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 This novel is entirely different to your others. Where did
the idea for Traces of Dreams come from?
It was the novel that I always had to write. Looking back,
this one was probably my first attempt at a full-length novel. I
can barely remember WWII, but over the years have heard stories
from my family, especially my sisters, about the deprivations
and struggles of the ordinary Londoners during this period.
Being the youngest of ten children I was brought up on stories
of the difficult times, although by the time I came along we
were experiencing better times.
I
began
Traces
originally as a way to relate to my many nieces and nephews, and
younger members of our clan, how it was when there was gas
lighting and no supermarkets. Silent movies were still around,
and a good night out was at the
local music-hall where jugglers and singers, magicians and
comedians made up the programme. Food was packed into brown paper bags and carried home in a string bag. You
bought biscuits and lollies loose. There was no plastic
wrapping, no hair spray, no shampoo, no TV, no phones. A
newspaper cost a penny or less. A farthing was legal tender.
How long did it take you to write?
I began it about 16 years ago. I've lost count of the
rewrites; probably about 25. I've tested it out in different
POVs, and it has changed from being a factual description of the
times to fiction. The first time I sent it off to a publisher I
was told that I was too close to the younger heroine (which the
editor presumed - wrongly - was me) so I created Sara, who is like
no member of my family I can assure you.
Your books so far are all electronically published, so
presumably you have great faith in this medium. Do you intend to
send any or your work off to paper publishers or are you content
to stay with epublishing?
Almost every one of my books has been submitted to a paper
publisher in the past. I've come to the conclusion that because
I'm not prepared to keep within the strict guidelines of any
publisher I'm destined to stay with electronic publishing.
I
love it - and can see a great future for it. My books have endless
'shelf-life'. My first books, Blue Haze and White
Clover, are
still selling two years after their release. I stick to romance
but can cross sub-genres as my heart desires. At this stage of
my career I'm more than happy to see my books on the internet. I
have three more coming out with Wings ePress and the sequel to
Blue Haze with Jacobyte Books. My books are all available in POD
(print on demand) format, which means I can hold my book in my
hot little hand.
The only drawback as far as I can see is that
you can't find my books on the shelf at the local bookshop-yet,
and some people are still wary of buying over the Internet. To
me it's now as normal as going to the store and buying over the
counter-and a lot less trouble. I can buy my books and other
ebooks in the middle of the night if the mood hits me.
Speaking of sub-genres, and romance.
In what category would
you place Traces of Dreams?
A mainstream. Although
Traces of Dreams contains two great
love stories it is not a 'romance' as such. But it has a happy
ending - that's something I must have in my books. I'm a
sentimental soul who will always want to see my hero and heroine
riding (or walking) off into the sunset together.
Tell me something about your book.
Traces of Dreams
begins in 1914, in North London. Although
that's where I was brought up, where my mother bore ten
children, lived through extreme poverty and two wars, there the
resemblance to my family ends.
This book is dedicated to Annie,
our mother, the strongest woman I've known, and Alicia, the
heroine in part one, has ten children too. Alicia's first love
is killed in WWI and she marries Mathew, who idolises her. They
suffer through many hardships. This is where my sister's stories
came in handy. Stories of times when there was barely enough
food to eat, where the pawnbroker played a large part in their
lives, but the knowledge that they were loved was with them
always. Imagine having 6 toddlers or school-age children without
having social security to fall back on, without having a washing
machine, with so little in your purse that you didn't know where
the next meal was coming from.
The second part of my book is Sara's story. She also loses
her first love in WWII, but history doesn't repeat itself from
then on for she marries a man she grows to despise. Sara also
suffers many trials before her life gets on an even keel and
before she finds true love. Jennifer Macaire (author of Time for
Alexander) likens Traces of Dreams to A Tree Grows in
Brooklyn
and Angela's Ashes. That, to me, is a fine compliment.
You've written a sequel to
Blue Haze. Do you intend writing
a sequel to Traces of Dreams?
No. The full story has been told.
I intend writing a third in the early settlers' series
(Blue Haze, Remy O'Shea being the first two) and I'm currently working
on a sequel to my time-travel, White Clover, because Travis, the
Scottish Laird, demanded his own story.
Will you write another sci/fi futuristic like
Amaryllis?
Who knows? That's the joy of being electronically
published, I can please myself, write what I like when the mood
takes me. I've been told I'm a good storyteller, and that's how
I like to think of myself. As someone who can spin a good yarn.
Amaryllis was written strictly for fun. I wanted to have an
Earthwoman fall in love with an alien. It was wonderful to
write; after all an alien can do whatever he likes and no holds
barred. I didn't have to worry about being politically correct.
Do you have any goals that haven't been realised yet?
I would love to see one of my books made into a miniseries
for TV. Or a movie, now that would be great. And if I could
convince Hugh Jackman to play my hero, then my life would be
complete.
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Traces
of Dreams