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Yes, moving to Stoke-on-Trent in the year 2000 was one of the best things that ever happened to me.
And no, I do not come from Afghanistan or Romania or Somalia. I was actually born in Berlin, Germany.

Petra Cox

When we settled down in the area, so many locals asked me: ‘Why on earth did you come to live here?’ – like no one would ever come to live here voluntarily.
Well, even after nearly eight years now, I do not regret having done so.

When I came to live in Britain for the first time at the end of the eighties, it happened to be in Edinburgh, Scotland. That was then, according to national listings, the most desirable place to be in the UK.
Certainly it was quite a change when we came to live in Stoke twelve years later. We happened to pick what is now one of the most undesirable places to be in Great Britain – according to national listings.

Low self esteem

Frequently I am confronted with so much low local self esteem when talking with people from, in and around the Potteries.
Why I do not know: is it because of national listings, experiences or simply traditions? It made me wonder.

So I had a little think and I started looking around at the scenery, the people, their habits and behaviours.

I think it is about time someone told you different.
You do and say a lot of curious things but, having had a chance to look beyond and compare, simply being here has added greatly to my life.Ìý

I suppose that is why I chose the design for the cover of the book as I did - it is aÌý design of a pretzel biscuit (which looks so much like the Stafford Knot), in the colours of both the British and German flags.

The story of the book

Every book has a story of its own. This one began soon after we started going to Holy Trinity Church in Meir, Stoke-on-Trent.
My friend and fellow writer, Joan-Ann Grindley, came up to me and asked me for contributions to the church magazine.Ìý Her request fell on fertile ground. Ever since I was a teenager, I had loved writing and I have always been very observant.
Suddenly I had a platform – albeit a small one – from which to launch my observations.

Here was I, tying myself into knots over why Staffordshire folk honour the pretzel as their mascot (or is it a Knot??), why they do not serve Chinese food at the China Garden, or why local ‘ducks’ do not necessarily fly!
The readers took notice of my light hearted, often tongue-in-cheek view of social niceties of the area, enjoyed and encouraged me to write more.

There came the point when I started looking for a greater audience.
I sorted all my short stories into chapters on the folks, the lingo, snappin’, goin’ deen, shoppin’, at the quack’s etc., added plenty more and went on a quest to find a local publisher for a local book. This was easier said than done, of course.

The old cliché ‘Never give up!’ comes to mind. Eventually, I found one in Leek and my book of short stories, some humorous, some a little more serious, was finally put into print.

With this book let me try and boost your self esteem a little.
You could also think of it as a reference for visitors to the area wishing to understand local behaviour, and also for local inhabitants wishing to have an insight into how a foreigner sees them...

If that does not work, let me at least amuse you.
This is how I see you...

Petra I. Cox

If you wish to e-mail me, please do so at: pi.cox@tiscali.o.uk

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Why Knot Staffordshire is published by Three Counties Publishing (Books) Ltd, P.O. Box 435, Leek, Staffordshire, ST13 5TB. Tel: 01538 380910. ISBN 0-9544080-0-4.