. Oxfam’s a charity I regularly support myself and it’s good to see Songster’s story being spread in a new venue in this way.

There’ll be brand new copies of the Songster book for sale at the talk next week (which we’re happy to sign), along with Liz’s wonderful cards and tea towels. With Christmas just around the corner, who knows who might buy a copy and how far across the world the story of a cantankerous gelding from Loughborough may yet travel?

Telling Songster’s Story
Quorn Local History Group
Church Rooms, Church Lane, Quorn, LE12 8DP
Thursday 25th Sept 2025 – 7 pm