Thetford-born author, Kate Stephenson, returns to her roots with new wildlife book
A journalist, blogger and wildlife campaigner, originally from Thetford, is returning home on Saturday with her new book.
Kate Stephenson’s book, Connections With Nature: 50 moments of meeting the wild, will be showcased at a special event, between 2pm and 4pm, at Not Just Books, in Riverside Walk.
The publication has been compiled from contributions to The Wildlife Blogger Crowd; a community of wildlife and nature bloggers she set up during lockdown.
Stories in the book include a look at the ‘moorland fairground’ at dusk, the marvels of the moon and the details of a barn owl feather through the eyes of a seven-year-old.
Kate said: “It is a journey through the stages of human life, seen through the lens of connecting with nature.
“This anthology serves to remind us of the wonders of the natural world, the benefits of making connections with wildlife and wild spaces, and highlights how our lives are often a lot more entwined with ‘the wild’ than we might immediately realise.”
The author began her ‘Kate on Conservation’ blog a decade ago as part of her degree in English Language and Communications with Journalism and Media Cultures.
Since then, the blog has grown in popularity and, for its 10th anniversary, she created the The Wildlife Blogger Crowd.
Kate said: “The platform was designed as a positive and safe space for wildlife and nature bloggers to share posts, join discussions and support other content creators.
“I wanted to create this community to give easy, free, access to that kind of connection, for the benefit of everyone belonging to ‘team nature’.”
The book references Thetford and Kate said growing up there really inspired her.
She said: “From seeing the first snowdrops around Lynford Lake, to long summer walks spotting muntjac deer in Thetford Forest, I really got to know the rhythms of nature growing up in this area.”
To find out about Kate’s work, go to kateonconservation.com and to find out more about the event on Saturday, between 2pm and 4pm, go to notjustbooks.co.uk.
