Rallying Fans Bring Needed Christmas Sales Despite Lockdown
Hampshire, UK - November 17th, 2020
It's been a tough year for everyone, we feel the pain! Like many businesses we normally rely on meeting with our fans at events throughout the year. These are where we spread the word about our children's story books, Victoria's Torton Tales by Hampshire author, Wendy Wakelin.
Not this year!
At events, new and existing fans get to meet Victoria the 134 year old traction engine from Victoria's Torton Tales, and if they're lucky they even get to go for a ride in the trailer behind Victoria, around the event grounds. We know this helps a great deal with selling our story books as when the children come off the trailer ride, they're desperate to have the colourful story books about the adventures of Victoria and her friends.
With no events this year we have lost out on sales, but even more importantly, we've really missed the smiling faces and excitement of the children who get to meet Victoria, in person. It's this face to face interaction that makes everything so worthwhile.
To be able to carry on with the publishing of the existing story books and to plan Wendy's new stories for the series, we needed to at least have good sales for Christmas. Thankfully, Victoria and Wendy's fans have been great, spreading the word on social media and among their friends.
We are thrilled to report that sales for Christmas so far are going well, and this has made all the trauma of the year bearable. There was a point in the middle of the year when Wendy was seriously questioning the future of Victoria's Torton Tales.
Wendy said, "Thank you to all Victoria's fans. We look forward to seeing many of you next year, when we all hope it will be safe to do so. Stay safe!"
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Background...
Bringing Britain’s steam-powered past to life, delighting readers of all ages. Victoria’s Torton Tales tell the stories and adventures of a road-going, steam-powered traction engine, Victoria, and her friends.
Created and written by Hampshire-based children’s author Wendy Wakelin, Victoria’s Torton Tales are proving hits with children between 3 and 9 years old. Focused on Britain’s past, they encourage children’s interest in our country’s history and heritage.
The main character, Victoria, is based on a real traction engine built in 1886, and originally owned by the real-life Mr Seward from Hampshire, UK. Author Wendy Wakelin and her family have owned the real Victoria since 2002 and the first two stories were originally written for Wendy's young children, as they wanted stories about road going steam engines, not railway engines. Victoria makes guest appearances at steam events, delighting fans who come to meet the real Victoria!
With lovable characters, charming settings, themes of friendship, doing your best and helping one another, it’s little wonder these books are proving so popular. Author Wendy said: “I’m delighted parents and grandparents alike have commented their children love these books.”
So far, there are four heart-warming stories:
Victoria’s Busy Day
Victoria the shiny green traction engine loves nothing better than helping with the harvest on Mr Andrews' farm. Enjoying working hard, she gets to have fun too with her good friend Albert, a cheeky engine. A busy, enjoyable day in the sunshine. When Victoria arrives at Mr Andrews' barn to unload her trailer, she gets a big surprise. What could it be?
Pop Comes to Sewards’ Yard
Pop the little traction engine is stranded in a dark, damp barn. He longs to be out working in the sunshine, but his safety valve is broken, and nobody has time to fix him. Victoria persuades her owner, Mr Seward, to look at Pop as see what he can do to help. Will Pop be able to achieve his dream of living and working alongside his friends?
Roser and Tanner, Steam Roller Friends
Best friends Roser and Tanner the steam rollers live with Victoria and the other engines at Sewards' Yard. Today they are very excited to be going on a trip to repair the roads in a neighbouring village. They love to work hard making the roads smooth again. Today Tanner wants to use the scarifier, usually a job for Roser. Will Mr Seward let her try, and will she succeed?
Victoria and the Teddy Bear
Victoria is very excited to be attending the children’s Teddy Bears’ Picnic party, but she doesn’t have a teddy bear of her own to take. She really wants her own teddy bear to make the day perfect and to be her best friend forever. Will Mr and Mrs Seward take Victoria's request seriously? And is there a perfect bear out there looking for a friend?
All four titles in the Victoria’s Torton Tales series are available to purchase from the author’s website, https://victoriastortontales.uk/
For more information about Victoria’s Torton Tales or the author Wendy Wakelin, you can contact the author via email hello@victoriastortontales.uk