A star is born: Meet Wimbledon's newest children's author
Plus: All of the latest openings in Wimbledon
Good morning Wimblers — I hope that everyone is having a lovely week so far.
First things first, we’ve got a little call-out. Our PRINT EDITION launches in less than three weeks! If any of our readers would like some copies to distribute in your local communities, cafes, book clubs, gym groups, etc., then do get in touch. We’d love your help.
This week we’ve got a great interview with local author Lui Sit, who’s lived in Wimbledon for over 20 years. In May, her debut children’s book Land of the Last Wildcat was awarded Waterstones’ Book of the Month, and I decided it was high time to sit down with her and have a chat about her creative journey.
We’ve also got your usual news snippets, a bunch of new openings, some great recommendations for the week ahead and perhaps our cutest property of the week so far.
Do get in touch if you have any stories you’d like to feature or any news that Wimblers should be aware of: zak@thewimble.com
Happy reading!
News snippets 🗞
✂️ Both gelateria Amorino and premium indoor golf venue the Caddi Club are set to open in Wimbledon Quarter. Amorino, opening later this summer, will take up residence in a spot overlooking The Broadway next to the Costa. The Caddi Club, also opening later this summer, will feature 12 state-of-the-art golf bays powered by TrackMan technology. If golf is not your thing, fear not; the Caddi Club will also have a fully stocked bar as well as a restaurant and sun terrace.
🚝 Last week, the Sight Loss Council and Thameslink joined forces for a Try a Train event at Wimbledon station. The event aimed to help blind and partially sighted people feel confident travelling independently on trains. Local visually impaired residents met with volunteers from the charity and rail transport experts to learn about the station’s layout as well as the assisted travel procedures provided. There will be a second Try a Train event on Thursday 19 June at 10.15am — sign up here.
🚑 A local man who suffered a cardiac arrest last December has visited the ambulance station that saved his life. Conor Clarke was only 19 when he collapsed while shopping last year. His life was saved by both the paramedics who treated him and some fast-acting strangers, including an off-duty nurse who performed CPR and a security guard who used the shopping centre’s defibrillator. Read all about his story here.
👗 Good Housekeeping have released their “what to wear to Wimbledon 2025” list, a comprehensive guide of everything from dresses and hats to blazers and shoes. If any of our readers are heading to the Championships this year and are in need of a little inspiration, check out the full article here.
🚃 What could have been: the forgotten Croydon tram line that would have linked South London to the underground 50 years earlier. Croydon’s tram network opened in 2000, connecting multiple areas of South London to the tube via stations like Wimbledon. But the book London’s Secret Tubes reveals that plans were in place to seamlessly connect the tram to the underground and railway network all the way back in 1950. Find out what could have been here.
Property of the week 🏡
Ok, this is very cute. It might just be the interior design, but I think this is a perfect little two-bedroom town house. The upstairs open-plan reception room is particularly chic. It’s got a front courtyard garden — and it’s only a stone’s throw from Wimbledon Station. For £665,000, it’s hardly one of Wimbledon’s most expensive properties. Check out more photos here.
The Wimble’s to-do list 🎙
🎾 Good Trouble LIVE with Nick Kyrgios: The straight-talking, sharp-shooting Nick Kyrgios burst onto the tennis scene in 2012. Being one of the few players who can boast that they’ve beaten the Big Three — Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Rafael Nadal — at least once, Kyrgios is now bringing his much-loved podcast, Good Trouble, to the stage (and in Wimbledon, no less). Each night, Nick will bring on a famous guest. Past guests include John McEnroe, Matthew McConaughey, Novak Djokovic, Naomi Osaka and Mike Tyson. Tickets are selling fast, so grab yours here.
Where: New Wimbledon Theatre
When: Tuesday 24 June, 7.30pm
🎶 Acoustic live lounge at The Alexandra: It’s time for a bit of live music. Think everything from pared-back acoustic to foot-stomping indie ballads. Grab a pint, cocktail or a glass of wine, and relax whilst The Alexandra treats you to a night of classic tunes.
Where: The Alexandra
When: Saturday 14 June, 7pm onwards
🥂 Gourmet crisp tasting challenge with sparkling wines: This is a wine tasting with a twist: test your palette with some of Jeroboam’s (rather fancy) crisps while sipping on some sparkling wines from around the world. Whoever gets the most crisp flavours right wins a bottle of Nyetimber rosé. Tickets are £30 per person.
Where: Jeroboams, Wimbledon Village
When: Friday 20 June, 6pm
🎙 King’s Arts 2025: In Conversation with Alan Carr: I still remember Alan Carr: Chatty Man from when I was a child. (Though it did only end in 2017.) Simpler times. Now the talk show legend and comedian is coming to Wimbledon to talk about his life, career and creativity at King’s College School. Bring a copy of one of his books if you want it signed. Tickets are £30 per person.
Where: King’s College School, King’s Festival Marquee
When: Monday 30 June, 7.30pm
🥕 Wimbledon Village Farmers’ Market: This needs no introduction. The farmers’ market is an essential weekend activity. In fact, last Sunday I was in desperate need of courgettes (not a sentence I thought I’d ever write) after I found my local Sainsbury’s lacking — a situation where the farmers’ market could’ve saved me.
Where: Wimbledon Village
When: Sunday 15 June
Eight years in the making: How local children’s author Lui Sit came to write Land of the Last Wildcat 🌴
Lui Sit was born in Hong Kong before her family emigrated to Australia. But 20 years ago, she found herself moving to London. Since then her career has flourished. Last week, we sat down to talk about both of her new books — Land of the Last Wildcat and The Lucky House Detective Agency — as well as her success as an author of adult fiction, her time in Wimbledon, and the importance of writing for kids.
The Wimble: How does it feel to receive Waterstones’ Book of the Month immediately after publication?
Lui Sit: It’s incredible. Waterstones chooses 12 books every year, and it’s a huge selection process. I found out a month before the book came out, but I wasn’t allowed to say anything. It was a double-whammy to have this published and for Waterstones to celebrate it like that. I couldn’t have asked for more.
Talk to me about Land of the Last Wildcat. What was the impetus for writing the book? What were your inspirations?
The impetus for writing the book is a real cliché. I have been writing all my life, and I’d always wanted to write a book, but I never took it seriously. I was a bit scared. But then certain things transpired in my life, and I thought: If I were lying on my deathbed, what would I regret not having done? And I realised I’d regret not having tried to write a book. My daughter was really young at the time that this character just popped into my head. Originally, the book was about my own concept of mother-daughter relationships and what it means to be a latchkey kid. I was a latchkey kid, and so I had loads of freedom as a child — even if I didn’t necessarily want it. I wanted to write about a character who was in a similar situation.
But there’s more to the book than that. There’s a big theme of environmental protection; the idea that just because we can research and explore somewhere, it doesn’t always mean that we should. I used to work as an environmental campaigner when I was younger, so I think I took a bit of inspiration from there.
You also write short stories and adult fiction. What is it like writing for different age ranges?
I think children are more unforgiving than adults [laughs]. If you don’t grab a child’s attention early on, they’ll put that book down. And that makes the discipline of writing for children pretty hard; you have to pack a lot in during those first three chapters. In a way, it’s not dissimilar to writing an adult thriller when it comes to pacing.
It’s funny, because it was adult literature that enabled me to write the children’s book. I kept restarting in the first two or three years that I was writing Land of the Last Wildcat. It was so frustrating. I just wanted to finish something. Then this short story called “Birdsong” just poured out of me, and it won an award and was published by Superlative literary journal. I realised I needed a space like short fiction to explore my other ideas. I knew that I couldn’t focus solely on one children’s book for eight years — I’d have never finished it. Writing adult fiction sort of allowed me to finish my children’s book.
But what made you want to write children’s fiction in the first instance?
I think the books that I read when I was little affected me greatly. I still have them now, and I take them everywhere with me. At that age — 7 to 11 years old — you’re very much forming as a person. The books that you read impact everything from the way that you see the world to your morals and how you respond to situations. You’re really malleable at that point in your life. And I think that’s why I write children’s books: because of how formative they can be.
You published your first book in May and your second book in June. How did you manage to release both in quick succession?
The process for writing The Lucky House Detective Agency was a little different. I actually wrote my second book with Storymix. Storymix is a fiction production company started by this amazing woman called Jasmine Richards. Jasmine has been in the publishing industry for over 20 years. She started Storymix after taking her children to a bookshop and noticing that very few books had characters with children who looked like her own. The way it works is that they develop the ideas for the book and then they find an author and an illustrator to complete the first three chapters. They then take those chapters and pitch them to publishing houses. If a publishing house says yes, then the author is paid to write the rest of the book.
The Lucky House Detective Agency features a British-Chinese boy called Felix, who is an immigrant from Hong Kong. I think part of the reason I was asked to write the book is because I had a similar experience to Felix. I was born in Hong Kong and emigrated to Australia when I was a child. My mum worked in Chinese restaurants in Australia, and so I have an affinity with the main character.
How has the Wimbledon community responded to your books?
My local friends have been amazing, but it’s early days. I’m just hoping that the wider Wimbledon community embraces the books too.
And finally, what’s next for Lui Sit?
Oh, gosh. Well, I’m writing book two of Land of the Last Wildcat, which should be out next year. My debut book has also been selected for this year’s Summer Reading Challenge, which starts on 21 June. It’s a national scheme that encourages children to read by having them sign up at their local library, setting their own goals and reading books of their choice over the summer. There are a few things I’m doing that I can’t talk about yet! But I will be doing loads of talks at schools and festivals in the coming year.
Grab a copy of Lui’s book for your children here and be sure to check out her Instagram for upcoming talks and readings.
Question of the week 🔍
Last week, I asked you what name was given to Wimbledon FC players in the 1980s and 90s. The answer: the Crazy Gang.
Q: Who was the first MP for Wimbledon?
You’re up to date 👋
I hope you enjoyed reading this week’s edition. If you see either of Lui’s new books in Waterstones or other shops, do grab a copy. Get in touch if you have any stories or features you’d like to share. Other than that, have a great week and we’ll see you next time.