Patrick J. Stoner

My guest today is Patrick J Stoner. Yes, you may notice a coincidence of names: he is the other writer in the family. After a mere nine and a half years he now feels ready to publish the first in his epic series The Jabberwock Enigma. What has he been doing for all that time? You may well ask. In truth Enigma is just the first in what is to be a series of some ten books, collectively known as The Jabberwock Continuum.

Patrick: I haven’t been idle! Books two and three, The Vorpal Sword Revelation and The Manxome Foe Communication, are already written and ready to publish: they’ll be coming out in July and December of next year. Going forward, The Slithy Toves Equation, The Frumious Bandersnatch Alternative and The Tulgey Wood Conjecture are written and will be released at regular intervals.

This should give me a chance to complete books seven and eight, The Borogroves Paradox and The Beamish Boy Factor, and to write books nine and ten, The Jubjub Bird Conundrum and The Jabberwock Resolution.

Paw Prints: I seem to detect a pattern here. Is the series anything to do with Alice in Wonderland, by any chance?

Patrick: It has everything to do with it! It started as an authorial joke: I gave my characters names based on Lewis Carroll’s books. For example, my main character’s real name is Caeil, though he is initially called Jack. Caeil is an anagram of Alice. Then there is Rufus Koenig (the red king), Bianca Kaninchen (white rabbit: kaninchen is German for rabbit) and Reia Corazon, the Queen of Hearts. But then a friend suggested that I could make the Alice books central to the storyline, which is what I have done.

Paw Prints: So, can you give me a rough idea of what the series is about?

Patrick: First of all, I should warn you that it is hard-core science fiction: it’s not Star Trek or Star Wars. There are no visible lasers or ships making noises in the vacuum of space. If you want a descriptive line, it would be “Through the Retroverse, and what Jack found there.” The Retroverse is my personal solution to the conundrum of faster than light travel: lots of science-y stuff, but it may not stand up to hard scrutiny! The series is about the age-old battle between good and evil, but of course who is good and who is evil depends entirely on your perspective.

The point about the Alice books is that they don’t exist! At least, not in the universe where Jack lives. It will become clear that there are many different planes, or universes, (not an original concept, I know), created for their own amusement by a non-corporeal multi-entity called The Scribes. Each plane has a significant literary figure missing: in Jack’s world, Charles Dodgson died three days after he was born, and so never wrote the Alice books or The Hunting of the Snark under the pen name Lewis Carroll. Things get complicated when we find out that Jack has copies of these non-existent books.

Paw Prints: You’re certainly a writer – are you also a reader? And what books have been significant for you?

Patrick: I’ve been reading ever since I can remember. My passion is science-fiction. Real science-fiction is more of a super-genre: within it you will find murder mysteries, love stories, westerns, war stories and any other genre you can name. But science-fiction has never really altered my life. The first book to do so was written by an American communist called John Steinbeck. I first read The Grapes of Wrath during one of my many punishment sessions in the library while at school (I know. The library was considered punishment?) The term ‘I got blown away’ is lazy writing, but it applies in this case.

At school we read the English classics. Dickens (yech), Shakespeare, of course, Shaw (okay, he was Irish) and Wordsworth. But there were great British authors from the past available. Swift’s cutting satire in Gulliver’s Travels was up there with That Was the Week That Was; Orwell was brilliant, although I never did finish The Road to Wigan Pier. At the time, the message of Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World was unclear; it has undoubtedly become clear now in the current wave of political lunacy.

I turned to the American writers. Kerouac was my hero at 17. Naturally, I read Catcher in the Rye – it was a legal requirement in the 60s – but I didn’t like Franny and Zooey.

Later, I went back to the British authors and discovered Terry Pratchett. His books are usually found on the science-fiction shelves, but they shouldn’t be. This is satire to a level that pushes Swift into second place.

Looking back over damn near seventy years of having my nose buried in a book, I realise that most of the writers that have influenced me are socialists. I like much of what they say, and I think that a caring and responsible society is good. But what they suggested was socialism, not communism. George Orwell wrote Animal Farm, arguably the greatest condemnation of communism ever put on paper. And yet, Orwell remained a socialist.

Perhaps the bit that the books don’t teach us, is that to have a truly socialist society costs money, and the only way to generate money is through capitalism. Once that idea takes hold, maybe we can all achieve what we want.

Paw Prints: I know from years of closed doors and cries (largely ignored) of ‘More coffee!’ that you are a dedicated writer. So, what do you do for fun?

Patrick. Walking the dog, playing with the dog, telling the dog to go away, I’m busy – dogs take up a lot of your time.

Also, I am a total petrol head. I love cars, and Land Rovers in particular. I have had seven, and they all leaked.

Paw Prints: Finally, what advice would you give to your younger self, or to an aspiring young writer?

Patrick: Write. And then write some more. I abandoned story after story when I was younger. What I didn’t know was that to ‘write’ you have to keep going. You can come back later to get that perfect opening line.

Paw Prints. Thank you, Patrick. The Jabberwock Enigma by Patrick J. Stoner is available as an e-book from Amazon, and is free this weekend (November 27-28).

My second visitor in Indie Author Week UK is Stefanie Nici, author of ‘The Smoke Tree’. Philadelphia-born Stefanie is a big supporter of the Indie community, featuring live interviews with authors on her YouTube channel. She says: “I enjoy the freedoms of self-publishing. It is more work for the author than traditional, but you are your own boss.”

For Stefanie, writing a book has been a lifelong dream. Once she learned about self-publishing, that dream became reality. In 2018 she began working on a story she felt readers could laugh, cry and relate to. In 2019 she released The Smoke Tree.

I invited Stefanie to introduce herself and asked her a few questions about her writing experiences.

“Hello! My name is Stefanie Nici and I write women’s contemporary fiction. When I wrote The Smoke Tree, my debut novel, I had a desire to write a character who lived life with blinders on, because I feel so many of us do. But for the main character named Tora, that all changes when her husband has an accident that lands him in the hospital.”

You have written a sequel to The Smoke Tree, but your latest book has new characters. Tell us a bit about it.

“The Smoke Tree Broken Branches, is the stand-alone sequel which has Tora on the road to happiness. But that road is long and bumpy, especially when she is dragging along a load of baggage. The new characters live in the three-story apartment building that Tora has recently moved into. Some of the new people she meets bring changes to her life in different ways. The funny thing is, I hadn’t planned on writing a sequel. I was thrilled to do so after learning the first book was well-received by the readers, who were truly interested in the future of this particular character.”

You say on your author page that writing a book has been ‘a lifelong dream.’ What got you started? Did you write as a child?

“As an only child, I lived life inside of my own head. We also lived in a secluded area away from other children, so my dolls were my friends. I created stories and dialogue before I learned how to write. Once I learned how to spell, which was pretty early on, writing down the stories seemed natural.”

An important character in The Smoke Tree is Peanut the Yorkshire terrier. Do you have a pet?

“In the story, Peanut is responsible for changing Tora’s life for the better. Funny how something so small can be so big. I do not have a pet right now. We lost our beloved Great Dane, Katana, in 2017. We were lucky, she lived longer than expected for such a large breed.”

And of course, there’s the Smoke Tree itself. Can you tell us a bit about it?

“The Smoke Tree is an actual tree, and I have two planted in my front yard. If you notice, the tiny clusters of flowers look like puffs of smoke. It is a deceiving, tricky tree from which my books are based. Because … life is not always how we see it.”

Do you write full time now, or if not what do you do when not writing?

I do write full time. My life revolves around it. When I am not writing or in need of a break to clear my head, I exercise; I clean; I prepare meals; ride my bike around the lake. Things like that.

Are you a great reader? Do you have a favourite author and does he/she inspire you?

I read a lot. I am inspired by Anne Rivers Siddons, who I happen to share a birthday with, and Neil Gaiman. His videos on writing truly inspire me, as do Stephen King’s.

Do you have a pet peeve, something that really annoys you when you read it?

The over use of ‘he said/ she said’ kind of drives me up the wall. Too much description is another.

If you had to recommend one book written this century, what would it be, and why?

Wow, that is a tough one. I read according to mood. This year I did enjoy Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, by Gail Honeyman. Also, The Five People You Meet in Heaven, by Mitch Albom. And last but not least, my most recent read, Neverwhere, by Neil Gaiman. The right stories at the right time.

Links

Website: https://www.facebook.com/stefanienici/

Twitter www.twitter.com/nicistefanie

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/stefanieniciwriter

Amazon author page https://smile.amazon.co.uk/Stefanie-Nici/e/B081S3WBPY/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

Review: The Smoke Tree

There is life after a lying, cheating husband. That’s the message of Stefani Nici’s optimistic and ultimately joyous novel, ‘The Smoke Tree’. After a devastating encounter, Tora is an overweight, self-pitying mess. Her so-called friends are no help at all, in fact they turn their backs on her, but with the help of her sister and a tiny Yorkie called Peanut Tora becomes the woman she was always meant to be. For anyone feeling beset by life’s ills, this is a real feel-good pick-me-up.

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To celebrate the start of Indie Author Week UK, my guest is award-winning British writer Allie Cresswell, whose new novel, The Lady in the Veil, is published today. Congratulations, Allie!

Allie has been writing, she says, ‘since I could hold a pencil.’ It wasn’t necessarily an auspicious beginning: ‘I had the difference between fiction and lies forcefully impressed upon me, after penning a long and entirely spurious account of my grandfather’s death and funeral,’ she says.

‘I think he died very soon after I was born; certainly I have no memory of him and definitely did not attend his funeral, but I got right into the details, making them up as I went along (I decided he had been a Vicar, which I spelled ‘Vice’).

‘The teacher had permitted it as being good therapy for bereavement whereas in fact it was only a good excuse to get out of learning my multiplication tables (something I have never achieved).’

Allie might be deficient in multiplication, but writing was always going to be her thing – eventually. ‘A BA in English and Drama at Birmingham University was followed by an MA in English at Queen Mary College,’ she explains, ‘but marriage and motherhood put my writing career on hold for some years until 1992 when I began work on Game Show.’

She is now the author of some twelve novels, including The Talbot Saga, a series of three books, so far, in which The Lady in the Veil sits between The House in the Hollow and Tall Chimneys. My review follows.

In her varied career, Allie Cresswell has been a print buyer, a pub landlady and a bookkeeper, and has run a B & B and a group of boutique holiday cottages. Married to Tim, she has two grown-up children, two granddaughters and two grandsons and lives in Cumbria. Nowadays Allie writes full-time, having retired from teaching literature to lifelong learners.

Links

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alliescribbler

Twitter: @alliescribbler

Website: https://allie-cresswell.com/

Author page https://www.amazon.co.uk/Allie-Cresswell/e/B00J7OIC0K%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share

Review: The Lady in the Veil

https://smile.amazon.co.uk/Lady-Veil-Talbot-Saga-ebook/dp/B096Y9S938/

Is she girl or woman? Is she massively disfigured or stunningly beautiful? Is she the shameful evidence of a licentious past? When Georgina is sent by her mother from a rural backwater to stay with her cousin George Talbot in London, she sets very tongue wagging. Who is this mysterious creature who is never seen without a thick veil covering her face?

Allie Cresswell’s new novel has a mystery at its heart, but it is also a fascinating depiction of Georgian society as the 1835 Season gets under way, seen through the eyes of a very unwilling participant. The story is by turns enchanting, evocative and hugely intriguing, but the author handles the mystery with a remarkably sure touch. One secret is uncovered just as the suspense was about to become unbearable, but the big reveal, at the very end of the book, will leave you gasping with surprise.

The Lady in the Veil is the second novel in The Talbot Saga. It follows The House in the Hollow and precedes Tall Chimneys, but can be read as a very satisfying stand-alone. However, it has certainly inspired me to read the other books in the saga.

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A Heart-warming ‘Tail’ for Christmas

Forgive the use of the ‘C’ word, but Christmas is just around the corner. If there’s a young person in your family who is just wild about dogs, here is a touching and insightful little book that will make the perfect Christmas present.

Carol dropped in for a chat, and told me all about her new book about Little Pup.

Thank you for having me on your blog Patricia, as I celebrate the release of my latest children’s book, ‘Being a Friend at Christmas’.

This is the second in my Little Pup series of books, but each can be read and enjoyed as a stand-alone story. In this book, Little Pup is looking forward to his first Christmas in his new home, but he also remembers the dogs he left behind in the shelter and wants them to have a happy Christmas too. Little Pup has an idea, but he needs Father Christmas’ help to make his wish come true.

It was a lot of fun to write and illustrate – a job not always made easy by my four-year-old Labrador who thinks he’s a lap dog. Aimed at under 7s, the text is purposely rhythmic and rhyming so that it will appeal to its young audience, who can join in and anticipate words and phrases. The pictures are bright and colourful. Having had Labradors in my life for the past twenty years, I enjoyed capturing the Little Pup’s thoughts and feelings in his posture and expressions.

As well as being an enjoyable Christmas story, the book also carries a message of thinking about others—something important all year round, but especially at Christmas. Little Pup’s actions in the story lend themselves to a conversation about what we can do to help others. At the end of the story, readers are asked to make their own Christmas wish.

As a teacher and a mum of four, I think developing a love of books from an early age is important. I also think children are good at grasping concepts, such as empathy, kindness and generosity, from the books they read.

The first Little Pup book, ‘Finding a Friend’, was about Little Pup being in a shelter, hoping to find his forever family. I am very proud of the fact that this book was picked up and used in school visits by PAWS dog shelter in Paphos, Cyprus, to raise awareness of dogs in shelters. They hoped that by educating the children, they could make a change for the future. And, of course, I am aware that we have many dogs, and other animals, awaiting homes in this country too.

As ‘Being a Friend at Christmas’ spreads some Christmas joy, I hope it will spread a little awareness too. It’s been described as the perfect gift for all young dog lovers!

View the book trailer: https://youtu.be/q8Yhj7AfwPE

Purchase link: http://getbook.at/BAFAmazon

Also by Carol Thomas:

‘Finding a Friend’ (while this is the first in the Little Pup series of books, each can be read as a stand-alone story).

When Little Pup finds himself at the shelter,

He doesn’t know quite what to do.

Big dogs all around, feeling lost and alone,

Little Pup needs a friend… but who?

“A delightfully written and wonderfully illustrated picture book, with a heart warming ‘tail’ of friendship.” M. Kidman, Early Years Practitioner.

Purchase link: http://getbook.at/FAFAmazon

About the author:

Carol Thomas lives on the south coast of England with her husband, four children, guinea pig, two hamsters and lively Labrador. She has been a playgroup supervisor and has taught in primary schools for just over twenty years – but we don’t mention that as it makes her feel old!

Carol writes for both adults and children. Her children’s books have irresistibly cute, generally furry characters young children can relate to.

To find out more about books by Carol Thomas. visit

https://carol-thomas.co.uk

https://facebook.com/carolthomasauthor

https://twitter.com/carol_thomas2

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/carol_thomas2/

https://www.instagram.com/carol_thomas2/

Canine Capers and Feline Fun with Carol Thomas

I am a cat person. This may come as a surprise to my friends, who hear me prattle on endlessly about my beloved dogs, Purdey and Maisie, but I was a cat person first.

I’ve been real and Facebook friends with my guest Carol Thomas for some time now. I’ve enjoyed her many Facebook posts about her black lab Hubble (‘Never give a dog a name that rhymes with Trouble’, says Carol) but I always knew there were cats in the background. Two in particular in her new book, the madcap kittens Kit and Kaboodle, inspire an unlikely and hilarious rescue that – naturally – involves a firefighter.

Carol dropped in for a chat, and told me all about her feline inspiration.

Tell us about your latest novel

‘Maybe Baby’ is the second book in the Lisa Blake series, published by Ruby Fiction. While the story follows on from ‘The Purrfect Pet Sitter’ (Lisa Blake book #1) and promises new antics from the characters and pets readers have previously enjoyed, it is also a stand-alone story of personal growth, friendship and love.

Lisa Blake is back with her first love, she’s reunited with her best friend Felicity, and life is looking good; even her pet sitting skills are improving – everybody knows you can’t believe all you read in the local Gazette, don’t they?

Felicity is on the cusp of achieving her perfect wife-mum-life balance; Her husband, Pete, is being wonderfully attentive, and her four children are getting older and wiser (sometimes too much wiser) by the day.

But just when they think that maybe, just maybe, they have everything sorted, it becomes clear that life is nothing but full of unexpected surprises!

“The image of Jack the Lab standing, looking innocent with a Yorkie terrier in his mouth in ‘The Purrfect Pet Sitter’ remains with me,” wrote a reviewer. What new animal antics can we expect in ‘Maybe Baby’?

Jack the black Labrador is back, of course – you know my Lab, Hubble, would be most upset if he wasn’t – but Jack has a new obsession and so is a little less spirited in this book. In ‘Maybe Baby’, cats and a feisty rabbit called Doc McFluffins take centre stage. I blame the influence of the cat that watches me through my office window for this new turn of events. He is a cat of few words, but I feel those persuasive eyes watching me!

A cat in the window

Uno, who was inspired by my daughter’s cat, Rolo, appeared in ‘The Purrfect Pet Sitter’. Having been rescued as a kitten from a fire by the hero of the novel, Uno is loving and loyal, and enjoys nothing more than dozing in his favourite spot – a fact that helps Lisa solve a mystery in ‘Maybe Baby’!

Inspirational Rolo

And while Uno dozes, Lisa’s new clients, Burmese kittens, Kit and Kaboodle, certainly don’t. These bundles of fun are full of energy, testing Lisa in more ways than one as the novel progresses. To research their antics, I spoke to some tired- looking new kitten owners, as well as reading about and watching videos of Burmese kittens at play. They were a lot of fun to research, and I greatly enjoyed writing the scenes with their antics. Though I will neither confirm nor deny that I was drawn to the breed because they are dog-like in their affections. 😉

Link to the book on Amazon: http://getbook.at/MBAmazon

Website and Social Media Links:

Facebook: http://facebook.com/carolthomasauthor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carol_thomas2/

Blog: http://carol-thomas.co.uk/blog

My review

I loved Carol’s first novel, The Purrfect Pet Sitter,’ and was delighted to know there was to be a sequel. It didn’t disappoint.

In fact, there’s nothing quite as satisfying as a good sequel to a book you have enjoyed. ‘Maybe Baby’ takes up where Carol Thomas’ last book, ‘The Purrfect Pet Sitter’ left off. It reprises the adventures of Lisa, the rather hapless pet sitter of the title, her handsome boyfriend Nathan, her scatty best friend Felicity and their assorted children and animals.

If you’re off on holiday and looking for a book to take with you, ‘Maybe Baby’ is the perfect summer read: as frothy and delicious as a cappuccino in a beach-side café.

“An enjoyable and heart-warming read which is perfect to put a smile on your face and joy in your heart…” [Stardust Book Reviews]

Mavis and Dot drop in for tea

I’ve had visitors today. My friend and fellow author Angela Petch brought along Mavis and Dot for tea. I dusted off my bone china teapot to make some of Dot’s favourite Lapsang Souchong, then brewed up some good old builder’s tea for the rest of us.

Mavis is a real flighty piece, with a penchant for bling and Latin lovers. She’s up for anything, is Mavis, from tango lessons to nude modelling. Dot seems dour and severe when you first meet her, but when you discover her kindness to scruffy dogs and illegal immigrants you realise there’s a soft heart underneath the crustiness. They’ve been telling Angela about their adventures and, canny author that she is, she’s put them into a book.

The book is sold in aid of Cancer Research in memory of a dear friend of Angela’s. Ingénue Magazine describes it as: “Absolutely Fabulous meets Last of the Summer Wine… a gently hilarious feel-good book that will enchant and delight…” and Nickibookblog says “If you need a tonic and a reason to smile, then this could be the very book…”

‘Mavis and Dot’ is Angela’s first foray into humour, following her romantic historical novels ‘Tuscan Roots’ and ‘Now and Then in Tuscany’. The exercise got her thinking about the funny old business of humour. She writes:

You’re having a laugh, aren’t you?

‘Mavis and Dot’ is my most recent self-published book. I wanted to make readers laugh, as well as ponder why my characters behave the way they do. My two ladies of a certain age are eccentric and form an unlikely friendship. Would they appeal to readers or would I come over as a cruel author having a laugh at the expense of others? “Both are polar opposites in personalities, but their friendship grows, and they fit together like two jigsaw pieces…” [Lisa, Book Addiction UK].

‘I was worried I couldn’t pull off humour. My usual genre is historical fiction set in Tuscany. I can split my sides laughing at a good joke, but I’m hopeless at remembering punch lines, so I rarely tell a joke myself. Humour is about timing. How many times have I cringed at a poor comedian’s delivery?

‘Most of the time laughter is spontaneous, instinctual but why do we laugh? Babies start laughing in their earliest months, scientists have proved that animals laugh. We laugh at the incongruous, at banana-skin moments, or when we’re surprised by the bizarre or disparity from the norm. Even seeing somebody else laughing can set us off.

‘Charlie Chaplin told us “A day without laughter is a day wasted,” and Byron wrote, “Always laugh when you can. It is cheap medicine.”

‘Laughter is a social activity, but writing is solitary, and my fingers were crossed that my words would provoke some giggles.

‘In the end, I stopped worrying about formulae and filled the pages. It was a story I was compelled to write, and procrastination was banished once I remembered the reason behind the inspiration. My best friend, Olga (nickname Mavis), died from ovarian cancer in 2006. On our frequent charity shop jaunts, she called me Dot and a lot of fun was had by both. When she was very ill, I wrote her a short story about Mavis and Dot, and it made her smile. Over the years, I added to this first story and I’ve always felt she was urging me on. Her cartoon of Mavis and Dot [see above] still hangs in our downstairs cloakroom, so, having the ladies stare at me each day was another motivator. Once I decided all profits were for Cancer Research UK, then that was it.

‘I was hugely relieved when positive reviews started to roll in from my Blog Tour and there was great feedback about the humour.

‘So, job done. But, not quite, because I’ve been asked for a sequel. Wish me luck.’

Some reviews for Mavis and Dot

“I loved the balance of humour and pathos in the storytelling…” [Linda’s Book Bag]

“The story makes you laugh out loud at the characters’ antics and feel their pain as they reveal past events.” [Pink Quill]

“…packed with clever levity and amusing wit…” [Honolulubelle]

“It was the perfect book for me to read whilst awake at night with ill children… it helped to lift my spirits. Though I did wake up my little girl by bursting out laughing at one point…” [Over the Rainbow Book Blog]

Meet the Author

I should add a word about Angela: she lives a double life! Half the time she is in England, in a quiet seaside town on the south coast; the other half she spends in the Tuscan Apennines. It is here, every September, that she runs ‘Write Away in Tuscany’, an idyllic writers’ retreat in an old stone mill house, beside a river.

Angela’s love affair with Italy was born at the age of seven when she moved with her family to Rome. Her father worked for the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and he made sure his children learned Italian and soaked up the culture. She studied Italian at the University of Kent at Canterbury and afterwards worked in Sicily where she met her husband. His Italian mother and British father met in Urbino in 1944 and married after a wartime romance.

Her first book, ‘Tuscan Roots’ was written in 2012, for her Italian mother-in-law, Giuseppina, and also to make readers aware of the courage shown by families of her Italian neighbours during WW2. Signed by Bookouture in 2018, this book will be republished in June 2019. Another Tuscan novel has been commissioned for 2020.

‘Now and Then in Tuscany’, a sequel, was published in April 2017 and features the same family. The background is the transhumance, a practice that started in Etruscan times and continued until the 1950s. Her research for her Tuscan novels is greatly helped by her knowledge of Italian and conversations with locals.

Although Italy is a passion, her stories are not always set there. ‘Mavis and Dot, published at the end of 2018 and sold in aid of Cancer Research, tells the story of two fun-loving ladies who retire to the Sussex seaside. They forge an unlikely friendship and fall into a variety of adventures.

A prize-winning author, member of CHINDI independent authors and RNA, Angela also loves to travel and recently returned to Tanzania, where she lived at the start of her marriage.

Her short stories are published by PRIMA and The People’s Friend.

Links:

BOOKS

Mavis and Dot https://mybook.to/MDot

Tuscan Roots (only for a little while longer) https://tinyurl.com/ya9mfrpb

Now and Then in Tuscany https://tinyurl.com/y7alduqc

WRITE AWAY IN TUSCANY

http://www.ilmulinorofelle.com/

angela_maurice:hotmail.com

AUTHOR

Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/l/B00GSN511Q

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AngelaJaneClarePetch

Twitter @Angela_Petch

Email petchangela@gmail.com

Website. https://angelapetchsblogsite.wordpress.com

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RETELLING A FORGOTTEN TRAGEDY

Isabella Muir and The Forgotten Children

Author Isabella Muir has taken temporary leave of her successful Janie Juke mysteries to tell a poignant tale. ‘The Forgotten Children’ is based on the heart-breaking story of the child migrants – children as young as five who were sent abroad to Australia and Canada, often without their parents’ knowledge or consent.

The Forgotten Children – my review

The story of the child migrants is a tragic one: children as young as five were sent abroad to Australia and Canada, often without their parents’ knowledge or consent, to be brought up in unloving foster homes or suffer neglect and abuse in children’s homes. It sounds remote, something Charles Dickens might have written about in the 19th century to expose the iniquities of the system. It takes a book like ‘The Forgotten Children’ to make us realise the shocking truth that this went on as late as the 1970s.

The book counterpoints two fictional stories: those of Emily, now seeking for a son she was forced to give away when she was just 16, and Patrick, who travels to England from Australia to find his brother. The stories may be fictional but in the hands of a skilled writer they serve to highlight the scandal of the child migrants and all its component parts: loss, grief, guilt and a sense of belonging nowhere. At times not an easy read, ‘The Forgotten Children’ is compelling and poignant, a horrific tale sensitively told.

The Sussex Crime Mysteries

These Agatha Christie style stories are set in the sixties and seventies and feature a young librarian and amateur sleuth, Janie Juke, who has a passion for Agatha Christie. All that Janie has learned from her hero, Hercule Poirot, she is able to put into action as she sets off to solve a series of crimes and mysteries.

About the author

Aside from books, Isabella has a love of all things caravan-like. She has spent many winters caravanning in Europe and now, together with her husband, she runs a small caravan site in Sussex. They are ably assisted by their much-loved Scottie, Hamish.

To find out more about Isabella, visit her website: https://isabellamuir.com

You will also find her onTwitter @SussexMysteries

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SECRETS AND LIES

THE PITFALLS OF FAMILY HISTORY

This week I am welcoming Rosemary Noble, author of the ‘Currency Girls’ trilogy, a successful series of novels set in Australia and the UK. It begins with ‘Search for the Light’, the story of Nora, transported to Van Diemen’s Land in 1820, and follows the family, through ‘The Digger’s Daughter’, to England in the second world war (‘Sadie’s Wars’).

Sadie’s Wars – my review

Two continents, two wars and a lifetime between. Sadie’s Wars is the culmination of Rosemary Noble’s Currency Girls series and, to my mind, her best yet. The author has drawn on her own family history to create a vivid set of characters and an engrossing story, bur Sadie herself – the least documented of them all – shines through.

The author has a deft touch in contrasting the impact of the two conflicts; the 1919-18 war as seen from Australia, where war seems remote and its horror brought home only in the lists of the dead, and 1940s England where the war is all too real and immediate. As to the ending, I defy any reader not to turn the pages quicker and quicker as the plot twists and turns its way to the ending we are all hoping for.

Family Secrets and Lies: a plot for a novel- or something to hide?

Family history can be a source of wonderful stories, but there are pitfalls to using it as the starting point for a novel, as Rosemary found out. She writes:

As one well-known author said to me – don’t write about your family. I can understand the reasons for saying that:

Other family members may get upset

You may be tempted to gloss over the bad parts

It’s disrespectful.

I’m sure there may be more reasons you can think of. Of course, you do have to take family feelings into account, but as generations pass, sensibilities change. Whereas a great aunt may be horrified to know that she may be descended from convicts – to the current generation, it’s a source of pride, a badge of honour.

A convict of the early nineteenth century wasn’t necessarily a bad person. They often stole to survive, or they knew no better, or even did it deliberately to get caught and sent somewhere they had more chance of thriving.

As I research more, I become prouder of the individuals concerned. That some of them survived to produce families of their own can be seen as resilience in the face of huge adversity. Let me give you some examples.

Henry Kew, the son of a moderately successful farmer who suddenly hits hard times, is sent to a workhouse in middle England. The workhouse sends him and his brother as apprentices to the new trawler industry in Grimsby. These young boys battle the dreadful conditions of the North Sea to become skippers of their own trawlers. In later life, one is shipwrecked off the coast of Scotland, the other is blown up by a mine. I am in awe of these men. How can I be ashamed that they once lived in a workhouse?

A distant great uncle who fell in love with his sister-in-law, committed bigamy and eloped with his wife to America to make a new start. This could be a great subject for a novel about the mores of Victorian society and how it trapped people in loveless marriages.

When you begin researching, you have no idea what stories you are going to uncover and the surprises that await. The birth certificate that reveals that your grandmother was illegitimate, the marriage certificate which shows a witness is someone important in the life of your relative, but the connection was unclear beforehand, or that there was a previous wife who died. All are tiny clues which you may solve or not, but they are pieces of the jigsaw puzzle.

The tantalising thing is there may well be someone out there who does know the truth, or they have their own embellished stories to add to the mix. Making those global connections through the social sites which exist today can be another joy. A few more examples for you.

I found a three times great grandfather, James Thornton a cook, according to the census of 1851. Now to anyone else perhaps, including my brother, a cook may not someone to aspire to. This was in the early days of my using sites like Ancestry and Genes Reunited where you can see other people who are searching the same line. I was uncertain. Do I want to connect with others? They may be weird. For months, I dithered. Curiosity won in the end. What I discovered amazed and thrilled me. James it seems, was not just any cook. He was cook to the Duke of Wellington, all through the Peninsular Wars and returned with the Duke to Apsley House (No 1, London) as Chief Steward. Now there’s a book to write. The person I connected with had proof, letters and a copy of a painting, which is now with a member of the family in New Zealand.

Another example – seven years ago we were planning out first trip to Australia. I had tried hard to find relatives out there. I knew they existed, but only one appeared on Ancestry. I sent a message, she responded, and we met for coffee in Ballerat. She is now a dear friend, has put me in touch with other people and is a consultant for my trilogy about the family. Her memories and contacts have helped me write my present book, Sadie’s Wars. It’s just as much the story of her ancestors. Indeed, she had the only photograph of Sadie that I’ve seen.

Stories get told and passed down but how do you know they are true? It may be what they wanted you to think, and you now discover that they lied to protect a reputation. As the storyteller, you can choose to blow that wide apart, or go along with the deception.

It is true to say that you can’t libel the dead. Sometimes I think that they wouldn’t thank me for uncovering and embellishing their stories for my own satisfaction. All I can say in my defence is that I remain proud of what they achieved and hope to bring their story to other people so that they can honour them too. The family also seem to be happy about it. There’s a relief.

Henry Kew James Thornton

Meet the author

Rosemary Noble lives in West Sussex and worked as an education librarian. Books have been her life, ever since she walked into a library at five-years-old and found a treasure trove. Her other love is social history. She got hooked on family history before retirement and discovered so many stories that deserved to be told.

Her first book, Search for the Light, tells the story of three young girls transported to Australia in 1824. Friendship sustains them through the horrors of the journey and their enforced service in Tasmania. The Digger’s Daughter tells of the next generation of gold-diggers and a pioneering woman who lives almost through the first hundred years in Victoria. The third in the trilogy, Sadie’s Wars takes the reader to the fourth generation and into the twentieth century. The trilogy is based on the author’s family. It tells of secrecy and lies, of determination and grit and how all can be done or undone by luck.

Rosemary is a member of CHINDI independent authors and is involved in literary events in and around Chichester. She also loves to travel, especially to Australia and Europe and not least, she loves spending time with her grandchildren, one of whom is a budding author herself.

Book Links

Author Links

Blog https://rosemarynoble.wordpress.com/

Twitter https://twitter.com/chirosie

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/RosemaryJaneNoble/

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A WEAVER OF SPELLS DROPS IN FOR A CHAT

I’m delighted to welcome my friend, fellow writer and fellow member of Chindi independent authors Lexi Rees to the blog this week. In a minute, I’ll let Lexi speak for herself and tell you her top tips for beleaguered authors.

First a word about her book, Eternal Seas.

Such a small parcel shouldn’t cause experienced smugglers much trouble. But this parcel is far from normal.

Chased across the seas, Finn and Aria must solve the mysteries within the parcel.

What does it mean? Who should they trust? What will happen?

The fate of an ancient people depends on them and time is running out …

I know it’s meant for youngsters, but I have to say I was gripped. Who wouldn’t be enchanted by a family of smugglers living on a boat, a mysterious stranger, an evil Earth Lord and a mother who is definitely not all she should be? I’ll be reviewing it soon, and looking forward to the sequel..

Over to you, Lexi!

A Writer’s Life: Find Your Tribe

Hi. I’m Lexi Rees. I’d like to thank Patricia for hosting me on her blog this week to coincide with my Chindi Author Spotlight.

As Ernest Hemingway said, “There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.” But the one thing I’ve learnt over the years is, you really don’t need to bleed alone. Whether it’s a plot hole in Chapter Three that’s driving you nuts or a critical review that knocks your confidence, having someone who understands the process can be a great buffer. Writers are a hugely supportive community: there are lots of ways you can find your tribe.

If you want to be a writer, there’s no need to lock yourself away in an attic. Here are my top five tips for building your own support network.

Join a local authors group

I only joined the Chindi Authors group earlier this year, but wish I’d found out about it earlier. I’ve met a number of the other authors already, including Patricia, and been to various events together. Looking forward to the Christmas dinner too! Chindi also has an active group on Facebook where you can ask any questions and there are a host of people who will share their experiences and knowledge with you.

NaNoWriMo

Whether you’re working on a first draft or are a multiple published author, National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) is a great place to blitz your book. It happens every November. You can either go it alone, build buddy groups online, or go to one of the many write-ins across the country. If there isn’t a write-in near you, you can start your own. If you’re curious, there is one in Emsworth near Chichester. These are always in public cafes so you don’t have to worry about “stranger danger”, as they tell the kids at school.

I’m using this November to complete the first draft of the sequel ton Eternal Seas, There is a target word count of 50,000 to “win”, but as I’m writing a kids book I’m aiming for less.

If once a year isn’t enough, there are Camps during the year with more flexible targets – I usually set an hours one rather than words based and use it for research. You can be allocated to a cabin, or join one with your writing friends.

There are also some great rewards if you finish the challenges like discounts on Scrivener (which I love) and various other tools.

Take a look on https://nanowrimo.org/

Facebook Groups

Facebook has so many groups that you could join, you need to check a few out and find the ones that suit you. I’m very active on both The Book Club and The Fiction Cafe which are more reader based (you can forget ever making it through your TBR pile if you join either, or both, of these groups). Again I’ve become good friends with several of the other members. There are also other groups which are more writer focussed if that works better for you.

Business networking

Being an author is not just about writing, it’s a business. I go to a monthly business networking group. I admit I tried a few different ones initially as they all have slightly different set ups, but I find it really helpful from a broader perspective, and it helps keep me on track.

Alpha and Beta readers

These are your reader team. Alpha readers get to see your raw manuscripts (how raw is entirely up to you) but they help shape the early drafts. I’ve just sent a section of my sequel to an astrophysicist for input (I know it’s a fictional kids’ story, that doesn’t mean to say it can’t have a solid scientific basis). Beta readers see the nearly finished manuscript. Feedback can vary from highlighting bits they found unclear to punctuation, but it’s always useful.

By the time you’ve got all these contacts, you’ll never be without a sounding board.

WHO IS LEXI REES?

Lexi Rees grew up in the north of Scotland but now splits her time between London and West Sussex. She still goes back to Scotland regularly though. Usually seen clutching a mug of coffee, she spends as much time as possible sailing and horse riding, both of which she does enthusiastically but badly.