Tom will be the guest at the Burn How Hotel book club on Wednesday September 11, to talk about his work and, in particular, his moving new novel, Angel of Grasmere.
The book club with a difference allows guests an opportunity to engage with writers. Previous visiting authors have included the crime novelist Martin Edwards, adventurers Heather Dawe and Jo Moseley, the author of psychological thrillers, Paul Teague, and artist Liz Wakelin who recently won the prize for best illustrated book at the Lakeland Book Awards.
Tom Palmer’s latest title is a children’s historical fiction adventure set in and around Grasmere during the Second World War. It’s July 1940 and young Tarn struggles to come to terms with the loss of her beloved brother in the chaos of the British retreat at Dunkirk. She and her friends scour the hills around their Lakeland home, watching for any signs of the long-dreaded Nazi invasion.
But as the war drags on, with little good news from the front, the locals become aware of someone carrying out anonymous acts of kindness. With no one claiming credit, the village come to think of this unidentified stranger as a kind of guardian angel, but when his identity is finally revealed, can Tarn come to terms with the truth…?
Tom has written more than 60 children’s books, including six award-winning historical fiction titles and three Puffin football series, Football Academy, The Squad and Foul Play , which was short listed for the Blue Peter Book Award.
He describes himself as father, husband, author, football fan and reader. “In fact, it was reading about football that changed my life. I wasn’t keen on reading when I was young. My mum was worried about me because I was struggling at school. She encouraged me to read about football in newspapers, magazines and books. Gradually I came to love books.
“And from that point, my life changed. I wanted to know everything about books. I went to night school to do A levels when I was 21. Then I did a degree in European Literature when I was 24. It was brilliant!
“After I graduated, I went to work in a bookshop, then a library, then I managed book festivals. All that time I was writing: stories, poems, diaries andbooks for adults. Then – after a few years – I was lucky enough to have one of my football books for children accepted by Puffin.”
Organiser Vicky Robinson said: “Ours is a book club with a difference, where it’s a privilege to enjoy hearing authors talk about their books, their journeys into writing and publishing, in the lovely ambience of Burn How, the book hotel.
“We are very proud to be welcoming Tom, a remarkable award-winning writer who knows and loves the Lake District so well. He’s a great story-teller, and we’re excited to hear his stories in person.”
The book club will meet at the Burn How on Weds September 11 at 7pm; the time has been moved back to evenings by popular request. It’s free, everyone’s welcome, and there’s no need to book.
