Ashingdon author Garry Kilworth has just released the third and final part of his children's trilogy about the Welkin Weasels, Windjammer Run.

Books one and two told about a colony of weasels and stoats who live in the mythical, medieval world of Welkin.

The humans have left Welkin, which has pleased the stoats, who are power hungry and treacherous.

In book three the Weasels -- who are the Saxon equivalent to the stoat's Normans -- realise that the sea defences are crumbling. They know they need to find the humans and bring them back to repair the wall, so they set off in a ship to search. The stoats don't want to lose their power so try to stop the weasels. . . at any cost.

The animals enjoy lots of adventures on their travels and it all ends -- well that would be telling.

Garry's books are among those that happily cross the line between children and adults chosen reading. He says that, although he writes books for both, he enjoys writing for children most of all. "They can stretch their imagination," he explained.

With five grandchildren aged from 18 months to 11 years Garry knows all about children and what they like and don't like. They do read his books, but, he says "Families of authors are very guarded about that."

Garry, who has been writing since he was 18, didn't have his first book published until he was 35. He admits there were times when he thought he would never get into print, but now he has a regular output of novels.

The Welkin Weasels have come out for three years in succession, and next year Garry has another book coming out. Set in 1953 it tells the story of a ghost in Ashingdon church yard.

The ghost is that of a German airman who is buried there, and the story tells of the reactions of the villagers.

Garry settled with his family in Ashingdon 15 years ago after a lifetime of living all around the world.

As a child, his father was in the RAF. "I was never in the same place for more than 18 months. I found it very exciting."

The lifestyle appealed enough for Garry to spend 18 years in the RAF himself. However, when he decided to settle down he returned to the village where his grandparents had lived, and to where his own parents had settled before.

Now he is set to make the village a focus for his readers.

Writing home - author Garry Kilworth has set next year's novel in Ashingdon

Picture: ROBIN WOOSEY

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