Ever since I read Jan Baynham’s first novel, I have been a huge fan of her writing. Her novels are set in mid-Wales and sunny locations, providing the perfect escape. She weaves extensive research into her gripping narratives and presents engaging, warm characters you care about. It is an honour to celebrate the publication of The Silent Sister with lovely Jan Baynham, and I asked her to join me for a chat.
Jessie: When did you first realise you wanted to write novels?
Jan: A very late starter, I didn’t write any fiction until a year or so after I retired when I joined a creative writing class at a local library. There, I began writing short stories and flash-fiction, but very soon my pieces began getting longer and longer. I could never keep to set word counts and I wanted to delve deeper into the characters’ stories. Very soon, I joined a novel writing course at Cardiff university and the rest is history.
Jessie: Explain what your current novel is about and what inspired you to write it.
Jan: The Silent Sister tells of three-year-old Eléni who is pulled, barely alive, from the rubble of an earthquake in Kefalonia when her parents and grandparents perished alongside her. Once physically healed, the traumatised little girl is raised by Cassia, who witnessed her rescue and who is faced with keeping a secret that must never be revealed. I was inspired to write the story after my first visit to the beautiful Greek island and hearing about the devastation caused by the earthquake. The ‘what if?’s began!
Jessie: Who is the main protagonist in The Silent Sister? Tell us something about them.
Jan: In the 1953 story, Cassia Makris is determined Eléni will not enter an orphanage once she leaves hospital and with the help of Tom, the sailor who rescued the little girl, she raises her as her own daughter and leaves the Greek island for Wales where Tom is from. Twenty years later, Eléni finds a journal revealing Cassia’s secret and uncovers the truth about her past.
Jessie: Where is The Silent Sister set? Share one quote that captures the setting.
Jan: It’s set on the beautiful island of Kefalonia and rural mid-Wales.
‘Once they got to the top of the hill, they were rewarded with the most wonderful view. Through the pine trees, the sea was a vivid aquamarine, streaked with varying shades of turquoise and azure. Tiny frills of white foam edged the little beach. Eugenia’s house was crystalline white and glowed in the bright sun.
“What a view!” Tom turned to Cassia. “Your sister is so lucky to look out on that every day.”
Cassia’s stomach churned the nearer they got to the house. To the side was an olive grove casting shade on the sandy soil underneath.’
I love all of Jan’s novels and can’t wait to dive into this one. It is so special when you discover one of your favourite authors. In the meantime, here’s what readers are saying about The Silent Sister:
‘A real family saga that deals with heartache, romance and mystery.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Powerful and very emotional.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘One of those books you don’t want to end!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘The author’s skilful storytelling effortlessly evokes a brilliant sense of time and place, bringing the contrasting settings alive with vivid detail.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘One of the best sagas I’ve read in a very long time.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘I felt as if I’d gone on holiday.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘The wonderful cast of characters stole my heart from the outset.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
More about Jan Baynham:
Originally from mid-Wales, Jan lives in Radyr, on the outskirts of Cardiff. After retiring from a career in teaching and advisory education, she joined a small writing group in a local library where she wrote her first piece of fiction. Her first collection of stories was published by Black Pear Press. Fascinated by family secrets and ‘skeletons lurking in cupboards’, Jan writes dual narrative, dual timeline historical novels that explore how decisions and actions made by family members from one generation, usually in or just after WW2, impact on the lives of the next. Setting and a sense of place play an important part in all of Jan’s stories and as well as her native mid-Wales, there is always a contrasting location in sunnier climes. She is published by Joffe Books/Choc Lit.
Check out Jan’s lovely bog: Blog – Jan’s Journey into Writing
More about The Silent Sister:
Two lost women. One Greek island. A secret that spans generations.
Kefalonia, Greece, 1953.
On a sun-drenched island, Cassia defies her powerful father by falling in love with Nikos — a man her family will never accept. But their happiness is short-lived.
A catastrophic earthquake strikes, and the once-idyllic island is reduced to little more than dust and ruin.
Amid the chaos, Cassia loses almost everything. She is left with no choice but to flee the only home she has ever known, carrying a shattering secret she must never reveal.
Wales, 1973. Eleni uncovers a hidden journal among her mother’s belongings. Within its pages lies a woman’s story shaped by tragedy — a story Cassia never shared, and one that might finally explain why Eleni never spoke as a child.
Driven by a need to uncover the truth about her past, Eleni travels to the now-rebuilt island. There she seeks to reveal the secrets hidden among the pastel-hued houses.
In the place where it all began, Eleni must confront the legacy of silence. Here she must make a life-altering decision that will reshape her future and finally heal her family’s past.
This breathtaking and escapist historical tale about resilience, hope and the healing power of love will sweep you away to a sun-kissed Greek island. Perfect for fans of Fiona Valpy, Dinah Jefferies, Santa Montefiore or Karen Swan.
The Silent Sister is available today! I have already downloaded my copy. Greece is one of my favourite destinations, and how wonderful to travel without having to pack my bags.
Contact Jan Baynham
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