Norfolk


<p>Sunday Times bestselling author <a href="https://sallypage.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sally Page</a> knows a thing or two about capturing the joy in everyday life &#8211; it’s no wonder she’s sold over a million copies in the UK and been translated into 30 languages. Her latest novel, <strong><em>Six Little Words</em></strong>, set on our very own North Norfolk coastline, is no exception.</p>



<p>To give you a flavour of the book, I asked Sally to describe it in six little words (naturally). She shared some of the words her fans on Instagram had used: uplifting, memorable, funny, joyful, beautiful, hopeful, heartwarming, creative, kind, community-focused, friendly, loving, inspiring, life-affirming &#8211; and really, it’s all of them and so much more.</p>



<p>We had a lovely chat about the book and wandered off into glorious tangents: the perfect pen (Sally has her own <a href="https://sallypage.com/plooms-fountain-pens/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">line of fountain pens</a>), the ideal desk setup, coffee warmers, writing in Wetherspoons, and the world of publishing. At one point, Sally was even interviewing me about remote working for her next book &#8211; some of my weird quips may well make it in, so watch this space. But the real focus of our talk was <em>Six Little Words </em>and Norfolk &#8211; over to you, Sally.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1200" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/norfolk/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2026/03/023767-ap50-1.jpg" alt="author Sally Page" class="wp-image-77601" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/norfolk/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2026/03/023767-ap50-1.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/norfolk/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2026/03/023767-ap50-1-667x800.jpg 667w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/norfolk/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2026/03/023767-ap50-1-833x1000.jpg 833w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/norfolk/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2026/03/023767-ap50-1-768x922.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-your-latest-book-six-little-words-is-set-in-north-norfolk-what-drew-you-to-this-area">Your latest book,<em> Six Little Words</em>, is set in North Norfolk &#8211; what drew you to this area?</h3>



<p>This is the first book where place has really mattered to me, and I thought if it’s going to be anywhere, it has to be North Norfolk. I came here a little as a child, and my brother &#8211; like my late father &#8211; is a very keen birdwatcher, so I’ve spent time here over the years. In fact, I was out at <a href="https://www.norfolkwildlifetrust.org.uk/VisitorCentres/cley-and-salthouse-marshes-visitor-centre" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cley Marshes Nature Reserve</a> just yesterday with my binoculars!</p>



<p>There’s something about the space here. You look out and feel completely insignificant in the best possible way &#8211; it’s incredibly calming. Then you turn around and there are these beautiful villages that feel so comforting. It’s that balance of being away from everything, but still connected.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-and-the-setting-really-weaves-into-the-story">And the setting really weaves into the story…</h3>



<p>Yes, completely. The birdlife became a thread running through the book &#8211; that idea of: are you a home bird, a migrant, or just passing through? Using my brother’s knowledge, that theme of belonging sits quietly underneath it all.</p>



<p>I don’t name specific places because I do take a few liberties &#8211; I might move a house or tweak a layout &#8211; but I think readers will recognise Wells and Salthouse. I just hope I’ve stayed true to the spirit of the place.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-don-t-worry-you-have-did-you-spend-a-lot-of-time-here-while-writing-six-little-words">Don&#8217;t worry, you have! Did you spend a lot of time here while writing <em>Six Little Words</em>?</h3>



<p>I did &#8211; I rented a house in Wells with the most incredible view over the creek. I’d sit there writing, watching the tides come in and out. I’m fascinated by how the whole landscape transforms.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-does-a-typical-writing-day-look-like-for-you">What does a typical writing day look like for you?</h3>



<p>If I’m in writing mode, I aim for about 2,000 words a day. I’m definitely a morning person &#8211; I’ll start first thing. I touch type, but I always have a notebook beside me for those ideas that pop up mid-sentence. But by about 3 or 4pm, I’m done &#8211; that’s when I say all I’m good for is colouring in!</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-your-daughter-nbsp-libby-page-is-also-a-novelist-do-you-compare-notes">Your daughter,&nbsp;Libby Page, is also a novelist &#8211; do you compare notes?</h3>



<p>We do, but carefully! I&#8217;m her mum at the end of the day, not her editor &#8211; which is fair. Early on I read everything she wrote and probably made a few too many “mum suggestions”. Now we’re just very supportive of each other.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-that-s-lovely-to-hear-you-came-to-fiction-later-in-life-how-did-that-happen">That&#8217;s lovely to hear, you came to fiction later in life &#8211; how did that happen?</h3>



<p>My first novel of fiction came out when I was 60. Before that I’d written a series of non-fiction books about flower shops &#8211; I used to work in one &#8211; and I’d very much pigeonholed myself as a more “journalistic” writer. Then one day I woke up with an idea for a story and just thought, I want to write this.</p>



<p>It took time &#8211;  I wrote five books before getting an agent &#8211; but nothing is wasted. In fact, the very first novel I ever wrote is finally coming out this September, ten years on. It’s a cosy crime called <em>Curious Ending</em>. So my advice is always: just keep going.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-your-debut-nbsp-the-keeper-of-stories-was-a-huge-success">Your debut,&nbsp;<em>The Keeper of Stories</em>, was a huge success…</h3>



<p>It really was &#8211; over 800,000 copies now and translated into 30 languages, which is incredible. And it grew through word of mouth, which feels very special. It just shows &#8211; sometimes all it takes is one person to say, “I think this is interesting.”</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-where-do-you-get-your-inspiration-from">Where do you get your inspiration from?</h3>



<p>People. Always people. I’m constantly collecting stories &#8211; little snippets, conversations, things you overhear. In <em>The Keeper of Stories</em>, almost all the stories the main character collects are based on real ones. </p>



<p>Sometimes it’s just through talking with my friends. A friend once told me about visiting her dad, who sadly has dementia, in a home &#8211; she clocked all the grab rails in the room and said; “You could do ballet in here,” and he replied; “I don’t do ballet… do I?” It’s those little, human moments &#8211; funny, sad, unexpected &#8211; that stay with you which will often make it into my books (with permission, of course).</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-was-it-the-same-for-six-little-words">Was it the same for <em>Six Little Words</em>?</h3>



<p>It started during lockdown when a friend mentioned the King Lear Prize &#8211; a creative competition inspired by Shakespeare, who wrote<em> King Lear</em> and <em>Antony and Cleopatra</em> during the plague. The idea was to get people making something while stuck at home… though you had to be over 80, so I couldn’t enter!</p>



<p>It got me thinking about why we stop ourselves being creative, and that became the heart of the story: a community group supporting each other to enter a prize, exploring creativity for its own sake. It’s not the King Lear Prize, but the recurring “six little words” are a nod to Shakespeare, tying back to that spark.</p>



<p>From there came the place, North Norfolk, and though friendship and community are a huge part of the book, so too is this later life love story. It was actually the first time I wrote from a male point of view, as well as female, which I found really intriguing. </p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-was-this-exploration-into-creativity-important-to-you">Why was this exploration into creativity important to you?</h3>



<p>I’m fascinated by why we stop ourselves being creative. Why do we put it at the bottom of the list? Why do we think we have to be good straight away?</p>



<p>So many people say, “I tried once and I wasn’t very good, so I stopped.” That really stayed with me.</p>



<p>Creativity should be for joy &#8211; not just for outcome &#8211; and I think we forget that.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-do-you-ever-struggle-with-that-yourself">Do you ever struggle with that yourself?</h3>



<p>Yes &#8211; with <a href="https://sallypage.com/paintings/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">painting</a>. Writing comes very naturally to me, but painting doesn’t, and I find it much harder to make myself do it. Which is ironic, because that’s exactly what I write about &#8211; giving yourself permission to be creative without needing it to be perfect.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-are-you-reading-at-the-moment">What are you reading at the moment?</h3>



<p>I’ve just started&nbsp;<em>The Invitation</em>&nbsp;by&nbsp;Veronica Henry&nbsp;&#8211; I met her recently and she was absolutely lovely. I have a few comfort books that I&#8217;ll re-read sometimes &#8211; Agatha Christie, I love Sarah Winman&#8217;s books. My mother had every Georgette Heyer book going which I have now inherited. </p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-is-there-a-book-you-wish-you-d-written">Is there a book you wish you’d written?</h3>



<p><em>Broken Country</em>&nbsp;by&nbsp;Clare Leslie Hall. It’s absolutely beautiful. I actually met Clare a few years ago on a train &#8211; we spent the whole journey talking about books. At the time, her manuscript wasn’t getting much traction, and her agent had said it probably wouldn’t go anywhere. Fast forward a few years, she changed agent, and now <em>Broken Country</em> is a huge success. </p>



<p>I asked her what her first agent thought after seeing the book she passed up become this humongous bestseller. Her agent was actually Felicity Blunt &#8211; Emily Blunt&#8217;s sister &#8211; who is married to Stanley Tucci. They are still quite friendly actually, I  asked how on earth you avoid asking about him when you go to lunch… apparently, you don’t need to &#8211; Felicity talks about him all the time!</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-i-would-too-if-tucci-was-my-husband-and-finally-any-favourite-norfolk-spots-to-share">I would too if Tucci was my husband! And finally &#8211; any favourite Norfolk spots to share?</h3>



<p>Loads! I love <a href="https://www.holkham.co.uk/visit/things-to-do/eat-stay-shop/places-to-stay/the-victoria/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Victoria at Holkham </a>it&#8217;s just gorgeous, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/wellsbeachcafe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wells Beach Café</a> is lovely, <a href="https://cleywindmill.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cley Windmill</a> &#8211; I had my book launch there and it is such a special place. I spent quite a bit of time writing at the visitor centre at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.norfolkwildlifetrust.org.uk/VisitorCentres/cley-and-salthouse-marshes-visitor-centre" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cley Marshes Nature Reserve</a>&nbsp;&#8211; the views are incredible. Recently I discovered a wine shop in Walsingham &#8211; <a href="https://www.vinedme.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">VinedMe</a> &#8211; run by such a lovely couple. We stumbled in one evening in the middle of a tasting and they could not have been friendlier so I&#8217;ll definitely go back there next time I&#8217;m in Norfolk.</p>



<p>I’d definitely recommend hiring bikes. I&#8217;m not a cyclist but my partner is so we hired bikes from Wells and cycled to Holkham and round the estate. It’s such a lovely way to see the landscape &#8211; plus Norfolk is the place if you don&#8217;t want to tackle too many hills!</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1532" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/norfolk/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2026/03/6lil-words.jpg" alt="cover of Six Little Words by Sally Page" class="wp-image-77599" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/norfolk/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2026/03/6lil-words.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/norfolk/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2026/03/6lil-words-522x800.jpg 522w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/norfolk/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2026/03/6lil-words-653x1000.jpg 653w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/norfolk/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2026/03/6lil-words-768x1177.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p><strong><em>Six Little Words </em>is out now, if you would like to nab a copy of this or <a href="https://sallypage.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">any of Sally&#8217;s</a> books they are available <a href="https://www.holtbookshop.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a></strong>.</p>



<p><em>Words Claire Hool</em></p>


Six little words and a whole lotta heart: Muddy meets best-selling author Sally Page on her new Norfolk-set novel

You may also like