A special meeting of the Salts Farm book group in East Guldeford was held on Thursday March 30. Jenny Lee Smith, co-author of the book we read, My Secret Sister by herself and Helen Edwards (who lives in the USA), was present to talk about the process of her story and its publication. Jenny Lee Smith grew up in a happy home in Newcastle. After she met her husband they moved to Kent and three children later they ventured to Florida, USA, returning to England after eight years and now living in Tenterden. Apart from writing this emotional book Jenny became a golf professional, a game she has loved since childhood.
She played for England and Great Britain as an amateur from 1973-1976 and won the inaugural Women’s British Open in 1976, turning professional in 1977. However, her success in later life hid an emotional burden. She found out at 14 years old, in a verbal fight with a cousin, that she was adopted. Her parents had never told her and at that point did not want to talk about the adoption either. So Jenny had to bury this information until much later when the urge to find her biological family became too strong and she started the search for her roots.
Eventually she unearthed an emotional and complex history that united her with biological aunts, cousins and siblings as well as a twin sister which for them both was extraordinary, as neither knew of each other. A friend suggested she write down her story and thus we are able to share her journey.
The book can be ordered from the Rye Bookshop and is also available at the library.
Photo: library image