Talking to a reading group about Foxden Acres.

A super evening chatting with a reading group of lovely and very interesting people who had read Foxden Acres in January. Thank you for welcoming me to your beautiful home, for reading my novels, and for the nibbles and the wine. 

I had a great evening. 

Back row: Wala, Madalyn, Lesley

Front: Laura, Tony and Gill.

After dinner speaker at The Rotary Club of Lutterworth Wycliffe.

A great night. 

I was invited to speak about my life as an actress and author by 

The Rotary Club of Lutterworth Wycliffe, on Jan 23rd 

at The Greyhound, Market Street, Lutterworth,

The old saying, "Don't fee the actors" went out of the window. 

Roast beef and all the trimmings? Oops! I'd forgotten to tell the Rotary club member, David, who booked me that I didn't eat red meat. I said no problem, I was happy to eat the vegetables, which I was - and there were plenty. However, no sooner had I mentioned it than David asked the kitchen to prepare something else. They did, a succulent chicken breast. It really was excellent. But my 5 stars has to go to the pud. Apple crumble and custard, now who could say not to that?


There were not photographs taken during my talk, but here are a few taken afterwards.
The people of Lutterworth Rotary Club Wycliffe, really were super.

Giving President Peter Sweatman four novels for their next raffle.
With David and Marcia.  Fabulous people.

What a lovely surprise it was to see my beautiful cousin Lesley (in the yellow jacket), her husband Martin, and their friend who used to come to the Fox Inn with her husband,
when my mum and dad were Landlady and Landlord.

Last but but by no means least, a had my photograph taken with author, Tony Bailey, who wrote Lutterworth in Wartime. Every time I tried to buy a copy at, Oh Lovely, in Lutterworth, they had run out. However, Tony gave me a signed copy. It's fascinating. Packed with local information.
I could have done with it before I wrote Foxden Acres.

 Thank you, Tony.

A lovely evening. Thank you for asking me along to be your after dinner speaker,
It was a pleasure.


Rotary Clubs do an amazing amount of charity work. They not only send aid to disaster zones, they send doctors too. My aunt and uncle, Eileen and Bob Derrick, filled over 800 water boxes that went to countries where there were sever droughts.

The Rotary Club raises money for many charities and good causes. The Santa Runs alone have raised more than £87,000. They also raise money to support young people. They stage young Chef and Young Designer Competitions, Young Writer and Young Musicians, and they maintain a boat which teaches disabled people to sail.  And many, many, more things - from teaching road safety to supporting hospices.

Thank you for a wonderful evening.
Proud to speak my time and the small gift of my novels.  

New Photograph. Feb 3rd, 2017

When author and close friend, Theresa Le Flem, and I were going to a chapter meeting of the Leicestershier RNA, I said, 'You've had your hair cut, Theresa. It looks lovely.' And she said, 'And so does yours, Maddie.' So, I took a selfie of the two of us, and Theresa took a photograph of me for the back of my new novel. The fifth book in the Dudley Sisters Saga is called, The Foxden Hotel.


This is me:

And this is us:

With lovely friend, Theresa Le Flem

We laugh a lot when we get together. It's great having a writer friend who enjoys talking about her/my/our current project. Great to have someone to bounce ideas off. And to drink coffee and eat cakes with. Drinking coffee is hungry work...

These are the cakes:

Only joking....

We had scrumptious tea-cakes at Karter's in Church Street, Lutterworth. 

Their's is the best coffee in town.