March 2022

13 Buckden Roundabout March 2022 Village News Linda Upham Local Children ’ s Author Have your children discovered the books of Linda Upham, Buckden ’ s own children ’ s author? We recently met Linda for a chat to find out more. Linda grew up as an only child and attended a small school in a big house with large formal gardens, plenty of trees, ripe for adventure. Her love was to read, and she read all the books, covering every genre from every period, in the extensive school library. Her lasting impression was that all the main characters were boys and she was unable to find the books she wanted to read. Even Jo in Little Woman was boyish! Why couldn ’ t girls have adventures? Later in life, after completing a degree in History and a PGCE, and a spell as an Education Officer in the RAF, Linda settled down in Buckden to raise her family. When Linda ’ s 8 - year - old daughter was at Buckden School, she asked for a story about a girl set in Roman times. Unable to find one, Linda was inspired to write the first of her books for children. The result was The Bronze Dagger , set in the time of Budicca ’ s rebellion against the rule of the Romans. As a historian, Linda was determined that her stories would be based in fact, so she carried out extensive research, and of course they must feature girl main characters. The search for a publisher was difficult and it was 18 long months before the book was accepted by Lutterworth Press in Cambridge. Linda learned much from the editor about the structure of writing, including the importance of keeping a tight timeline, and ensuring that seasons pass in line with the story. Planning was essential. Linda ’ s second book, Divided Loyalties , is set in the Hunting- don area, after the Norman invasion when Hereward was lead- ing a rebellion from the Isle of Ely. This was Linda ’ s first self - published book, which is more usual these days, but also hard- er work. She had to be her own editor, proofreader and cross checker. The next historical book, Discord , will be published later this year to tie in with a Sealed Knot reenactment of King Charles ’ entry into Huntingdon in August 1645. Another is in the pipe- line, about Katherine of Aragon during her time as prisoner in our very own Buckden Towers. However, Linda ’ s most recent book, Grandma ’ s Bedtime Sto- ries , is rather different. Before Covid, Linda often babysat her grandchildren and would make up her own ‘ Once upon a time ’ bedtime stories for them. Once Covid lockdown made it im- possible for her to be with them, she put the stories down on paper, and the new book is the result, with four imaginative, sleep - inducing bedtime stories suitable for 3 - 6 years olds, with strong environmental themes and an emphasis on caring and sharing. There are many new characters to meet: Woody the wood elf whose job is to care for the trees in a beech wood; Ted and Ed the two mice in the Shed; Leah the puppy trying to find her way home; and lastly the squabbling letters from a reading book. Linda chose a large print format for the book (to make reading by nightlight easier for Grandma!) and she loves the sensitive illustrations by Jan Clifford which enhance the stories so well. If you would like to read Grandma ’ s Bedtime Stories to your little ones, or your school aged children would like to try The Bronze Dagger or Divided Loyalties, the easiest way to find them online is to search in Amazon under Linda Upham. Linda ’ s only plea is that, if you buy them, please leave a review, as this helps to lift them up the search list. Letter to the Editor Dear Sir, For a number of reasons, the traffic on the roads linking Mill Road to the A1 South (Leaden's Lane to Stirtloe Lane) has increased. These roads are unsuitable for some of the fast vehicles using them. A 20mph limit might help mitigate the risks of a serious accident on these narrow roads. - Ken Nicholas Idyll We ’ ll be in our garden on a summer evening, Eating pasta, drinking white wine. We won ’ t talk all the time. I ’ ll sit back, Contemplating shadows on the red - brick path, And marvel at the way it all turned out. That yellow begonia. Our gabled house. Later we ’ ll stroll through Kingsgate Park. My leg won ’ t hurt, and we ’ ll go home the long way. Asked to imagine heaven, I see us there, The way we have been, the way we sometimes are. - Wendy Cope