Book a real feast this Easter (From Malvern Gazette)

Book a real feast this Easter

9:00am Wednesday 13th March 2013 in News By Tarik Al Rasheed

SHARED experiences in Scouting helped bring two Malvern ladies together to produce their first children’s book.

Author Rebecca Baxter and artist Glynis Dray have teamed up to produce the story Easter Feast, aimed at youngsters aged four and over.

The fantasy tale tells of elven siblings Rosie, Rufus and Little Bo, who live in the village of Ford in the middle of a great wood.

But although the setting is fictional, its inspiration is very much rooted in real-life experience.

For many years Ms Dray’s sons, now in their 20s, were members of the 1st Malvern Wells Scout troop that Dr Baxter still helps to run.

“Over the years the troop has camped and hiked in many beautiful places,”

said Dr Baxter. “The book has a woodland setting and characters partly inspired by my scouting experiences, as well as by my own children.

“Glynis immediately understood the vision I had for the book because of her experience of bringing the boys along to our activities.”

The book is on sale now at Malvern Book Co-Operative and Lyttelton Well in Malvern, Ledbury Books and Maps, and from online retailer Amazon.

Although it was a first book for the pairing it is not going to be the last, with plans for a series of stories set in the same world and work on the second book already underway.