We all know that laughter is the best medicine, and although vaccinations come in at a close second, take a break from the doom and gloom with Tunbridge Wells author Tessa Milligan’s The Shortbread Tales, 20 comedic stories ready to scratch that funny bone of yours.
Mrs Milligan, who started writing in University and harboured a desire to earn a living as an author, began her working life in an offshore construction industry in Aberdeen, but after her stint as a full-time mother came to an end, it was time to get creative.
We were lucky enough to talk to Mrs Milligan and find out a little bit more about the Tunbridge Wells author and delve deeper into The Shortbread Tales.
Can you tell us about the inspiration behind these tales?
“I wanted to share some funny, true and thought-provoking incidents in my life, expressed in the form of short stories. These were originally intended for magazine entries but a friend suggested compiling a book, which spurred me into unearthing material from my memory bank of circumnavigating the globe, as a lone traveller.
“My intention was to capture places, people and anecdotes from home shores to worldwide, to amuse and entertain using the short story format.
“So much inspiration came from walking in the countryside in the Tunbridge Wells area, with a notebook in pocket. My enjoyment and appreciation of the local rural scenery is reflected in several of the yarns: a closeness to nature permeates the book.
“The majority of the volume was written before lockdown, however, the emphasis on comedy, to see people through this gloomy period, was right on target as it turned out!”
What has the community response been like so far and what does the future hold for The Shortbread Tales?
“I was blessed with truly astonishing levels of local support from both residents and friends. Especially from the Langton Green area which was fantastic.
“This was crowned by the book signing event in December at WHSmith in Tunbridge Wells. With help from WHSmith’s management, and the Christmas shoppers, who came up trumps, I had sold out of copies by 3.30pm!
“The Shortbread Tales would be ideal for radio broadcasts, due to their length and variety of subject matter. I would love to pursue this angle.”