On our pilgrimage to Canterbury, we decided to stop in Wye in Kent, for provisions. When we collected our daily bread in Wye Bakery, I found myself lost in another age. Allow me some creative liberty in my tale…
The quaint Wye Bakery is accessed via an ancient corridor constructed three hundred years ago.
An ancient, mysterious corridor constructed three hundred years ago
Walking through the corridor transported my imagination back in time. The Franklin, from The Canterbury Tales, invited us inside to taste the bread. Alas, we did not wish to dip the lovely bread into wine, particularly at such an early hour. We thanked the Franklin for his hospitality and bid him to return to Chaucer’s England. The ancient vision dissolved, as the aroma of fresh bread brought us back to the present day.
Mother and daughter are passionate about the health benefits of traditional, slow baking.
Inside, we were greeted by the baker Mrs Hickson, and her daughter. Mother and daughter are passionate about the health benefits of traditional slow baking. It is hoped that Mrs Hickson’s daughter will be able to apply her Nutrition Degree to the business.
The pastries were buttery, crumbly and utterly delicious. The bread had a wonderful robust structure and a delicate taste like sour dough. Is there anything more comforting than simple bread and butter? One could taste the attention to detail in every single crumb.
I heard Robert Browning say:
‘If thou tasteth a crust of bread, thou tasteth all the stars and all the heavens.’
‘If thou tasteth a crust of bread, thou tasteth all the stars and all the heavens.’
I urge you to visit Wye Bakery. It is refreshing to listen to Mrs Hickson wax lyrical about a business that consumes sixteen hours of her day. Taste the delights of the labour of love that could be your daily bread.
Judith Barrow, originally from Saddleworth, near Oldham, and on the wrong side of the Pennines but still in Yorkshire
Judith Barrow
Judith Barrow, originally from Saddleworth, near Oldham, and on the wrong side of the Pennines but still in Yorkshire, has lived in Pembrokeshire, Wales, for forty years.
She has an MA in Creative Writing with the University of Wales Trinity St David’s College, Carmarthen, a BA (Hons) in Literature with the Open University and a Diploma in Drama from Swansea University. She has had short stories, plays, reviews and articles, published throughout the British Isles and has won several poetry competitions. She has completed three children’s books.
She is also a Creative Writing tutor for Pembrokeshire County Council.
Jessie: Judith, tell me what a Yorkshire lass is doing in Pembrokeshire.
Judith: We went on holiday to Pembrokeshire, loved it and never returned to Saddleworth. We bought a half-built house and renovated it.
Jessie: Do you miss Yorkshire?
Judith Barrow – Secrets
Judith: Pembrokeshire was a great place for our kids to grow up. I miss Yorkshire stone, craggy landscape and the meandering moors. I love our house, in Pembrokeshire, but I always expected I’d live in a stone cottage in my old age. As you can hear, even after forty years in Wales my accent hasn’t changed – I’m still a Yorkshire lass. People say they can hear my voice in their heads when they read my books. Lucky them!
Jessie: Obviously, people love your voice as you have written eight books. How did the writing start?
Judith: Well, I hope they do. As for the writing, I’d written since I was a child but never done anything much about it. Then I went to night school with my daughter. I finished A Level English and went on to gain a degree through the Open University. Whilst studying for the degree, I had breast cancer, and this made me see life differently. I decided to follow my dream to become a writer.
A place that inspired the setting of Judith’s novels
Jessie: I am so sorry to hear about your health issues. It is wonderful you decided to follow your dream. What kind of books do you write?
Judith: I write people driven, gritty dramas and wasn’t prepared to adapt my writing. Eventually, I got a contract with Honno Press – an independent publisher in Wales- and found their approach personal and supportive. My first book ‘Pattern of Shadows’
Jessie: What’s Pattern of Shadows about?
Judith: It’s the story of a nursing sister, Mary Howarth, and her family, during World War Two and is set around a POW camp located in a disused cotton mill in a Lancashire town. When I was a child my mother was a winder in a cotton mill and I would go there to wait for her to finish work; I remember the smell of the grease and cotton, the sound of the loud machinery and the colours of the threads and bales of material. Pattern of Shadows was meant to be a standalone book, but the characters wanted me to carry on with their lives. Eventually, it developed into a family saga trilogy. My recent book, the prequel, is A Hundred Tiny Threads. The two main characters, Winifred and Bill, are the parents of the protagonist in the trilogy, Mary Howarth. They wanted me to explain their, how they had become what they are in the trilogy. I was happy to; I think, as we get older, we are made by our life experiences.
Hundred Tiny Threads. The two main characters, Winifred and Bill, are the parents of the protagonist in the trilogy, Mary Howarth
Jessie: I’m reading One Hundred Tiny Threads. The opening is engrossing with Winifred waking up to another day in the shop. The characters are so real, and I love getting inside their heads. I’m shouting at them all the time. The way you thread the characters’ attitudes towards women is brilliant. I’m fascinated by the Suffragettes in Leeds. For some reason, I always imagined the movement to be concentrated in London.
Judith: Researching the Suffragettes opened up my eyes. I wanted to tell their story through the voices of the characters and show how women, in the society at that time, were ready for the change. Stories draw people into to the political background of the era, and life was certainly a challenge then. People say my books are dark. Have you got to the gory bits?
Jessie: Well, there has been a murder.
Judith: No, I’m thinking of scene after that – you wait. Bill’s a bastard but it’s his background. I don’t know why Winifred married him.
Jessie: Oh no, what was Winifred thinking of? I’m furious with her, as I haven’t read the terrible news yet. I’m intrigued as to why she didn’t marry the love of her life and scared for her.
Judith: Oh ‘eck, hope I haven’t I haven’t spoiled it for you, Jessie. But, you must understand Bill had a terrible life as a child with his father. And then he was a soldier in the horrendous First World Wars. He was also one of the Black and Tans when he returned from the Front. He’s a bastard but didn’t have it easy. As I said, our lives shape us.
Jessie: I agree and people interest me too.
Judith: Yes, well your novel is also character driven and could become a family saga. I can see it now. I want to know more about Luke and Rosa and their parents.
Jessie: I plan to do that, and you have inspired me to complete historical research. I would have to look carefully into the eras the generations were born into. Thanks for your advice.
Judith: No problem, I teach creative writing in Pembrokeshire, so I just can’t help myself (some would say it’s interfering!!). Writing is like looking at the world through the eyes of a child and I love it. I watch folk walk past my window, at home. It’s hilarious how people walk. I can’t stop people watching and passing it on through my books. I never stop watching and am always so busy.
Jessie: What advice would you give to fledgling writers?
Judith: Get a professional editor and be prepared for a slog. The first draft of the book is the best bit. I always cry when I get my editor’s comments.
Winifred is a determined young woman eager for new experiences, for a life beyond the grocer’s shop counter ruled over by her domineering mother. When her friend Honora – an Irish girl, with the freedom to do as she pleases – drags Winifred along to a suffragette rally, she realises that there is more to life than the shop and her parents’ humdrum lives of work and grumbling. Bill Howarth’s troubled childhood echoes through his early adult life and the scars linger, affecting his work, his relationships and his health. The only light in his life comes from a chance meeting with Winifred, the daughter of a Lancashire grocer. The girl he determines to make his wife. Meeting Honora’s intelligent and silver-tongued medical student brother turns Winifred’s heart upside down and she finds herself suddenly pregnant. Bill Howarth reappears on the scene offering her a way out.
I was honoured when Gail Aldwin sent me a postcard about ‘The String Games’.
Presenting an author’s debut novel is one of the great privileges of blogging, and I was honoured when Gail Aldwin sent me a postcard about The String Games. This debut novel is to be published later this month by Victorina Press. Gail’s poetic style of writing is charged with emotion and appeals to me. I look forward to reading her debut novel to discover how she has painted the complex emotions involved in the challenging narrative.
Without further ado, I will hand over to my lovely guest, Dr Gail Aldwin.
I have long been a fan of Jessie’s writing (You Can’t Go It Alone is a super novel with memorable characters) and Jessie’s blog (always love being introduced to new writers) so I am delighted to be offered a post to celebrate the launch of my debut novel The String Games which will be published by Victorina Press later in May 2019.
When four-year-old Josh is abducted and murdered during a family holiday in France, Nim, aged ten, becomes an only child. To cope with the tragedy, Nim reinvents herself but continues to carry a burden of unresolved grief. As an adult she returns to France determined to find out more about the circumstances of Josh’s death. How will she deal with this new information and what are the implications for her future?
I love the variety of posts on Jessie’s blog and thought I’d take the opportunity to share an extract from the novel that brings food and unforeseen consequences together. Nim narrates the story of the holiday she shares with her brother and her mother, Jenny. Joining them at the caravan is Jenny’s lover Dee and her six-year-old daughter, Ella. In charge of the little kids, Nim takes them to the campsite shop to buy ice-creams:
When it was their turn to be served, Josh bashed his finger at the glass cabinet, pointing to the vanilla. It might be easy to read words in French but it wasn’t so easy to talk. Nim nodded at the lady and stuck three fingers in the air. It was easiest to order the same flavour but that didn’t stop Ella from moaning. She was lucky to have an ice cream at all, seeing as Dad’s money was meant for Nim and Josh. When the first cone was topped with a white wig, Nim passed it to Josh and the next went to Ella. When the last one arrived, Nim gave the lady the money.
‘Non, non, non!’ The assistant shook her head and wagged a finger.
Nim stood there. The little children licked their cones while ice cream ran onto Nim’s hand. What was the matter?
‘Zis English.’ The assistant spat the words.
‘Yes.’
‘Non, non, non!’
‘Is something wrong?’ It was a relief to hear an English voice. The man had a tanned forehead and lines showed on his cheeks when he smiled.
‘I don’t know,’ said Nim. ‘My dad gave me the money as a going away present.’
‘He should’ve given you francs. Never mind. Let me get these.’ He passed the assistant a brown note and returned the five pounds to Nim. ‘Save that for a treat when your holiday’s over – you can spend it back in the UK.’
‘I’m not sure.’
‘It’s not a problem. Let me do you a favour. Your dad would do the same in this situation, I’m sure.’
‘Hmm.’ Nim didn’t know what to say. She’d been told not to talk to strangers, but it was too late. Josh crunched the last of his cone.
‘What’s your name?’ asked Josh.
‘Shush,’ said Nim. Josh had been warned as well, but the man didn’t look like a stranger. He wore a shiny top, and Nim hoped Josh wasn’t going to say anything about football shirts.
‘I’m Geoff,’ he said.
‘What’s your job?’ said Josh. ‘And where did you get that shirt?’
‘Too many questions,’ said Nim.
‘Don’t worry. I know what boys are like. I’ve got nephews. They’re toddlers at the moment but I bet they’ll be the same as Josh one day.’
‘When I was little, I wanted to be a tractor,’ said Josh. ‘But now I want to be a policeman.’
‘Interesting career choice,’ said Geoff.
‘We live at Sank-on-Seas,’ said Josh.
‘Sank-on-Seas?’ Geoff repeated.
‘He means fifty-six in English,’ Nim corrected, but realising she’d probably said too much, she elbowed Josh. ‘We need to go.’
‘Goodbye.’ Josh scampered to the steps, where he turned.
‘You can come to my place any time you want ice cream. My freezer is full of it,’ said Geoff. ‘Just look for the caravan with the yellow door along the road from here.’
‘Okay.’ Josh skipped down the steps.
This is the postcard Gail sent me from Dorset. I’ll certainly take care if I ever need to walk on the bridge.
When Josh goes missing later in the novel, suspicions about Geoff are raised and Nim shoulders feelings of responsibility for bringing the two of them together.
The String Games takes hold of the reader and the juncture of the head and the heart and simply does not let go. With courage and tenderness, and an unblinking eye, Gail Aldwin explores the ways in which the loss of a child explodes a family. Treat yourself and read this one.
JACQUELYN MITCHARD, bestselling author of THE DEEP END OF THE OCEAN
About Gail Aldwin
Gail co-writes short plays and comedy sketches that have been staged in Bridport, Brighton and Salisbury. She also performs her work at fringe festivals in the South-West.
Gail Aldwin’s published work includes Adversaries/Comrades, a poetry pamphlet (Wordsmith_HQ, 2019) and a collection of short fiction Paisley Shirt (Chapeltown Books, 2018) which was longlisted in the Saboteur Awards 2018. Gail co-writes short plays and comedy sketches that have been staged in Bridport, Brighton and Salisbury. She also performs her work at fringe festivals in the South-West. The String Games is her debut novel.
Gail’s anthology of flash fiction entitled Paisley Shirt captivated and moved me. In the future, I will blog the flash fiction Gail’s work anthology inspired me to write. I am excited to discover how Gail will stretch my imagination with The String Games.
Lizzie wore a very glamorous blue and white blouse and jeans.
Lizzie Lamb’s blue VW camper attracted admirers at Urquhart Castle in Scotland. The engine purred obediently as Lizzie expertly manoeuvred the vintage beauty into a parking space, overlooking Loch Ness.
Lizzie emerged from the van and invited me inside. She wore a very glamorous blue and white blouse and jeans.
Lizzie Lamb’s blue VW camper parked at Urquhart Castle.
While she prepared some tea in the compact kitchen, I opened a tin of Scottish shortbread. A copy of Lizzie’s novel, ‘Girl at the Castle’, invited me to peer inside. Lizzie’s books are always so beautifully designed and presented in a distinctive lilac colour.
Lizzie: Fate takes Henriette Bruar to a Scottish castle where the laird’s family are in mourning over a tragedy which happened many years before. Cue a phantom piper, a lost Jacobite treasure, and a cast of characters who – with Henri’s help, encourage the family to confront the past and move on. As part of the healing process, Henriette falls in love with the laird’s son, Keir, and they achieve the happy ending they both deserve.
Jessie: The plot and setting sound thrilling. I know you write in a very natural and witty style. Can you tempt us with a couple of words from ‘Girl in the Castle’?
A beautifully designed novel in a handbag.
Lizzie: ‘Giving a superstitious shiver, Henriette acknowledged there were subtle forces at work in this ancient castle. Forces which wanted her and Keir to be together, forever.’
Jessie: This is delicious! I know you have been longlisted for the Exeter Novel Prize. What did the reviewers say about The Girl in the Castle?
Lizzie opened up a folder on her laptop and read some reviews. I was sure I heard the distant sound of bagpipes, but Lizzie didn’t comment.
Lizzie: Ah, here they are. I’ll read three reviews.
Can you see Nessie?
‘I loved all the many elements in this novel: The location, history, slightly paranormal atmosphere, love lost and found, and a missing treasure. Not to forget gorgeous Keir MacKenzie, a hero to swoon over.’
‘This convincing romance beginning in conflict and distrust is set in stunning scenery which comes to life through Henri’s experiences and Keir’s enthusiasm for his birth right. A great read!’
‘Girl in the Castle is romantic, witty, interesting and you don’t want it to finish. I enjoyed all the characters – and the storyline. I laughed, gasped, and wished I were Henriette! I love the way Lizzie is knowledgeable about Scotland and shares this with the reader in a heartfelt way. A romantic novel with substance and wit – hurry up and write us the next one, please.’
Jessie: As expected the reviews wax lyrical about your writing. Having read one of your novels, I get the sense that you are very attached to the characters and this brings them to life so beautifully. Did you miss the characters of ‘Girl in the Castle’ when you had finished writing the novel?
Lizzie: When I finish a novel it’s always hard to say goodbye to the characters. Many of my readers feel the same and often ask for a sequel. However, although I miss the characters and the setting ,once I type THE END, that’s it for me. I leave the novel so that readers can imagine what would happen next . . . I think it has been hardest to say goodbye to Henri and Keir. And – mad writer alert – I still have conversations with them in my head and I know exactly what they’re doing now. I felt the same about Charlee and Rafa in Boot Camp Bride and Fliss and Ruairi in Tall, Dark and Kilted.
Lizzie Lamb viewing Castle Stalker: the inspiration for Girl in the Castle.
Lizzie opened a collection of photographs in a gallery. She left me to scroll through the images while she refilled the teapot. I was sure I heard the bagpipes again as I studied the photos.
Lizzie: We spend a month each year in Scotland. Castle Stalker on Loch Linnhe, near Oban is the inspiration behind Girl in the Castle.
Jessie: Of course, I have seen this iconic image on the front cover. I’d love to visit the castle and read all your novels. Who would you like to read your novels?
Lizzie: I would choose Jilly Cooper. I adored her earlier books: Emily, Prudence etc. and her bonk busters: Polo, Riders et al. I would like Jilly to read my books because that would be my way of saying: ‘thank you for inspiring me to become a writer, and for making it all seem possible’. If I’m allowed a second, more practical choice, I would thank Amazon for giving indie authors the means of getting their books ‘out there’ to a wide audience of readers.
Jessie: As an independent author, I notice your wealth of images and campaigns. Where do you get the photos from?
Lizzie: As a writer and blogger I am very aware of infringing copyright so I have subscribed to a couple of websites where I pay and download images: https://www.123rf.comhttps://www.dreamstime.comhttps://unsplash.com Other than that, I take my own photos with my iPhone wherever I go. A word of warning, don’t assume that images you see on Pinterest etc. are copyright free, always double check before uploading anything onto your sites. If in doubt, credit the artist/photographer.
Although, it was drizzling and grey outside, we decided to enjoy the Scottish weather. Meandering along the shores of Loch Ness, we both joked about meeting up with Monster.
Jessie: Tell me, why should I keep your novel in my handbag?
Lizzie: My book would be the ideal companion when you’re feeling at a low ebb because I write feel good books, set in wonderful locations, with humorous secondary characters and, most importantly, a hero to fall in love with. If you want a break from the usually run of the mill romances, try one of mine. Oh, and bring a large handbag, my paperbacks are 9”x5” and need lots of space.
Jessie: Don’t worry, I am always hunting for a new handbag. I think a tartan handbag is called for, after this trip. What is the last sentence written in your writer’s notebook?
Lizzie: Dialogue between the hero (Logan) and his grandfather written as bullet points (which is how I generally write dialogue in my first draft).
do you love the girl?
I guess I do, but . . .
then what are you waiting for. Go get her. As the poet said: faint heart never won fair lady.
While Lizzie read her dialogue, I noticed a mysterious shadow in the water, and the skirl of bagpipes sounded closer. I think a certain Nessie may have been listening to the story. Neither of us commented because we just knew… Lizzie removed a delicate whisky flask from her handbag and we celebrated with a wee dram. Slainte!
Jessie: What is the biggest challenge for an author?
Lizzie: Writing books has never been an issue, my head is teeming with ideas for future novels. The hard bit is getting my books to the notice of a wider public and finding new readers. I would love to get my books in supermarkets etc. but I know that won’t happen without my being a contracted author. If I was contracted to one of the ‘Big Five’ publishers I’d probably have to write books in genres I wouldn’t enjoy. So, its Catch-22 for me. I would like more time to write and spend less time on social media, but without social media I wouldn’t have achieved the sales I have.
Jessie: What is the best advice that you have received as a writer?
Lizzie: Stop endlessly polishing the first three chapters and a synopsis to send to agents and publishers. You might find that once the novel is completed you jettison the first few chapters in any case. Finish the whole novel, edit it and then polish it to send out to agents/publishers (if that’s the route you want to take). Failing that, publish it yourself – but remember, time, tide and the whims of publishers/agents wait for no man. By the time you write that great novel of yours, trends will have changed and your novel won’t be what agents/publishers are looking for.
Jessie: This interview has inspired me to plan a trip to Scotland, but my Scottish neighbour is always warning me about the midges.
We discussed Girl in the Castle, drank tea and ate Scottish shortbread.
Lizzie: The received wisdom is that you are ‘pretty safe’ in late May/ early June but the wee beasties are bad in July and August. Having said that, if May is very warm, the eggs hatch and they come early. We’ve never been bothered by them and I’ve received worse bites in our garden in the summer.
Jessie: That’s reassuring. Where’s the best place to begin a tour?
Lizzie: Edinburgh or Inverness make great centres to tour from if you’ve never been to Scotland before. Fewer midges on that coast, too. We love the west coast but it is much wetter (and more midges). Stirling is also a good centre as you can have some fantastic days out exploring the Trossachs. When you get a feel for those parts of Scotland you can head for the ‘wilder parts’ on another visit.
Lizzie showed me collection of photos. Ardvreck Castle, Assynt Geo Park Nth West Scotland, Achnasheen nr Kinlochewe, island in middle of Lake Maree, Argyll and Bute
Jessie: Thanks for the advice. I am going to stock up on your novels then plan another trip to Scotland.
About Lizzie
Lizzie: If you have a dream – go for it. Life is not a rehearsal After teaching my 1000th pupil and working as a deputy head teacher in a large primary school, I decided it was time to leave the chalk face and pursue my first love: writing. In 2006 I joined the Romantic Novelists? Association’s New Writers? Scheme, honed my craft and wrote Tall, Dark and Kilted (2012), quickly followed a year later by Boot Camp Bride (2013) and Scotch on the Rocks (2015) – finalist, The Exeter Novel Prize.
Lizzie is hardworking, creative and focused on writing the best book she can. She loves sharing her stories and ideas with readers, new and old. She gets a real buzz when readers tell her that when they turned the last page of her novel they feel bereft and she should hurry up and write another.
I first stumbled on Lizzie’s books when searching for another great reading escape. Thrilled at Lizzie’s ability to inspire comedy, I downloaded all of her novels. Her Scottish books motivated me to plan a holiday in Scotland. Lizzie is great fun and her love of writing shines through her novels.
Lizzie says: “when I’m not writing – I’m dreaming”
