Wayward: Botanical Short Stories, Book Launch

Join Falmouth Bookseller in the bookshop for the launch of Botanical Short Stories, a curated celebration of contemporary writing about plants and flowers.

They’ll be welcoming both editor Emma Timpany and illustrator Sarah Jane Humphrey to talk about the collection and how it came to fruition.

Born in New Zealand into a family of florists, Emma Timpany studied botany for two years as part of her undergraduate degree before graduating with a degree in anthropology. She worked as a florist in New Zealand and London, and, after moving to Cornwall, ran a small flower-growing business for five years. Emma has won awards for her short stories, and co-edited Cornish Short Stories which was shortlisted for a Holyer an Gof Award 2019. She teaches creative writing, mentors emerging writers and works as a ghostwriter for a private autobiography company.

6pm at Falmouth Bookseller – free entry, books will be available to purchase on the night.

This event will be held at The Falmouth Bookseller, 21 Church Street, TR11 3EG

Botanical Short Stories

edited by Emma Timpany, illustrated by Sarah Jane Humphrey

A group of botanists in search of rare species dismiss local custom at their peril. Love in all its wildness and wonder is found clinging to crumbling chalk cliffs and growing through cracks on city streets. A scientist takes a radical step to understand her houseplant. A poet remembers her beloved flowers, and the longing for a magnificent tropical garden outlasts death.

From tokens of love to neolithic burial gifts, bridal bouquets to seasonal wreaths and healing potions to artistic masterpieces, flowers and plants have a multitude of meanings and a long and complex relationship with us. 

They brighten our homes and delight us in garden and countryside, convey our emotions and symbolise the stages of our human lives. Throughout the anthology, interactions with the natural world bring opportunities for new beginnings, transformation, and a chance to heal.

This rich and wide-ranging collection celebrates the deep connection that exists between people and plants in fourteen short stories as varied, diverse, and global as the botanical world itself.

‘The stories are all so very different, some of them being quite compelling and tender featuring an interesting variety of voices and nationalities with a wide range of characters and settings’ – Advolly Richmond

Tickets: Free

Please note this is not a ticketed event. Clicking the 'Book Now' button will take you to the Wayward website page for the event to find out more information. 

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