Iceni Columnist Keri Beevis

Busy Month

A very busy month for me.

Not only did I celebrate my birthday - a socially distanced lunch with four friends (which was lovely, but I really do miss being able to hug people) - I have also been busy with our new horror and thriller podcast, Above: Keri Beevis writing my new book (my second one since lockdown) plus, almost a year after it was first released, Dying To Tell topped the Australian Kindle Chart.

I honestly had to pinch myself. And it was made all the more special, as my fab publisher sent me a lovely bouquet of flowers and some bubbly.

Not long after my book topped the chart, I was out for a walk with my mother and she was marvelling at just where I get my imagination. I am not the only creative one in our family. My brother is a pretty good artist and my sister isn’t bad at writing or drawing.

‘I just don’t understand where it comes from,’ my mother told me. ‘I don’t have a creative bone in my body, and neither did your father.’

She’s not fibbing there. My mother is the least imaginative person and while I think my dad would have quite liked to be an author, he couldn’t tell a story to save his life.

Thank goodness then my aunt stepped forward to take the credit. After seeing me achieve success, she announced that she has always quite fancied writing a book and off she went to sign up to a writing class.

During the first lesson, the teacher gave the class a writing prompt. She wanted them to look out of the window and develop a story from what they could see. My aunt stared out of the window, spotting a tree in the field, and chewed thoughtfully on her pen as she considered her story. Feeling inspired, she started to write.

‘I look out of the window and there is a tree in the field. It has green leaves.’

After that her mind went blank.

Never mind, maybe she would do better with the second writing prompt. Waking up on a cold morning to find the water pipes frozen.

This was better, there was more to work with here. My aunt started to write.

‘I woke up and the water pipes were frozen, so I picked up the phone and called the plumber.’

Needless to say, my aunt didn’t continue with her writing classes and no more has been said about her book.

As for my imagination and creativity? Heck knows. Maybe it was a gift from the fairies.

My crime thriller, D For Dead is available to buy in paperback and Kindle now.

Follow me on Facebook or Twitter for more information.

Nibbles &Tipples October

Article By Cheryl Cade, Beer Educator

Over the last few weeks, I have been visiting a few pubs, not for the beer, but for the food.

Starting at the The White Lion (Oak Street), I entered a burger heaven with a beer or cider of a quality to match. The side of chips was perfectly cooked, but the burger was the star of the show. With no Brioche bun in sight I already knew I was in for a treat. The handmade buttermilk coating for the chicken breast in my burger resulted in a tender, juicy breast without the dry crunchy coating I have experienced in other venues. This was paired with a homemade red coleslaw and pickles. If anything, the pickled red onion alone is worth the trip to this award-winning cider home. Venturing further north, hidden in between the 1900 Victorian terrace houses is The Rosebery, AKA The Lord Rosebery. This pub has experienced many changes over the last few years, yet it was good to welcome back a previous manager as its new landlord. Tim and his wife have brought a new ethos with them; they want to be a pub for the community but with something different. They are looking to expand their continental drinks range and already have a good choice of Lager, Real Ales, Craft Beers, Spirits and Ciders. Combining these with a good range of bar snacks (the Victoria Sponge looked great), they will also have special food weekends supporting local food trucks.

The next pub is easily missed yet is a hidden gem in the centre of Norwich. Just off the Market place in Old Post Office Court is The

Walnut Tree Shades. With wholesome home cooked food Claire and her husband’s passion, they have chosen the 10-year anniversary as its licensees to launch a new menu. Claire has kept her star attractions of Chilli and a Caribbean Chicken Curry (now Gluten Free and a creation of her former chef Tim). To this are added more Vegan dishes and an amazing fish cake. What takes this above the mundane fish cake is the addition of mackerel, giving a fish cake that tastes of fish rather than hints there may be some hiding in the potatoes. Being a popular music venue, Claire and the team are taking the opportunity to bring their historic pub back into a food limelight.

Our final pub with a new food venture is the Rose Inn on Queens Road. This is a pub that has been hit hard over the last few months. Dawn’s partner, Carl, took his life the day it was announced that pubs had to close. When the government launched their Eat Out to Dine Out,

as a drinks-only pub, the Rose did not qualify. Yet with the community, friends and family behind her, Dawn has come back fighting. As one of the leading lights of the Campaign for Pubs, she has also invested in a pizza oven. The dough on my Parma Ham, with Rocket and Balsamic Dressing was light and fresh. Oodles of ham were balanced with a rich tomato sauce. I will be back; there’s so many more to try.

Cheers, until next month. Cheryl Visit: https://cherylcade.com