So Many Sequels, So Little Time!

As my new book The Renaissance of Giovanna Brown begins its long journey towards publication sometime in the future, I am reminded about how much of myself I put into my fictional stories. Often unintentionally. I think all authors do this to some extent; our themes and ideas come from our life experiences; from our interest and passions. And the more life we have lived, and the more interests we have, and so, our stream of ideas, thoughts and themes for our books is deeper. And this means that we have even more stories to tell. So many stories, so little time!

The themes and ideas for my books come from a number of experiences in my life, be it place, theme or character.

The Traveller and The Rose, for example, was influenced by the time I spent in Andalucia and my neighbour’s reluctance to talk about the Spanish Civil War.

Divas, Dogs and Dreamers is set backstage in a touring musical theatre show,

Once Upon a Blue Moon draws on my younger life in Camden Town and my filmmaking days.

The Art Forger’s Daughter explores my love of Art History and the themes of truth and lies – secrets from the past which haunt the present generation. This is a recurring theme in many of my books.

Ruby Sixpence Whistles up a Storm however, is based on a character – a Wiser Older Woman – or a witch – and kickstarted my love of mystical and spiritual exploration which continues in my latest book.

In , The Renaissance of Giovanna Brown, I draw heavily on family stories of the Italian community in Manchester, and also on my love of art history. There is more of me in this book than any other, although I must emphasise that it is NOT autobiographical. All of the characters and events in my story are imagined. It also differs from my other books in that I have plotted this one from the character out – not from the story in! It has been the hardest book to write and I am grateful to Arts Council England for supporting me through the process with a mentor from The Literary Consultancy. I might not have kept going without this support.

SUMMARY

It is 1972, and Giovanna Brown is vulnerable.
Rejecting her family’s plans to spend the rest of her life in the café they run in the Italian community of Manchester brings her to art school in London, where her eyes are opened. Unfortunately, her childhood imaginary friend Perdita has come along for the ride and encourages her to sample all the delights that the 1970s London art scene has to offer. But her new life comes crashing down, and only a road trip where she meets a witch, a nun and a priest can free Giovanna from the constraints of the mundane future planned for her by her family. Is this a bad joke, or a glimpse of a more positive future for Giovanna?

Patterns for our lives are set in childhood and these often form the background colour and themes for what follows. Later, when we move away from our childhood homes, we grow into our own skins, and begin to forge a unique life for ourselves, based on the choices we make. Our experiences then come from our studies, work and family. The ups and downs of life. These become the focus around which our lives dance, and provide the narrative threads which we draw on in our fiction. I write THROUGH my life, rather than ABOUT my life. Whether the inspiration is a place, a character or a theme, I take this as the still point in the turning world of stories and spin a narrative from it.

So, by the time Giovanna Brown is published, I should have finished the next book. As a reader I often want to know what happens to the characters after I close the book. Even more so as a writer. So I have already planned a sequel. In fact, I have outline ideas for a trilogy! I now just need the time and space and more research to see this trilogy through before I return to Spain to write the next book in my Spanish Trilogy. And perhaps a sequel to The Art Forger’s Daughter after that. Although the new ideas keep coming thick and fast, so I may move into other stories before I complete the lives of the ones I have already written.

Wherever the writing takes me, it will continue to reflect my passions and enthusiasm for my themes: families, love, truth and lies and those vexatious secrets which haunt all families. I continue to write stories which draw on my life experiences and I am being increasingly drawn into the world of mysticism and magic, empowering women in an age of increasing spiritual searching. Which is where I am right now! Join me on the journey. Follow my blog here for further updates.