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class, worked very hard and passed with flying colours! At the end of term, he

As it appears in the Bere Regis Recipe Book came to my classroom to thank me. It’s that sort of experience that makes
teaching worthwhile.
Mrs. H. Gibbs
In addition to this FE College teaching, I was offered a research and teaching
Porter Cake appointment for Hertfordshire County Council. At the time, libraries’ footfall was
decreasing and I was asked to look at the part to be played by libraries in helping
1lb flour and signposting learners. Working with library teams, I conducted research
throughout Hertfordshire which included pilot studies into how Functional
½ lb butter or margarine
Skills’ (English, Maths and ICT) needs could be met within the library system. This
½ lb raisins involved my sitting on forums such as Learning Partnerships, working with providers
such as FE Colleges and referring agencies such as Jobcentre Plus. This was an
½1b currants international project, with participants from Cambridgeshire, Essex, Suffolk, France
¾ lbs brown sugar and Italy as well as Hertfordshire. I was part of a group that visited Italian libraries to
see what could be learned and adopted in the UK.
¼ lb citron
My teaching continued to increase and, at the same time, I began to write my first
Peel of one lemon grated book which is historical fiction, based in the 16 century. In this 21 century, sadly,
st
th
church attendance is diminishing. However, in the 16 century, church allegiance
th
2 teaspoons mixed spice and attendance were of paramount importance, non-attendance at the current
4 eggs broken not beaten denomination being punished by anything from imprisonment to death. So I have
always felt sorry for those who were tossed from one denomination to another, via
1 teaspoonful carbonate of soda Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary and Elizabeth I. Also, I’m very keen on fairness and, at
the time, there was nothing fair about witchcraft which was widespread. For
½ pint of stout
example, if crops failed, it wasn’t known why and the same thing if someone
Put butter into flour and add raisins, currants, sugar, citron, lemon peel, spice mix became ill or died suddenly. That sort of knowledge was thin on the ground, if
and break the eggs into it. Pour half pint of warm stout over the carbonate of known at all. So my inspiration for this debut novel was two-fold: fairness combined
soda with the other ingredients - beat together for 20 minutes with a wooden with interest in Arthur Miller’s play “The Crucible” which I went to see at one of the
spoon London theatres. Incredibly, the Witchcraft Act was not repealed until 1951.
Following 12 drafts of this debut novel, I proceeded to submit it to relevant
Bake three hours. publishers. Then, one day, a publisher phoned me from the Barcelona book fair,
asking when he could phone me the following week. I said “Monday” and, on that
day, he began a long conversation, during which he gave me the very exciting
news that his publishing company wanted to publish my book. That moment in
January 2017 was very special.

My publisher then went on to support me at the launch of this debut novel, in
addition to accompanying me at talks. Also, the very kind, helpful Rector of St

When you respond to advertisers, do please tell them Nicholas’s church in Harpenden, suggested that I held the book’s launch at that
church – a wonderful suggestion! His wife, a Lecturer at the University of
you saw their advert in this magazine - it helps them Hertfordshire, is an excellent cook, and she supplied post-launch nibbles. When
people were arriving, I played CDs of Thomas Tallis and William Byrd, favourite
monitor the effectiveness of their advert and helps us Court composers of Elizabeth I who told them that, although she wanted them to
play at her Protestant Court, they were to practise their Roman Catholicism
generate more advertising revenue!! elsewhere!

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