Sally & Stella with Margate’s Gnomes to the Rescue!

Sally’s 6 books are available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, through Booklocker (her publisher), and upon request at your local bookshop. Use ISBN numbers below when asking your local bookshop.

Sally’s sixth book, Margate’s Gnomes to the Rescue!, available now as hardcover & eBook!

Global warming and changing weather patterns are here. Beautiful Mother Earth is polluted and troubled! Flooding forces Grandpa 42 and his gnome family to leave their beloved mountain home. Making a new home with the woodland fairies was wonderful until terrible forest fires forced them to flee yet again! A kind magic lady from distant Margate saved the day. She sent her magic carpet and her rainbow birds to rescue Grandpa 42 and his family. The lovely seaside town gave them a new home in their chalk caves. Very quickly the gnomes became a familiar sight around the town. However, they discovered that all was not so bright, shiny and jolly after all. Sadly, Margate had a major rubbish problem! However, the gnomes were keen to help. Rolling up their sleeves they got to work putting things right and helping to tell all the grown-ups and all the children to look after precious Mother Earth and to do the right thing.

“Rubbish goes in the bin, buy less plastic and recycle!”

Grandpa 42 and his gnome family were still worried about the weather because it was either too hot or too wet! One sunny day Tom and Lucy packed a picnic and took a sailing boat out for a spin around the Margate harbour. Suddenly the weather changed and strong winds blew them far out to sea. Discover how the gnomes rescue the children when it became too dangerous for the lifeboat to be launched!

Sally’s fifth book, Margate’s Gnomes, available now as hardcover & eBook!

Margate’s Gnomes is available now on Amazon
Sally & Stella with Margate’s Gnomes

This delightful picture book lovingly written and illustrated by Sally aims to educate young children about global warming and environmental concerns.

Global warming and changing weather patterns are here. Beautiful Mother Earth is polluted and troubled! Flooding forces Grandpa 42 and his gnome family to leave their beloved mountain home. The gnomes make a new home with the woodland fairies but terrible forest fires force them to flee yet again. Eventually a magic lady from distant Margate saves the day and sends her magic carpet and her rainbow birds to rescue Grandpa 42 and his family.

The gnomes make a new home in the lovely seaside town of Margate. They live in the chalk caves and become a familiar sight around the town. However, after a while they discover that all is not so bright, shiny and jolly after all. Sadly, Margate has a major rubbish problem! The gnomes are keen to help and rolling up their sleeves they get to work to put things right. They help to tell all the grown-ups and all the children to look after precious Mother Earth and to do the right thing.

“Rubbish goes in the bin, buy less plastic and recycle!”

Sally’s fourth book: From Margate To Key West With Love

From Margate To Key West With Love is available now on Booklocker

From Margate to Key West with Love is a continuation of Sally Forrester’s previous three historical novels featuring Madam Maria Popoff, her quirky vintage dress shop set in Margate’s King Street and Poppy, a middle-aged woman, who relocates from London to Margate. Poppy, who has many broken pieces, discovers true healing when she answers an advertisement requesting part time help although only special people needed to apply!

Sally’s novels, although works of fiction, embrace the ups and downs of life, of truly being human, of living through and navigating difficult times and the important part that emotions play in sickness and recovery. They’re set in various historical periods that follow real events.

Having spent some time sailing to the Florida Keys, exploring Key West and learning about its checkered history Sally just knew that she wanted Maria Popoff to come and establish yet another vintage shop. Cousin Rollo has summoned her to the fictitious grand old house called St. Eustace on Whitehead Street in the heart of Old Key West. Maria brings with her wisdom, knowledge, love, compassion and her all seeing eyes to this colourful settlement at the very end of the road.

Maria Popoff is certainly a strange character and it’s never really clear exactly who she is. Some see her merely as a kind, particularly old and portly shopkeeper who has a passion for decadent chocolate cake. Those who know her better are struck by her all-seeing eyes that seem to pierce right through you. They’re struck by her wisdom, her knowledge of healing and fascinated by her wizened hands that can touch and seemingly make everything better. Some have called her a gypsy who has the power to look through a crystal ball and foretell the future. However, those who know her best of all realize that she’s a time traveller or maybe she’s an angel. Certainly, she’s an ancient being who appears to cross the dimension of time.

Maria has seen so much. She’s become weary of man’s indiscretion, his mistakes and of the lessons that humanity never seems to learn. Set in 2021 and 2022 Maria, like most of us, is worried about the state of our planet.  She has a heartfelt concern for the environment, pollution and the devastating weather patterns that seem to track man’s hatred and violence towards each other. Maria is horrified by the war in Ukraine. She realizes just how much sorrow the Covid pandemic has robbed people of their loved ones, their sense of financial security, and their livelihoods.

Sally wanted her fourth novel to span the Atlantic so that her readers will also happily discover Poppy still busy in the Isle of Thanet managing all three Madam Popoff vintage shops in the little seaside holiday towns of Margate, Ramsgate and Broadstairs. Things come into the shops that have a story to tell. Poppy has become proficient, over the years, at fingering certain treasures catching her eye and she discovers their past. Sometimes the stories are heartwarming and pleasant but just like life they don’t always have a fairy tale ending. Likewise, Maria has taught Desmond, a new employee, to sit with things that appear on the doorstep of St. Eustace and discover their history. In this way Sally brings to light all sorts of historical events that have shaped the community across the Atlantic at the very end of the road. Readers will enjoy stories embracing Key West’s past.  Sunken Spanish treasure, sponging, cigar factories, historic links with Cuba, Flagler’s Railroad, hurricanes, First World War submarines and much more.

Above all Sally’s books have a purpose. They’re much more than the sum of historical fiction featuring an old lady who has a passion for chocolate cake and set in vintage dress shops! Sally loves to educate. Starting life as a school teacher but over time, becoming older and wiser, she’s learnt so much about the nature of healing and this knowledge is woven into her books. Nowadays she writes, paints and coaches people in wellness. Homeopathic remedies and Bach flower essences have been her passion for nearly twenty-five years and she loves to share her knowledge with all her readers. Sally invites her readers to come and take afternoon tea with Madam Popoff and Poppy and become enlightened.  Please enjoy!

Sally’s third book: Broadstairs On My Mind

Broadstairs On My Mind, is available on Booklocker!

Description: When Poppy relocated from London to Margate she answered a card in the window of the Madam Popoff Vintage Emporium announcing, “Part time help required only special people need apply.” She suddenly found herself drawn into a world of wonder, magic and healing. The enigmatic, curious Madam Popoff taught her that there’s a silver thread connecting people, places, events and time. As time ticked on Poppy often asked herself, “Exactly who is Madam Popfoff? Is she simply a portly old shopkeeper with a wizened face? Gypsy? Fairy Godmother? Angel? Time Traveller? Gatekeeper?”

Poppy and Madam eventually expand the business and open another vintage emporium in neighbouring Ramsgate and eventually a Broadstairs shop too. These books are about lovely Isle of Thanet seaside towns but they could be anywhere in the world. Each book explores places of historical interest along with Poppy’s growing spiritual insight and development as a healer.

A series of short stories in each novel explore the ups and downs of life and the nature of healing, from sorrow and joy to hardship and loss. There are people who leave behind a legacy of kindness, sacrifice and courage and others who suffer from the repercussions that overindulgence and selfishness bring.

“Broadstairs on my Mind” explores the establishment of a new vintage emporium on Broadstairs High Street. The things that cross Poppy’s threshold all have a story to tell. From the awful trenches of World War 1 to the Olympic games of 1924 and the Carlton Hotel. From lighthouses, wreckers and smuggling along the Broadstairs coast to donkeys and Punch and Judy on the local holiday beaches. From the seaside convalescent homes to the tourist hotels each story helps Poppy to learn the important part that emotions play in true health and healing.

Sally’s second book: Ramsgate Calling

Ramsgate Calling, is available on Booklocker!

Description: After taking the Last Train to Margate over a year ago and working with the enigmatic Madam Popoff in her vintage emporium, Poppy’s adventures continue in this second book, Ramsgate Calling. Having grown in confidence she helps to establish another delightful vintage shop in the neighbouring seaside town of Ramsgate.

Working with Madam has taught Poppy the importance of her hands. She has learned to feel her way through life, discern stories and ownership just by touching the things that cross Madam’s threshold. Poppy continues to grow and learn the important part that emotions play in health and true healing. She continues to explore the Bach flower essences and how helpful they can be for those seeking solace, health and wellness. Above all Poppy has come to realize that there’s a silver thread connecting people, places, events and time.

A series of short stories explore some of Ramsgate’s history, the ups and downs of life, and the nature of true healing. The stories cover such topics as the evils of opium addiction, convict ships leaving for Australia, Vincent Van Gough’s brief sojourn in Ramsgate, and the wartime tunnels dug out to protect this vulnerable coastal town.

This book is about the passage of time and a lovely little seaside resort but it could be any town, anywhere in the world. It’s about life and the ups-and-downs we all experience. Stories explore sorrow and joy, hardship and loss. There are people who leave behind a legacy of kindness, sacrifice and courage. Other people suffer from the repercussions that overindulgence and selfishness bring. The forces of light and darkness are explored along with the notion that perhaps Madam Popoff is a Master from beyond this world!

Sally’s first book: Last Train to Margate

You can buy Sally’s first book, Last Train to Margate, at BookLocker or Amazon (USA & UK). It is available as an eBook from Amazon and also from your local bookstore. You can read/download two sample chapters here.

About Sally

Sally grew up in the seaside town of Margate and although she currently lives in the USA she is always drawn back to her roots. She graduated from teacher training college and has worked as a teacher, artist and over the past 20 years as a health and wellness coach.

Upcoming Events

No book signing events are currently planned.

News from Margate – The movie EMPIRE OF LIGHT directed by Sam Mendes and starring Olivia Coleman and Colin Frith has hit the box offices! Set in an English seaside town in the 1980’s it is a powerful and poignant story about human connection and the magic of cinema. It was filmed in Margate during 2022. If you are interested in this lovely seaside town please consider visiting the movies! Also read this nice article featured in The Guardian newspaper in January 2023.