G E Woodage

I was born in Portsmouth, England, on the 2nd of May, 1955, to Alan and Dorothy Woodage. My early years were typical in some ways yet profoundly set apart in others. Soon after my birth, we moved to the quaint village of Stubbington, where redbrick houses and lush green meadows framed my childhood. Here, I would navigate a world steeped in adventure, though my internal struggles often felt like a shadow looming over me.

From the age of five, I found myself grappling with reading and writing at Stubbington Infants School. While other children formed words with ease and painted pictures with the flick of a crayon, I stood at the edge of their joy, clumsy and confused. Teachers, well-meaning but ill-informed, would write me off as "backward." In the 1960s, there was no understanding of dyslexia—just the harsh labels of disappointment and failure that echoed in my ears.

As I transitioned to Stubbington Junior School and later to Bishopsfield Boys School in Fareham, my esteem dwindled, while my fascination with the world of mythology grew. British and Celtic myths captured my imagination, stories woven with magic and moral lessons that spoke louder than the jumbled letters on my school books. I would often daydream, lost in enchanted realms, where heroes triumphed against the odds and the power of wisdom shone brighter than the sun.

It was one birthday, one of those rare moments of serendipity when everything fell into place, that lent me my first lifeline. I unwrapped a gift to find “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.” The enchanting pages opened up new worlds for me—a kingdom beyond the wardrobe’s door, where adventure awaited and friendships formed in the most unexpected places. I devoured the entire Chronicles of Narnia, each book a stepping stone across the river of my own limitation. I may not have read easily, but I read with hunger.

Each adventure nurtured my confidence. The characters who faced darkness and emerged triumphant inspired me. I began to write—stories laced with the same magic I found in Lewis's works. Though my writing was rudimentary and my spelling often atrocious, I poured my dreams onto the pages, seeking my own glimmers of light amidst the tangled web of words.

After my schooling, I found a sense of purpose in the world of nursing. I attended St. Mary’s College in Southampton, diving into the responsibilities that came with caring for others. I worked as a dedicated nurse for most of my working life, yet I never shook the desire to weave tales that echoed the excitement I had experienced as a child—with honest, heartfelt reflections on those who cared for others.

It was only after I retired that my wife, Linda, lovingly urged me to pursue my passion for storytelling once more. “Write it,” she said. "You have the gift, The encouragement sparked a dormant ember within me, and suddenly, the decades of yearning transformed into a tangible goal.

With trepidation, I put pen to paper and began the Chronicles of Dingly Dell. Hours turned into days as the pages filled with wonder, adventure, and the camaraderie of new friends. In September 2024, I published “The Secret of Dingly Dell.” It resonated with those who had faced their own struggles, experienced the shades of childhood insecurity, and found courage through enchantment. The success of the book was exhilarating, the joy of seeing my stories come to life was unlike anything I had ever known.

Following swiftly, the second book, “Elf Child,” was released in October of the same year. The acclaim was stunning. I found myself likened to C.S. Lewis—the very author who had first sparked the fluttering hope in my heart that words could create magic. Being heralded as the “C.S. Lewis of the 21st century” was indeed a great honor, a testament not just to my storytelling, but to the journey I had traversed, from the lost boy fumbling through letters to the confident dreamer crafting worlds of wonder.

In sharing my journey, I intend to reach out to those who think themselves limited, to assure them that within each struggle lies the potential for greatness. After all, every story is a hero’s journey, filled with trials but also captivating realms of imagination. My story is merely a testament that the magic lies within us all, waiting to be discovered at the end of the wardrobe.