Westgate features in a new book with a tale adapted from a prize winning entry to the Westgate Literary Festival last year.
The Rescue, by Kittie Lambton, tells how the arrival of a yacht named Madeline to the shores of Westgate-on-Sea marks a turning point in the lives of an artist, a mechanic, a refugee and a fiddle player musician.
It is a heartwarming tale of discovery; where acts of kindness and community spirit are rewarded with life-changing consequences that bring hope, opportunity and good fortune to all those who have the courage to embrace strangers.
The story is adapted from the literary festival entry which gained second prize for author and cellist Kittie.
For Kittie, who is from Norwich, The Rescue is her second book. The first, The Cellist’s Notebook, was published in January this year.
She said: “I lived in Leigh-on-Sea for a short time a number of years ago and love the whole surrounding area and history. I also lived in Portobello in Scotland and the characters are inspired by who I have known from these beautiful seaside towns and the warmth from the local communities.
“The Rescue is an adaptation from my prize winning entry to the Westgate Literary Festival 2019 and is inspired by my love of sailing, kind people and the small communities I have come to know from living beside the sea.
“I enjoy exploring how music can evoke and improve memory and the importance of music in our everyday lives, not only listening to our favourite music tracks, but the role of music in our shared heritage and culture.
“As a strong advocate for encouraging and supporting the teaching of music to children from a young age, I love to examine our relationship with music within my books. I am a cellist with a huge passion for the cello and admiration for all the music teachers who help mentor and inspire others to go ahead and pick up an instrument!”
Kittie says her aim is to write books which are uplifting and thought provoking with nostalgia at their heart.
She added: “I love reading and writing novellas; books that can be enjoyed in one sitting. I find the form ideal for our hectic busy lives.”
The Rescue and The Cellist’s Notebook can be found on Amazon here