Story-telling granny pens her third book
Kath Williams’ eldest son hasn’t read any of the three books she’s written over the past six years about growing up in Taranaki, but she isn’t worried.
‘‘He said he’s not going to read them until I pass, because the books are written the way I talk, and he’ll be able to hear me reading to him through them,’’ she said.
Williams started her first book so that her nine grandchildren could learn about her life in ‘‘the olden days’’, but the project kept growing.
She started by posting some of her own memories on social media and, when people commented, would contact them and ask if they wanted to contribute photos and stories.
‘‘It’s taken us from where we were really little to children all the way through to being the age we are,’’ Williams said. ‘‘It’s really our life’s journey.
‘‘It’s been fun, I’ve actually reconnected with a lot of people, and a lot of people who have moved away from Ha¯ wera, have reconnected through the pages, which has been wonderful.’’
Her first book, on the 1960s, proved so popular she kept going, collating a second book on the 1970s, and then ‘‘into the new millennium’’, which takes a look at change over her lifetime.
‘‘Over 50 years in all aspects of our lives, the changes were massive for my generation, absolutely massive.’’
Her next project is going to be titled When Covid stole 2020 and will have stories from people all around the world.
Williams grew up in Ha¯ wera and raised her family there alone, after being widowed.
Later, she ran an alternative education programme in Ha¯ wera and a youth centre, worked in mental health and ran a drug and alcohol programme for the Salvation Army, and later, the Bin Inn in New Plymouth.
Fourteen years ago, she met her current partner, Peter Gillbanks, and they moved to Nelson. They are back in Taranaki this week visiting family and for the launch of the new book, at South Taranaki RSA in Ha¯ wera tomorrow.
The books were available through her Facebook pages and at Wheeler bookstores and in libraries, she said.