Secrets buried like treasure in novels always tempt me. When I discovered Jan Baynham’s novel, Her Mother’s Secret, I wanted to find out more. Set in Greece in 1969, Her Mother’s Secret is the just the ticket to travel to glorious Greece. I invited Jan to tell me more about her debut novel and why she chose to bury a secret in the pages.
I have always been intrigued by family secrets and the fact that these sometimes do not come to light until after a person has died. I read of someone who was sorting through her mother’s things after her death and found a diary. In there, the young woman learned about a part of her mother’s life she knew nothing about. The ‘what ifs?’ started in my head and Her Mother’s Secret started to evolve. At the time, I’d been reading a novel where the rustling in the trees sounded like whispers and inanimate statues took on the form of ghosts of the people they represented. Perhaps the whispering could show the presence of a past family member. Always fascinated by the bond between mothers and daughters, this was basis for my story. Very often, the close relationship between mothers and daughters means that they would know things about each other no one else would. I wanted to explore how my character, Alexandra, would feel when she found out about her mother, Elin’s secret life. How could her mother have kept this from her? How would she feel? I needed Elin to have been able to keep her secret from everyone, even her own mother, until she died.
Having visited many times and being struck by the wonderful palette of colours seen in every landscape, Greece was my obvious inspiration
I decided that Elin would be an artist, having just finished art college. She travels to Greece to further her painting skills and while there, something happens that she never mentions again. I chose a setting where the colours would be more vibrant and intense perhaps than in her home country of Wales. Having visited many times and being struck by the wonderful palette of colours seen in every landscape, Greece was my obvious inspiration. Elin’s daughter, Alexandra, arrives on Péfka, a small island off the Peloponnese in Southern Greece, to follow in her mother’s footsteps to find out what happened there twenty-two years earlier. No wonder you loved it here, Mam. The colours alone make it an artist’s heaven, she thought. Péfka is purely fictional and is not based on one particular place; it’s an amalgam of areas I’ve visited – a beach or street here, a taverna or workshop there where I’ve met characters when getting out into Greek villages. Every holiday has inspired me with contributions to create characters and settings that are hopefully authentic showing the climate, the vivid colours of the sea and the flowers as well as the warmth of its people.
Every holiday has inspired me with contributions to create characters and settings that are hopefully authentic showing the climate, the vivid colours of the sea and the flowers as well as the warmth of its people
More about Her Mother’s Secret
It’s 1969 and free-spirited artist Elin Morgan has left Wales for a sun-drenched Greek island. As she makes new friends and enjoys the laidback lifestyle, she writes all about it in her diary. But Elin’s carefree summer of love doesn’t last long, and her island experience ultimately leaves her with a shocking secret …
An artist travelling to Greece in 1969 evokes endless opportunities for secrets. I can’t wait to escape to Greece with the promise of Her Mother’s Secret. I wonder what Alexandra, Elin’s daughter, will discover when she visits Greece twenty two years later…
Her Mother’s Secret will be published by Ruby Fiction on 21st April and is available to order now.
Jan Baynham
Meet Jan Baynham
After retiring from a career in teaching and advisory education, Jan joined a small writing group in a local library where she wrote her first piece of fiction. From then on, she was hooked! She soon went on to take a writing class at the local university and began to submit short stories for publication to a wider audience. Her stories and flash fiction pieces have been longlisted and short listed in competitions and several appear in anthologies both online and in print. In October 2019, her first collection of stories was published. Her stories started getting longer and longer so that, following a novel writing course, she began to write her first full length novel. She loves being able to explore her characters in further depth and delve into their stories. She writes about family secrets and the bond between mothers and daughters. Set in the last year of the 60s, ‘Her Mother’s Secret’ takes you to sun-drenched Greece, her favourite holiday destination.
Originally from mid-Wales, Jan lives in Cardiff with her husband. Having joined the Romantic Novelists Association in 2016, she values the friendship and support from other members and regularly attends conferences, workshops, talks and get togethers. She is co-organiser of her local RNA Chapter.
Time to pack my bags and meet Sandy Barker in Greece to discuss One Summer in Santorini. The story and setting of One Summer in Santorini are magical and perfect for anyone seeking an escape. Indeed, this charming novel started life as a love letter to Sandy’s partner and all will be revealed in the interview.Â
Sandra: When Sarah Parsons takes her broken heart to Greece, the last thing she wants is to meet someone new, so what happens when she meets, not one ‘someone’, but two? Ten days, two men and one big decision.
Jessie: What have the reviewers said about your novel?
I have been blessed with wonderful reviews. Phillipa read the novel and said, ‘Made me want to pack my bags for the Greek islands this instant.’ I couldn’t be more delighted with the response to my debut novel. Other readers have also been so generous, and it has lifted my heart. Here are two wonderful reviews:
‘I absolutely loved this book. The descriptions of the islands and Greece made you feel like you were there — like you could smell the sea, taste the food and feel the sun on your face.There was a lot to love about this book. I loved the message that we can find happiness in the ordinary! This was a super cute beach read! There is also a lot of flirty and fun times as well! I will be checking out other books by Sandy Barker!’ ‘One Summer in Santorini by Sandy Barker is an irresistibly charming read set in the stunning Greek Islands, and I found myself transported to the idyllic locales in every single page. This is simply a lovely book that I just devoured in a single afternoon. Full of flirtation, sun-kissed beaches, and plenty of cocktails, what is not to love?’
Here is Sandy swimming in Greece.
Jessie:Â Read me an extract to tempt the reader.
Sandy:Â I know the perfect scene to tempt you.
“Hello,†I said.
“Hi,†he replied. So far it was an excellent conversation.
My witty repartee had completely dried up, so I figured I’d get straight to the point. “Are you on the sailing trip?â€
Jessie: How did you feel when you had finished writing your book, and did you miss any of the characters?
Sandy: I cried when I finished the first draft of this book — full on sobbing, ugly crying. It was relief and pride and a sense of ‘Oh my, I just wrote a whole book’. I didn’t really have time to miss the characters, though, because I started editing almost immediately — and after that, I started writing the sequel.
Jessie: Who would you like to read your book and why? Â This could be another author, someone famous, a friend or a member of your family.Â
Sandy: I started writing this book as a love letter to my partner, Ben, who I met on a pier in Santorini as we were about to embark on a sailing trip. When I handed it to him to read, I was a little nervous, but he loved that it was inspired by our real-life love story.
And I’m excited that two of my favourite authors, Paige Toon and Lindsey Kelk, have said that they’re looking forward to reading it. They’ve both inspired me with their incredible writing.
Jessie: Why should I keep your book in my handbag?
Sandy: It will make you laugh out loud and we all need a little bit of laughter to take with us wherever we go.
Jessie: What is the last sentence written in your writer’s notebook?
Sandy writing in Bali
Sandy: “I can’t remember the last time I saw you in the light of day without a face full of makeup.â€
This is from my fourth book, which is set in Bali. It’s tentatively titled, One Summer on Sabbatical.
Jessie: What is the biggest challenge for an author?
Sandy: Beyond getting the words on the page — you can’t edit an unwritten manuscript — I’d say it’s finding the best way to get your work out there and in the hands of readers.
Jessie: What is the best advice that you have received as a writer?
Sandy: Never, ever, ever, ever, ever give up. Perseverance is just as important as the writing. A few weeks before I was contacted by Avon Books to say that they loved my book and wanted to publish it, I had a rejection from a publisher which knocked me sideways. You never know when the ‘yes’ will come.
Jessie: Before you go, tell us a little about yourself:
I’m a writer and traveller with a lengthy bucket list and cheeky sense of humour. My aim in life is to go, see, taste and do – and then write about it.
As an author, I write the heart – what makes it sing, what breaks it, and how it mends – and many of my travel adventures have found homes in my novels.
It was a treat to meet the author, Sandy Barker, who is a traveller with an adventurous spirit with an endless bucket list. She is curious and funny and finds pleasure in the small things. She’s also been known to ‘steal’ anecdotes and travel tales and find a place for them in her books.
When people follow their dreams, I must find out more. Having retired from a career in education, Jan Baynham recently gained a publishing deal with Ruby Fiction. I am delighted she agreed to chat to me about her writing adventure and offer the benefit of her experiences.
Jessie: When did you first dream of becoming a writer?
Jan: I came very late to the party! It wasn’t until I retired that I thought about writing fiction. As a teacher and latterly as a Teacher Adviser for English, I’d always enjoyed teaching writing and taking part in Shared Writing but had never thought seriously about writing for myself. To start, I joined a small writing group at a local library and from there I took a short story course at Cardiff University run by a published author. I began submitting my stories to competitions and several are published in anthologies and on-line. A themed anthology of those early stories, “Smashing the Mask and Other Stories’, will be launched by Black Pear Press on October 10th. Back then, unless they were Flash Fiction pieces – a genre that I love! – I found it harder and harder to keep to the word counts required for some of the competitions. It soon became clear that I preferred to write much longer stories with multi-layered characters, detailed settings and more involved plots. I undertook a novel writing course with the same tutor and that was when my dream of becoming a published novelist began. That was five years ago and enrolling on Lynne Barrett-Lee’s course was the best decision I ever made.
Jessie: Wow! I am impressed you retired from one successful career to embark on anotherchallenge. How did you feel when you secured a deal with Ruby Fiction?
Jan: At the beginning of May, I accepted and signed a contract with Ruby Fiction for three books. The first, ‘Whispering Olive Trees’, will be published in digital and audio in 2020. I was – and still am! – thrilled and still can’t quite believe it. I know there’s a lot of hard work ahead but working with my editor at Ruby is something I’m looking forward to very much. I shall give it my all.
Jessie: What is Whispering Oliver Trees about?
The view over the sapphire sea from the fictional island of Péfka where the novel is mainly set
‘Whispering Olive Trees’ started out as a short story that did quite well in competitions by being long-listed. After re-tweaking, it was eventually published as ‘Whispers in the Olive Trees’ on Alfie Dog Fiction. But I knew there was a longer, more involved story there and my characters were begging to tell me more. The novel is now completely different. Mainly taking place on a fictional island, Péfka, in southern Greece, in 1965 and 1987, the dual time-line novel explores the relationship between a mother and daughter, forbidden love – due to cultural differences – and a search for true identity. Alexandra, known as Lexi, is a young woman grieving after the untimely death of her mother, Elin who has bequeathed her diary to her. Through reading the diary, Lexi discovers secrets in her mother’s past and a part of her life she knew nothing about. She travels to Greece to find out the truth, and then understands why tension has always existed between her and her father. Once she knows who she really is, she can move on with her own life and find true happiness. I’m hoping the novel will appeal to female readers who enjoy family sagas and reading about relationships, the dynamics of family life, secrets, romance and a touch of crime. Having a Greek uncle and having made many visits there, I am passionate about novels set in Greece and the country itself. I hope that will come across to my readers.
Jessie: Intriguing to know you have a Greek uncle and this inspired the story. I adore stories with secrets. The novel sounds like a great escape and it is no wonder you wanted to write the novel. You have been determined to secure a publishing deal. I knew you would manage it. What process did you go through before you were successful?
Olive trees grow everywhere on the island. The whispering of the leaves in the breeze remind Lexi she is not alone.
Jan: Thank you for your confidence, Jessie. Yes, I was as determined as I could be. I think the main reason for the determination was that I didn’t have the confidence to self-publish and I am full of admiration for those writers who do so successfully. The first thing I did was to apply for a place on the RNA’s wonderful New Writers’ Scheme. I cannot praise the scheme highly enough. The three reports I have received from my readers so far have been very constructive, encouraging and detailed with helpful advice. Before submitting to any publishers, I have considered the points made and given my novels another thorough edit.
Wherever Lexi goes, she is met by an abundance of vibrant bougainvillea, tumbling over garden walls.
I took note of those publishers to whom you may submit directly without an agent. As each rejection came back, it was noticeable that instead of a standard ‘Thanks, but no thanks’ I soon started getting positive feedback with comments about what they liked about the writing and why they couldn’t make an offer. It was at this stage, the ‘nearly but not quite’ stage as one editor put it, I knew that if I took on board the advice I was getting, that maybe I would get published. A glimmer of hope! I hoped that each new submission was better than the previous one because of the help I was getting. That’s not to say I didn’t have self-doubt and wondered how long I should keep trying. That was where my group of writing friends, Sue, Catherine and Vanessa came in and gave me the kick start to begin submitting again!
Jessie: What advice would you give to fledgling authors seeking their first publishing deal?
Jan: Keep going! Get yourself a pair of wide shoulders, preferably with 80s style padding! I tell myself it’s a rejection of the writing and not of me as a person. I’m a ‘bottle half-full’ person and whenever I receive any written feedback, I have a little ritual. Especially with my NWS readers’ reports, I highlight all the positive comments and compliments in one colour and then do the same for the suggestions for improvement, criticisms, flaws etc. in another highlighter pen. We are notoriously bad at just focusing in on what’s wrong with our writing, aren’t we? If I agree with the points to correct or improve, I make them into a list and tick them off as I edit.
Choose to submit to publishers who are accepting submissions without an agent and who are accepting novels in your genre. Make sure you read the submission guidelines ‘to the letter’. They all vary. The same applies to the query letter. If you are submitting to an agent, however, maybe look for those who are building a list.
Even very experienced writers will say they are still learning. I can’t tell you how much I’ve learned, and hopefully improved as a writer, from attending conferences, training days and workshops. Lancaster 2019 will be my fourth RNA Conference and as well as the organised lectures, workshops, the 1-to-1 industry appointments, the camaraderie of the other delegates, I’ve always come back enthused and ready to start writing again.
My last piece of advice would be to build your social media presence before you start submitting to publishers. It is often a question they ask and want to know how you will be able to promote yourself and your novels. My blog is now five years old and I started it when I started novel writing. It’s a way of sharing my writing journey and also supporting fellow authors by promoting their books and hosting guest interviews. On Twitter, for example, I’ve ‘met’ lots of supportive writers and we like and re-tweet each others’ news and books. It’s even better when we meet in person.
Jessie: You give lots of valuable advice, and I have now experienced the value of the Romantic Novelist’ Conference. I agree that social media is a wonderful way to communicate -it’s where I met you. Why is it important for new writers to meet up with other writers rather than only communicating on social media?
Jan: Although I’m an advocate of building up a presence on social media, nothing beats meeting up with other writers, face to face. Writing can be a very lonely occupation and I think it’s so important to get away from the computer to mix with other writers. I still meet up with two writing friends I met on the short story ‘Telling Tales’ course. We meet for lunch every few weeks and bring along Flash Fiction pieces to share and critique. Our Cowbridge Cursors ‘group of four’ meets up less regularly than we used to due to family, work and other commitments, but when we do it’s as if we’ve never been apart. Our RNA Chapter meets every month and through that I’ve met some lovely writers. It’s been so good to share a Writing Retreat Day and a Writing Workshop with them this year. We talk about our WiPs and I always come away feeling better about my writing.
Jessie: The Chapter meetings also give me a great writing boost. I am so pleased to be part of the South Wales and West Chapter. Aside from writing, I know you have a very interesting hobby. Can you tell me more about Eddie Stobard?
You’ve asked about my unusual hobby. It’s not something I broadcast for fear of being judged as a bit of an ‘anorak’. It all came out when I was coming home from my first Conference with my four writing buddies, the CCs. The M6 is a haven for Eddie Stobart spotters like me. Every time we came alongside one of the green, red and white beauties, I was busy making notes on my phone ready to transfer to my Eddie Stobart Spotter’s Handbook when I got home. Imagine the disbelief and ribbing I got! This year, I now have a brand new Eddie Stobart truck named after me – ‘Janet Eleanor’, H8529, Registration No. PX68ZKE.
Jan offers honest advice for authors seeking that first publishing deal, and I am sure her story will resonate with all authors. I look forward to the finished novel.Best of luck, Jan!
Ian looked so relaxed as we chatted, soaked up the sun and enjoyed the sea view.
Shirley Valentine made me giggle in my twenties, and now I am old enough to be Shirley. I still dream of sipping wine, seated at a table, with a sea view, in Greece. Imagine my delight when Ian Wilfred invited me to Greece to discuss his new novel. I joined him on his island of Holkamos. We drank wine and ate a marvellous picnic of feta cheese olives, tomatoes and stuffed vine leaves. Ian looked so relaxed as we chatted, soaked up the sun and enjoyed the sea view. He woreshorts polo shirt and flipflops, and his new novel, Secrets We Left In Greece, was stored in a black bag.
Jessie: Ian, it is great to finally meet you. You provided the very first photograph for my Handbag Gallery. You have written two books since then. Please tell me about your latest book Secrets we left in Greece.
Norfolk is wonderful but holidays in Greece, with my husband and family, inspired the setting of the latest novel.
Ian: It was a pleasure to make the connection via the Handbag Gallery. My photograph was on a local Norfolk beach, as I just love the sea. Norfolk is wonderful but holidays in Greece, with my husband and family, inspired the setting of the latest novel. It is a story of old secrets and new memories on the Greek island of Holkamos.
Miriam had something on her mind and it needed sorting. What she had planned wouldn’t go down well with her daughter Heather and Granddaughter Amy, but there was no going back; the tickets were booked she had to face the island again.
Jessie: It sounds like a fabulous escape. Why should your readers be tempted to buy this novel?
You only get one chance to live your life. Escape to my Greek island Holkamos with Miriam, Heather and Amy; support them on their journey of self- discovery
Ian: You only get one chance to live your life. Escape to my Greek island Holkamos with Miriam, Heather and Amy; support them on their journey of self- discovery. Pack your passport, settle down in the sunshine and listen in to their secrets. My characters learn life is not a rehearsal, and it’s time to move on. Sometimes, you need to escape to a paradise island in order to remove the rose-tinted glasses.
Jessie: What do the reviewers say? Were they intrigued to find out the secrets?.
Ian: Have a look at the reviews here in Netgallery.
‘Solid chick lit…it doesn’t take itself too seriously. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry and say, ‘Oh no! Definitely a fun weekend read.’ Shirley Anne, Reviewer
‘Love fiction set in Greece. This was a light, enjoyable read.’ Anita T, Reviewer
‘Amusing, believable characters on a voyage of discovery.’
*** Ian retrieved the novel from his black bag. The vibrant front cover looked so inviting.
Ian: ‘Paul they were happy times- no one died, and I have lots of special memories of my holidays on Holkamos, I just don’t want to go back, I’ve moved on from that’.
‘What’s that, Amy? Why do you need to move on from something that brings back happy memories what happened?’
Jessie: How did you feel when you had finished the novel? Did you miss any of the characters?
We drank wine and ate a marvellous picnic of feta cheese olives, tomatoes and stuffed vine leaves
Ian: Jessie, I loved writing it and I felt really good. Once I finished, I couldn’t wait to send it off to my editor, Nancy. I sort of missed the character Cleo. In all my other four books, my main characters have been over fifty, but Cleo was only twenty. I wanted to take her story further. You never know, I might revisit Cleo one day if she invited me back to the island.
Jessie: Who would you like to read your book and why? This could be another author, someone famous, a friend or a member of your family.
Ian: Just someone who chooses to read it. I don’t give my books to family or friends to read, but if they want to that’s lovely but very scary. I shout and promote them on Twitter but have never asked a blogger to read because that’s even scarier.
Jessie: Why should I keep your book in my handbag?
Ian: This book is an essential edition to a British handbag as it will give you sunshine on a grey day. Travelling to Holkamos will chase away those rainy-day blues, and you’ll be in the company of great friends. Each time you read this book, you’ll be tempted to open a bottle of Greek wine.
Jessie: What is the last sentence written in your writer’s notebook?
The last sentence in my notes for Secrets We Left In Greece is – take out the middle H from Holkhamos and call the island Holkamos as that sounds better. On Sunday, I wrote: ‘Olive Sarah or Billy ?’
Jessie: What is the biggest challenge for an author?
Ian: My biggest challenge is TIME. I write and work full-time. Family and friends are fed up with me saying I would love an eight day week. Have you got an extra day of the week in your handbag?
Jessie: Very funny! I probably have more than a day’s worth of junk in my handbag. What is the best advice that you have received as a writer?
Ian: This is easy. Write every day even if it’s only 200 words, as this keeps the story fresh in your head. Read and watch everything Milly Johnson has to say about writing. Milly Johnson’s Author Tips are the very best.
Ian Wilfred is 50+ but in his head he will always be 39. He lives on the Norfolk coast with his husband and west highland terrier. His perfect day would be to walk the dog on the beach, drink lots of coffee and write, but in real life after walking the dog, Ian goes off to work.
His debut novel ‘Putting Right The Past’ was published in 2013 and set on the island of Tenerife. ‘The Little Terrace of Friendships’ was published in March 2017, and Ian’s third book ‘A Secret Visitor to Saltmarsh Quay’ was published in November 2017.
You can follow Ian on Twitter at @ianwilfred39 (he will always be 39).
Chatting to Ian made the sunshine. If you fancy an escape then buy his latest book. Are you ready to find out some secrets? Promise you will leave the secrets in Holkamos.
