The decision about where the launch of veteran broadcaster and travel writer Kate Turkington’s latest book, Yes Really!, would take place was a no-brainer – at the Flow Communications offices, of course! After all, she is the fabulous mum of Flow CEO Tara Turkington and MD Tiffany Turkington, and one of Flow’s leading media trainers. And what a launch it was.
Guests began arriving shortly after 4pm on Thursday 10 May and the event room was soon packed to capacity with family, friends and special guests. Kick-starting the launch, MC Gareth Cliff pondered whether Kate was a national treasure or a Unesco World Heritage Site. He spoke with genuine fondness of how much he had learned from her since they first met when he, at the tender age of 20, began producing her 702 Sunday talk show, Believe it or Not.
“It’s a most unpredictable book,” Gareth told the guests, a sentiment that was borne out by Tara and Tiffany (“the third and fourth of Kate’s four children”), who co-wrote a chapter in the book.
Tara describes the book in a tweet as an “extraordinary life story. But then [Mum] is an extraordinary woman, by anyone’s book! #YesReally.”
“Without Mum we would have no juicy stories to tell,” said Tiffany, before jokingly adding that Yes, Really! is an exposition of the family’s “complete skeletons”.
And what juicy skeletons! Love letters from long-ago lovers, a fling with a vicar-to-be and the tale of a magic witches’ potion are just some of the stories readers can look forward to.
THE magic spell given to me at Cerro Cumbre, Witches’ Market, La Paz, Bolivia, 25 years ago. Nobody – except the witch who gave it to me – knows what it’s for. it has remained unopened for 25 years. Read all about it in my book ‘Yes, Really!’
— Kate Turkington (@Turkington) May 12, 2018
@taraturk @GarethCliff #yesreally pic.twitter.com/DnYvUW5Fvv
Kate @Turkington speaks at her book launch on #YesReally to an appreciative crowd of supporters @FlowComms. #Great evening, #bravebook - Buy it today! pic.twitter.com/wdvKg0Ka17
— Mike Thiel (@mikethiel) May 11, 2018
At the launch of @Turkington’s book, #YesReally at @FlowComms. She’s now reading an excerpt. Filthy. Glorious. #books pic.twitter.com/Qxv8sAsBni
— Bruce Dennill (@BroosDennill) May 10, 2018
As the book blurb says, “You’ll laugh. You’ll cry. You will cheer. And you may well be shocked.” But don’t take our word for it, read it for yourself.
