A Pembrokeshire man who was born in Kilgetty and raised in Pembroke, has published his very first book at the grand age of 82.
‘The Station Road Sewing Circle’, written by Lou Lewis and published by Welsh publisher Cambria Publishing, is a collection of short stories involving a group of determined women as they secretly investigate the mysteries, misdemeanors and minor criminal activities in bygone Pembroke.
“When I finally retired from work at the age of 76, I decided to write a novel about my other hobby, which is ancient Egypt,” he told The Pembrokeshire Herald.
“But for some reason, I couldn’t interest any agents in this idea. And so, at the end of lockdown, I started writing a series of short stories based in Pembroke, which was the town where I grew up.”
Lou, who served in the Royal Navy before doing various jobs in industry, has based his book around the 13 sewing circle ladies of Pembroke.
“These ladies represent the resourceful core of women that I knew when I was growing up,” he explained.
“ So the places in the town are still there, the characters are reflective of some years ago, but of course the names and events have changed somewhat.
“The whole thing, if you like, is a Welsh production – the publisher, the cover artist who has depicted the main street in the 1950’s and my good self.
“But the best part about it all, of course, was seeing the book as a real-life product in front of me. That was a real achievement.”
Lou is now focused on writing a follow-up.
“My writing has really taken off which means that now, in a way, I’ve never really retired, I’ve always had things on the go, so I’ve found that at the age of 82, I’ve got a new career.”
Another huge achievement for Lou is that having been on insulin for the past 50 years as a result of his diabetes, he was recently awarded a medal by the British Diabetic Association.
“So, 2023 has been a brand-new chapter for all of us,” he added.
” I would like to add that my wife, Gloria, of 58 years, has always supported me in all that I’ve done. In particular she has assisted me in not letting diabetes get in the way of what I’ve wanted to do.”
The Station Road Sewing Circle is currently available for purchase on Amazon and at the Tenby Book shop.
