Sunshine, spring flowers and birds singing. It's been a lovely few days and good to be reminded of new life and hope over this Easter weekend.

Perhaps you've been able to enjoy spending time with friends and family over this long weekend. The gathering together for a meal or an occasion is important to our relationships and in marking the passing of time.

And it's why novelist's Kate Sawyer's new book is particularly meaningful. Thank you to everyone who has already reserved their place at our event in May (scroll down for details). It makes things so much easier to organise when there is an indication of interest and commitment! If you have your diary to hand, here are a few more events locally which might appeal to all the family.

Later this month on Wednesday 19 April, Sophie Green will be speaking at Suffolk Book League in Ipswich about her Potkin and Stubbs detective series for children aged 8-12. On Saturday 29 April, the children's writer and comedian James Campbell will be popping into Browsers Bookshop Woodbridge to talk about his latest book 'The Funny Life of Football'. And next month, on Saturday 13 May Tracey Corduroy will be in Ipswich for the Children's Book Group talking about her books as part of National Share a Story Month.

And don't forget that it is the INK Festival next weekend in Halesworth, presenting original short plays at venues throughout the town. It might give us some ideas as we consider how the books we're currently reading could be dramatised...Kate Sawyer is currently working on a film adaptation of her debut novel 'The Stranding', and 'Wivenhoe', our book group title this month, is being turned into a play. We have an invitation to attend a reading as that play takes shape and I'll have more details about that next time!

Thank you for reading, and Happy Easter!