Last week I was invited, along with comedy writer Heide Goody and children’s author B. B. Taylor, to take part in a rally to save Sutton Coldfield library.
We collected signatures for the petition, marched through the town centre shouting ‘Save Our Library’, were interviewed by ITV for Central News (but unfortunately that got left on the cutting room floor), listened to speeches by the rally organisers and our MP Andrew Mitchell, Birmingham City Councillor Rob Pocock, Sutton Coldfield Town Councillor Ewan Mackey and eventually we stood up and said a few words ourselves in support of the library.
In between all this excitement we managed a bit of writing chat. Heide told us about the Birmingham Reader’s Map that she curates via her website. It shows the locations of novels set in and around Birmingham and Heide has kindly added Bedsit Three (set in a fictional part of north Birmingham) to the map.
If you’d like to see what other literary gems are set in the West Midlands, use the ‘+’ sign to enlarge the map below and have a hunt around. If you know of any other book that should be on the map, contact Heide and let her know.
Satan’s Shorts, a collection of short stories co-written by Heide and her writing partner, Iain Grant is FREE on Amazon. The book description is intriguing, “Curious about the day that Saint Christopher found out he’d been declared non-existent by the pope? What exactly is a cat in Hell’s chance? How would an annual Christmas present exchange between Heaven and Hell work out? Find out the answers to these and other pressing questions in this collection of short stories from the world of Clovenhoof.”
Sally Jenkins 
#1 by juliathorley on December 16, 2016 - 2:54 pm
What an interesting map, and well done for getting your story on to it. The idea that Sutton Coldfield – or indeed any town – could do without its library is ludicrous. I hope your campaigning pays off.
#2 by Sally Jenkins on December 16, 2016 - 8:25 pm
Thanks, Julia. It seems like libraries are an easy target for council spending cuts.
#3 by Bobby Fairfield on December 16, 2016 - 5:21 pm
A grand gesture, for a cause close to my heart, libraries are essential, well done
#4 by Sally Jenkins on December 16, 2016 - 8:27 pm
I agree, Bobby – libraries are essential and, as in most things, if they go, the more vulnerable parts of society will suffer – the young, the elderly and those on low incomes.
#5 by Susan A Eames on December 17, 2016 - 8:10 pm
It always makes me so mad when I read about library closures! I like the Readers Map idea.
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
#6 by Sally Jenkins on December 18, 2016 - 2:09 pm
I think we’re all of one mind, Susan. I winder if any of the decision makers actually use libraries?