A selection of the original story contributors attended the event including William Fiennes, Joanne Harris, Amanda Craig, Rachel Billington, Susan Elderkin, Terence Blacker, Maria McCann and Tracy Chevalier.

Clive Anderson, President of the Woodland Trust, introduced the evening’s events which included an ‘In Conversation’ between Sandi Toksvig and Tracy Chevalier and readings from the book by Terence Blacker, Sue Perkins, Roger Lloyd Pack and Tracy Chevalier.

A silent auction was also held, the donations and proceeds from which will pay for trees for Jubilee Woods and help double native woodland cover across the UK.

All the tales included in the book focus on UK native species. The authors have also had a tree dedicated in their name at Heartwood Forest in Hertfordshire, where for the last few years the MAN Booker judges have symbolically planted trees to represent those felled in order to produce the hundreds of books submitted to the panel.

The book is published by Indie Books in hardback priced £12.95. Copies are available to buy through a dedicated Why Willows Weep landing page, accessed via the Woodland Trust website: www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/whywillowsweep

The book will also be available in late November from Five Dials, the online magazine published by Hamish Hamilton: www.fivedials.com

For every copy of Why Willows Weep sold, the Woodland Trust will be able to plant five native trees.

Trees are being planted as part of the Woodland Trust Jubilee Woods Project to celebrate the

Diamond Jubilee of HRH Queen Elizabeth.

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UK

15th September – LONDON – Kings’s Place, talk and signing with Foyles, 7:00pm
16th September – BISHOP STORTFORD – Rhodes Art Centre, talk and signing with Waterstone’s, 7:30pm
19th September – WARWICK – Guy Nelson Hall, talk and signing with David Baldwin and Michael Jones. Warwick Books, 7:30pm
20th September – NOTTINGHAM – The Broadway Cinema, talk and signing with Waterstones, 6:00pm
21st September – MANCHESTER – The Royal Northern College of Music Concert Hall, talk and signing with Waterstone’s Deansgate, 7:00pM
22nd September – YORK – Shepherd’s Hall,St Peter’s School York, talk and signing, with Waterstone’s, 7:00pm

USA

16th October – NEW YORK – New York Times 2011 Great Literary Conversation, The Times Centre, 11:00am. With Rita Mae Brown, Lee Child, and Sapphire.
17th October – NEW YORK – Landmark on Main Street with Port Washington Library, Jeanne Rimsky Theatre, 7:30pm
18th October – ATLANTA – Ivy Hall Writers Series with Savannah College of Art & Design, 6:30pm
20th October – MILWAUKEE – Shully’s High Tea at Shully’s Garden Pavillion with Next Chapter Bookshop, 2:00pm
23rd October – CHICAGO – Wentz Concert Hall at North Central College with Anderson’s Bookshop, 2:00pm
25th October – SAN FRANCISCO – Commonwealth Club of California, 6:00pm
26th October – SAN FRANCISCO – Diablo Country Club with Rakestraw Books, 7:00pm
27th October – SAN FRANCISCO – Osher Marin Jewish Community Center with Book Passage, 7:00pm
29th October – MADISON, CT – Polson Middle School with R.J. Julia, 4:00pm
30th October – ROCKLEIGH, NJ – Rockleigh Country Club with Books & Greetings, 10:00am

Canada

1st November – TORONTO – St. Barnabas Church with Indigo Books, 7:00pm

The other nominees are :
Whiter Than Snow by Sandra Dallas
The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory
The Irish Duke by Virginia Henley
The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley
The Wives of Henry Oades by Joanna Moran
The Betrayal of the Blood lily by Lauren Willig

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