Knox Box of Miscellany

Dawn Knox – A rearranger of words into something hopefully meaningful…

3rd March 2024
by Dawn Knox
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‘The Finding of Eden’ Audiobook

'The Finding of Eden' Audiobook cover
‘The Finding of Eden’ Audiobook cover

It’s been several months since I last posted on my blog. Those of you who are friends will know why that is. However, I haven’t stopped writing and now have several projects in the pipeline. One of those is to release the books in the Lady Amelia Saga as audiobooks. ‘The Duchess of Sydney’ came out last year but there has been a delay in producing the others. Now, however, ‘The Finding of Eden’, narrated by Abigail Langham is out.

'The Duchess of Sydney' Audiobook cover
‘The Duchess of Sydney’ Audiobook cover

And Abigail is over halfway through the third audiobook in the Lady Amelia series, ‘The Other Place’.

It’s been an interesting experience finding a narrator on ACX and seeing (and hearing!) the progress until the final product. First, I had to send off a passage from the book to ACX and anyone interested in auditioning to be my narrator posted their recording. Over the next few days, I received about a dozen recordings. Abigail was the first to reply and by far the best, so I accepted her, and she’s proved to be an excellent choice. She’s professional, easy to talk to and has a wonderful voice!

When Abigail had finished recording all the chapters, I listened to the entire book so I could approve it, and the finished product was submitted to ACX. Shortly after, it was available on Amazon and also on Audible. You can find ‘The Duchess of Sydney’ here on Amazon and here on Audible .

Betrayed, maliciously accused and transported. Will she ever be free?

Betrayed by her family and convicted of a crime she did not commit, Georgiana is sent halfway around the world to the penal colony of Sydney, New South Wales. Aboard the transport ship, the Lady Amelia, Lieutenant Francis Brooks, the ship’s agent becomes her protector, taking her as his “sea-wife”, not because he has any interest in her but because he has been tasked with the duty.
Despite their mutual distrust, the attraction between them grows. But life has not played fair with Georgiana. She is bound by family secrets and lies. Will she ever be free again – free to be herself and free to love?

‘The Finding of Eden’ is here on Amazon and here on Audible.

Torn from her family. Transported as a convict. Will she ever find a home?

1782 – the final year of the Bonner family’s good fortune. Eva, the eldest child of a respectable London watchmaker becomes guardian to her sister, Keziah, and brother, Henry. Barely more than a child herself, she tries to steer a course through a darker side of London she hadn’t known existed. But her attempts are not enough to keep the family together and she is wrongfully accused of a crime she didn’t commit and transported to the penal colony of Sydney, New South Wales on the Lady Amelia.
Treated as a virtual slave, she loses hope. Little wonder that when she meets Adam Trevelyan, a fellow convict, she refuses to believe they can find love.

And very soon, ‘The Other Place’ will be available in audiobook too.

Have you had experience of recording an audiobook? Or would like to find out more? Why not get in touch?

17th November 2023
by Dawn Knox
0 comments

‘It Happened in Essex 2’ is now out!

‘It Happened in Essex 2’ is now out! Buy your copy here on Amazon It’s available in paperback and Kindle, as well as Kindle Unlimited.

Cover of 'It Happened in Essex 2'
‘It Happened in Essex 2′ Tall, historical tales from the Basildon Writers’ Group

The Basildon Writers’ Group had brought out a second anthology to raise money for their friends at Basildon Hospital Radio. The first anthology was entitled ‘It Happened in Essex’ and came out in 2020. It consisted of ten stories written by members of the group in the first part. In the second part, I wrote the beginning of a fractured fairy tale and the other members – including chair of Basildon Hospital Radio, Jacqui James – wrote their own ending. And how varied the endings to the story were! If you’d like to buy a copy of the first anthology, you can find it here on Amazon

Cover of It Happened in Essex
It Happened in Essex – Tall Tales from the Basildon Writers.

Now, the second in the ‘It Happened in Essex’ series is out. This new book includes stories based in Essex from fourteen authors – all with a historical twist in the first part. In the second part, you’ll find drabbles written by the authors to explore their thoughts on Essex. What’s a drabble? Well, it’s a story of exactly 100 words. So, they’re short and sweet.

Here’s the blurb:

Do you think you know Essex? Take a fresh look through fourteen pairs of eyes.

Fourteen local writers take us on a trail of hope, horror and myth in It Happened in Essex 2 as they once again donate all the profits from this latest book to Basildon Hospital Radio.

Personal memories, fictional accounts of real events, and some that will keep you guessing. You will not be disappointed – the members of Basildon Writers’ Group have over 100 published novels and anthologies between them.

The group’s first book, It Happened In Essex was published in 2020 to acclaim from TV star Richard Madeley, the local MP, the Mayor of Basildon, and veteran radio DJ ‘Diddy’ David Hamilton, among many others. It also achieved a remarkable 4.6 stars out of 5 on Amazon reviews.

Now, It Happened In Essex 2 aims to beat the previous contributions to Basildon Hospital Radio, which is run by a team of dedicated volunteers 24/7. It is funded by initiatives such as this, keeping Basildon Hospital Radio on air for patients, relatives, and staff.

It Happened In Essex 2 – will you recognise all the locations?

Buy the book for yourself or as a gift, and take the challenge today.

Buy the book here on Amazon. Thank you!

22nd October 2023
by Dawn Knox
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The Destruction of a Dawn Redwood Tree

The Destruction of a Dawn Redwood Tree

The Dawn Redwood
The Dawn Redwood

I had intended that my next blog post would be about my summer meanderings, however, two days ago, something happened that shocked me.

I’ll start back at last Tuesday. Several neighbours and I went to a council planning meeting to hear the verdict on a building proposal. The developer was proposing to replace the house on a nearby plot with two new houses. The proposal also included landscaping of the garden. ‘Landscaping’ apparently meant the removal of 22 out of 28 trees.

The house hasn’t been lived in for several years and was rather overgrown, so obviously, some clearance was necessary. However on the boundary between that house and our next door neighbour’s was a magnificent Dawn Redwood tree. Although Dawn Redwoods are endangered, they are not protected (find out more here).

Each year since we’ve lived in this house, I’ve watched the needles change from green to brown in the autumn and when the early morning sun lit it up, they glowed like copper. The plot is elevated above many of the neighbouring houses and since it was such a tall tree, most of the neighbours in our area could see it too. The lady who’d lived in the house must have planted it because she and her husband had been the people who’d built the house. Before that, I believe the area was an orchard. She once told me that experts from Kew Gardens had come to look at the tree and had said it was the largest specimen in Europe. It was a truly magnificent tree. 

At the council meeting the proposal to build the two houses and carry out the landscaping was turned down, although it was very close. Seven votes to reject the proposal and 6 to allow it. Strangely, the six members who voted to allow the proposal didn’t speak up in defence of their opinions although they were encouraged to do so on several occasions by the chair. Indeed, one of the six had earlier given a good reason why it was not a good proposal to accept. Nevertheless, he still voted to allow it.

During the meeting somebody from the planning office said that the trees weren’t the issue regarding privacy, after all there were no tree preservation orders (TPOs) on any of the trees and the developer could go in the following day and knock them all down. She said that privacy should be achieved by design. That’s quite a task since the existing house is much higher than the houses around it. With no trees providing screening, it is bound to look out on them.

A planning officer came around several weeks ago when the first planning proposal had been submitted by the developer for three houses on the plot (that was later rejected), and she told us that the council tree expert had decided the redwood tree was too large and would have to be chopped down. Although we’d considered trying to get a TPO on the tree, there didn’t seem to be much point if we would have to apply to a man who had already decided it needed to be cut down. We learnt at the meeting that the council tree expert had been advised by the developer’s tree expert. So, we might have stood a chance of getting a TPO if we’d tried. Of course, the following morning, the first thing we did was to start the process of getting a TPO on the tree. Little did we suspect there’d be no time. We hoped that common sense would prevail. After the success on Tuesday, we imagined that the developer would submit new plans and that sooner or later the existing house would be demolished and more houses built. However, we were only really worried about the trees, the privacy they offered and particularly the redwood which everyone loved.

On Friday morning, the developer arrived with tree surgeons who were going to clear the area. And guess which tree they made for first? Yes the magnificent Dawn Redwood tree.

The neighbours couldn’t believe it. For most of Friday, chainsaws were going as they lopped off branches until it looked like a totem pole and then I brought the whole thing down with such a crash that it shook our house. In fact, I thought the tree had fallen the wrong way and hit our side wall.

The tree surgeons will be back on Monday to clear more. I cannot believe that such a wonderful tree has been destroyed. The plot is directly opposite a primary school. What sort of message are we sending those children? We talk about preserving trees and valuing biodiversity and then we do exactly as we please with our environment.

If the Dawn Redwood had been in the way, I would’ve understood it, but it was on the boundary. It had been there all the time the previous owner had lived there.

And now it is gone. Each time I look out of the window all I can see is sky. Next week I’ll be able to clearly see the house next door for the first time ever if they clear as much of the remaining trees as I suspect they will.

Friday was a sad day.

So, the moral of the story is that if you have trees near you that you enjoy, even if they’re not yours, consider applying to your council for a TPO. Apparently you don’t need to own the tree to do that. One day, someone might appear with a chainsaw and simply remove it, so if you value it and would miss it if it disappeared, apply immediately. It takes many weeks before one might be granted, so don’t delay.

19th October 2023
by Dawn Knox
2 Comments

Introducing Mari Jane Law…

Book cover for 'Love in the Cupboard' by Mari Jane Law
Book cover for ‘Love in the Cupboard’ by Mari Jane Law

I’m taking a short break from my summer meanderings to introduce you to a fellow author.

I’d like you to meet Mari Jane Law to find out a little about her writing and books. Mari—pronounced “marry”—has had two quirky romantic comedies published so far.

  1. What made you start writing fiction, Mari?

The power of creating a world with my own characters and have them doing what I—mostly—want them to do is very empowering. Sometimes a character develops a little too well and has a mind of their own. Then there might be some disagreement between us as to how they appear on the page. Often, they win. Sometimes, they are reined in through my writing groups as they have “gone too far” or been completely inappropriate. So it’s a matter of balance. But essentially what drives me is creating an entertaining story that can pull at the heartstrings—while providing the tension of will they or won’t they get together? With rom-coms, the happy ending is essential and that’s what I love to give. I’m in a fairy-tale land where the hero and heroine live happily ever after.

2. Why do you call your writing quirky?

In life we usually want to fit in, be like everyone else, considered “normal”. I find characters who step outside the expected norms interesting to create and write about—as well as interesting to know.

I like characters with peculiar or unexpected traits, habits and bizarre behaviour to add a different flavour to my writing and to provide entertainment. Because, deep down, aren’t we all a bit like that? What else provides material for amusing personal anecdotes if not our embarrassing mishaps?

3. Which quirky rom-coms have you written?

My first quirky rom-com was Love & Pollination. It was shortlisted for Choc Lit’s 2019 Search for a Star competition. My heroine is whacky with bizarre behaviour and idiosyncrasies—such as her coping mechanism when she gets unwelcome news. But, read to the end, and, as well as seeing the range of her behaviours and thought processes, you get to understand why Perdita is as she is. The plot progression is one that readers will be more familiar with, despite the unexpected choice of heroine.

But with Love in the Cupboard, the plot is complex and the threads intertwine to create multiple storylines. In this book, the reader gets far more than they bargained for! But it all comes right at the end. I was delighted when Love in the Cupboard won a silver medal in the fiction category for humor/comedy in Readers’ Favorite International Book Awards 2023.

4. What inspired your book Love in the Cupboard?

When I was a child, my parents occasionally took me to the theatre, which was a massive treat. I discovered that I liked ridiculous plots filled with misunderstandings and characters not behaving as one would expect to further their ends. The Importance of Being Earnest was my great introduction to farcical comedy. And the witty dialogue between the women over tea and cakes mesmerised me. It might have been the first time I witnessed anyone being incredibly rude under the guise of politeness. Elizabeth Bennett also manages this expertly in Pride and Prejudice

While I was working on Love & Pollination, I decided to write a series. I had a Catholic theme for the heroine in book 1 and it would balance things out if, in book 2, I had a Catholic theme for the hero. I made him a priest. 

Thinking of farce, I wondered how best the new hero and heroine could meet. Well, priests spend time in a confessional so… why not meet in an ordinary cupboard? The story grew from there. And meeting in the dark where neither knows what the other looks like—or sounds like as they were whispering—had the perfect set-up for a farcical rom-com. For a bigger farcical hit, I brought in other characters and sub-plots into the mix and had a whole load of fun with them.

5. What are you working on at the moment?

I’m working on my third book in the Love & Mishaps Quirky Romantic Comedy Series. It’s set in the same world as the other books and we meet some of the previous characters again. But my hero and heroine are new protagonists. This story is a little different as it’s quite heart-wrenching besides having humorous moments. Like Love in the Cupboard, there will be multiple storylines—and I hope readers will consider the ending heart-warming.

Realising that heart-wrenching and rom-com do not sit so well together (identifying me as a quirky author), my fourth book will be back on track with more fun than heartache.

If you’d like a copy of Mari’s book Love in the Cupboard, you can find it here on Amazon.

And Love and Pollination can be found here on Amazon.

2 responses to “Introducing Mari Jane Law…”

  1. Mari Jane Law avatar

    Thanks so much Dawn for giving me this opportunity to take up a spot on your blog!

    1. Dawn Knox avatar
      Dawn Knox

      You are very welcome, Mari. It was so interesting to hear what you had to say about writing RomComs! Perhaps you’ll come again after you have a few more books out!

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17th October 2023
by Dawn Knox
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Trip to Portmeirion, Wales

Bust of Patrick McGoohan in Portmeirion
Bust of Patrick McGoohan, star of The Prisoner, in Portmeirion

In my last post, I told you a little about my trip to London for the Romantic Novelists’ Association conference (you can read about it here) during the summer. Shortly after that, I went with my family to Wales. The highlight was visiting Portmeirion in the north of Wales – a place we’d all wanted to see for years.

If you are of a certain age, (or even if you are not!) you may have heard of ‘The Prisoner’ TV series which was broadcast in 1967 on ITV. Parts of the episodes were filmed in studios in Borehamwood, London, but the outside filming was done in the beautiful village of Portmeirion. If you’ve never heard of it, check out their website here.

I must admit I only have a few memories of the program, but the parts I remember are particularly vivid. Overall, I recall the frustration of the star, Patrick McGoohan, as all his escape efforts were thwarted and the utter hopelessness of trying to maintain his identity in a place where people were known only by a number. If you’re familiar with ‘The Prisoner’, you’ll surely remember this phrase, “I am not a number, I am a free man!”

And of course, one of my clearest memories was of that dreadful, huge, white balloon that was sent out to stop people escaping. I will never forget the sight of a terrified face through the balloon fabric! If you’ve seen any of the episodes, you’ll know what I mean!

View of Portmeirion
View of Portmeirion

As we walked around Portmeirion, other memories came back to me, such as the strange outfits the inhabitants wore – coloured blazers with piping, multicoloured capes, striped sweaters, plimsolls, and a variety of headwear, with straw boaters being very popular. And how about the penny farthings?

That evening, after our trip to Portmeirion, we watched the first episode in the series on catch up. It was interesting to pick out places we’d walked around during that day.

Did you ever watch ‘The Prisoner’? Which part sticks in your memory?

So, after Wales, where did we go? I’ll tell you in my next post…

15th October 2023
by Dawn Knox
0 comments

Bye Bye Summer…

At the RNA conference with my friends
At the RNA conference with my friends

If you live in the UK, especially in the south, you’ll know what I mean when I say ‘Bye bye, summer.’ We’ve been enjoying a beautiful Indian summer but this morning when I woke up, the temperature outside was 3 degrees C.

How was your summer?

Mine gathered pace as the summer progressed – hence the lack of posts on my blog. Luckily, each time we’ve been away or had a day out, the weather has been good. The rest of the time it has been remarkably unseasonal. All, except for one day when we visited friends in Southwold, Suffolk, and then it rained. But every other day we’ve arranged to go out or to meet with people, the sun has shone

Things started to get busy in August when I went to the Romantic Novelists’ Association (RNA) conference in London. What a fabulous event. Meeting up with so many friends and making new ones was lovely and I learnt a lot as well from the excellent workshops. I had some interesting conversations with several industry professionals which were very useful.

We were staying in student accommodation and on Saturday morning, I woke early and went for a walk around South Kensington. Spotting a blue plaque, I took out my phone to take a photo and then noticed two policemen standing outside a grand house a short distance away. One of them began to walk purposefully towards me and I froze. Should I not have been taking photos? Was he going to move me on – or worse?

I stammered that I was taking a photo of the blue plaque and he said to go ahead. He was just throwing something in the bin beside which I was standing!

One thing’s for sure, I wouldn’t make a good spy! I’m much too jumpy and my conscience is too keen!

However, I have been reading a lot about World War Two spies in readiness for another story. And during one of my days out this summer, I was lucky enough to see a Second World War aeroplane that I associate with spies but more of that another day. If you can’t wait, you can see some pics here

20th July 2023
by Dawn Knox
2 Comments

Hawaii Fiction Writers

Hawaii Fiction Writers.

Do you belong to a writers’ group? If so, how many? I belong to three. The Basildon Writers, The Brentwood Writers’ Circle and amazingly, consider I live in the UK, Hawaii Fiction Writers.

Hawaii Fiction Writers' Logo
Hawaii Fiction Writers’ Logo designed by Brett Botbyl

I’ve never been to any of the Hawaiʻi Fiction Writers’ meetings because I’ve never been to Hawaii but I’ve met online with several of them and have been doing so throughout lockdown. And what a welcoming group they are!

These are their details: A vibrant and expanding literary community, Hawaiʻi Fiction Writers holds readings, workshops, and contests for fiction writers of all genres. We are passionate writers coming together to meet other storytellers in a supportive atmosphere of warmth, insight, and humor. This is the place to find feedback, advice, and a friendly look into the highs and lows of this noble craft. We laugh and lament. We show the community what we do through presentations, workshops, and joint publications. 

They meet on the first Saturday of the month in the ʻĀina Haina Public Library

One of my stories has even been included in the anthology they published to raise money for their library, entitled, ‘Kissing Frogs and Other Quirky Fairy Tales’ which is full of fractured fairy tales. In fact, that was the first time I’d encountered the term ‘fractured fairy tale’. If you’ve never heard of it either, it’s a story that takes a classic fairy tale or children’s story and adds a twist, changes characters, or makes the tale more modern. If you’d like a copy of the book in paperback, you can find it here on Amazon.  The anthology was compiled by Michael Little and he’s organising a new one this year, so watch this space…

Cover for Kissing Frogs and Other Quirky Fairy Tales
Cover for Kissing Frogs and Other Quirky Fairy Tales

I also have a page on their website (yes, really!) and from there, you can read my work in progress, a World War Two romance set in the Plotlands of Dunton and the East End of London. You can see my page here.

Hawaii Fiction Writers' webpage
Hawaii Fiction Writers’ webpage

And here’s my current work in progress.

Each month, members read out stories which are recorded and shown here . In August, Brett will be reading out my story in ‘Kissing Frogs and Other Quirky Fairy Tales’ which I can’t wait to watch!

Many thanks to my friends, David and Shauna Jones, Michael Little, Gail Baugniet and Brett Botbyl who’ve been so amazing by including me amongst their number. I’m a very proud member of the Hawaiʻi Fiction Writers!

2 responses to “Hawaii Fiction Writers”

  1. Brett Botbyl avatar

    And what a joy to meet and get to know you, Dawn! Our sister from across the miles. Aloha!

    1. Dawn Knox avatar
      Dawn Knox

      Ahhh! Thanks, Brett!

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17th July 2023
by Dawn Knox
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Sir John Soane’s Museum, London

Sir John Soane's Museum on Lincoln's Inn Fields, London
Sir John Soane’s Museum on Lincoln’s Inn Fields, London

A few weeks ago, I decided to investigate another Regency walk from the book, ‘Walks Through Regency London’ by Louise Allen (you can find it here). I was going to have lunch with the ladies of the London & South East chapter of the Romantic Novelists Association and wanted to do a walk before I met them.

I selected a route and then discovered that it passed a museum I’d never visited, so I thought I’d go there instead and save the rest of the walk for another time. The museum I decided to visit was the Sir John Soane‘s Museum in Lincoln’s Inn Fields. Sir John Soane (1753-1837) was a renowned architect. You can see a list of his buildings here. He bought three neighbouring houses, nos. 12,13 and 14, demolished them then rebuilt them. He lived in no. 13 and that one became the museum.

If you write stories set in the Georgian or Regency times, it’s easier to imagine the characters in your stories exchanging pleasantries whilst sipping tea and nibbling cakes, if you’re surrounded by authentic decoration and ornaments. I was hoping to immerse myself in the Georgian world and take a few photographs to remind me later. In a Georgian architect’s house, I’d expected gorgeous rooms with lofty ceilings and tasteful decoration. What I actually got was something rather more unusual than that!

The first room was the dining room and library and it lived up to my expectations – grand and tasteful – but as I left that, I entered a narrow passage, which surprisingly contained a writing desk. A strange place to have a desk because it was in a small room that linked two much larger rooms, so whoever wrote at the desk might have constantly found people coming and going past them. Then I entered the next room which was so crammed full of stone statues, busts and other figures, I almost felt claustrophobic!

Sir John Soane's dining room and library
Sir John Soane’s dining room and library

I’ve never been in a museum store room but that’s how I imagine one to be. I moved further into the room to find the Dome Area (see picture). Surely, a housemaid’s nightmare.

Dome Area
Dome Area

I continued to explore the house, going upstairs to find more of the sort of rooms that I’d expected – like stately drawing rooms. I also went down to the basement where the kitchens were. Yes kitchens. There were two. The first one I entered, was apparently the wet kitchen, so the guide informed me. It contained the oldest patent range in the world. The front, or dry, kitchen was where the food preparation took place and there was another range in there.

Old range in the wet kitchen
Old range in the wet kitchen

Leading off the front kitchen was the china cupboard which was locked. I could only take a photograph through the window. The guide told me that the collection had been much depleted after Sir John died. The servants had been allowed to live on in the house after his death and lots of pieces disappeared then. I’m not sure whether they were removed or broken, or perhaps both.

Glimpse into the china cupboard
Glimpse into the china cupboard

Also in the basement was the sarcophagus of King Seti I. Apparently, when Sir John rebuilt no. 13, he replaced the basement cellars with the Sepulchral Chamber and his own homage to the catacombs of Ancient Rome. A rather sobering experience!

The Picture Room was fascinating, and was absolutely crammed with – not surprisingly pictures – including several by William Hogarth and Canaletto. Another remarkable room was the Monk’s Parlour. It was very dark and Gothic and apparently Sir John took his guests in there after dinner to serve them tea. It also contained Robert Walpole’s desk beneath magnificent stained glass windows.

The Monk's Parlour
The Monk’s Parlour

Each room was a surprise, which is perhaps what Sir John intended and in fact, it was such a surprising house, that I had trouble finding my way out when I had to leave!

If you’re in London, near Lincoln’s Inn Fields and you have time, the Sir John Soane’s Museum is definitely worth a visit – and it’s free.

After that, I walked to Fleet Street. I still wanted to find some of the items on the walk that I’d originally been going to do, and one of those was Dr Samuel Johnson’s house. From my map, I could see it wasn’t far from Fleet Street and access was via an alley. I found Johnson’s Court and there was a helpful sign pointing to Samuel Johnson’s house. After several twists and turns I came to an open area and spotted a blue plaque that told me it had been a site of Samuel Johnson‘s house (1765-1776).

Blue plaque for Dr Samuel Johnson's house
Blue plaque for Dr Samuel Johnson’s house

I felt rather cheated having expected to see a house. However, I then spotted another sign pointing to Samuel Johnson‘s house. I followed that round another two bends and there it was – a rather fine house. I didn’t have time to go in, although I did find his cat. The statue of Hodge was in the square.

If you’d like to see more of the photos I took on my trip to Sir John Soane’s Museum, you can see them on Flickr, here

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30th June 2023
by Dawn Knox
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A Folly in Plotlands

A Folly in Plotlands.

Cover for 'A Folly in Plotlands'
‘A Folly in Plotlands’

The second book in The Heart of Plotlands Saga is out now. ‘A Folly in Plotlands’ follows on from ‘A Cottage in Plotlands’.

The folly in question is Vange Well No. 5 and it’s a real place that intrigued me when I first visited it.

During the early 1900s, Vange Wells Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 were sunk by an entrepreneur, Edwin Cash, former licensee of the ‘Angel’ in Islington. His company Vange Water Co. Ltd. bottled the water which had been tested and shown to have a high mineral content. It was sold in glass bottles for 2/3d (approximately 12p) in all local chemists until approximately 1924, when his company ceased trading. It isn’t known why the Vange Water Co. Ltd. stopped using Vange Well No. 5, although it’s thought that it may have become contaminated by water from a tuberculosis sanatorium further up the hillside.

Since that time, sadly, the building has been left to fall into decay and the woods have now engulfed it. If you’d like to read more about the history of Vange Well No. 5, click here to go to the Thurrock website.

The photos were taken in 2017, the last time I saw it. I often wonder what it looks like now.

In ‘A Folly in Plotlands’, the well is in a better condition than the photographs show because the story is set during the Second World War. I’m not sure what it looked like then, but I’ve imagined it in a better state.

So, what’s my book about?

Born in India. Raised in England. But where does her heart belong?
Samira Stewart has nowhere to call home.
With an Indian mother and English father, she’s sent to a convent in England to be educated. But in 1939, as war breaks out, she leaves school and is taken in by her father’s family – all of them strangers.
Living with relatives in Dunton Plotlands, she meets RAF Pilot, Luke, and loses her heart to him. But when she sets sail for India to visit her father, she discovers her uncle has arranged a marriage for her to a rich suitor – a man more than three times her age.
Can Samira escape her uncle’s clutches and find happiness with Luke, the only man she knows she’ll ever love.

You can find it here as a paperback or Kindle on Amazon. It is a standalone book, but it probably makes more sense to read ‘A Cottage in Plotlands’ first, so that you are introduced to the main character, Joanna.

Have you visited Vange Well No. 5? What did you think?

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23rd June 2023
by Dawn Knox
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Introducing Pocket Novelist, Sarah Swatridge

Sarah Swatridge
Sarah Swatridge

Introducing Pocket Novelist, Sarah Swatridge.

I’ve met Sarah on many of the Pocket Novelists’ Zoom video chats but never face to face, so it was interesting to conduct an interview and learn more about Sarah and her writing.

I asked a few questions and here are Sarah’s replies:

  1. What made you first decide to write a Pocket Novel?

I’d successfully written a number of short stories for women’s magazines and competitions. A Pocket Novel was the next step. I’d already entered a full-length novel for the RNA Netta Muskett Award, as it was then, so I knew I could do it!

2. Do you usually submit to My Weekly or People’s Friend or do you submit to both?

I have had Pocket Novels published by both My Weekly and People’s Friend but I’ve had more published by People’s Friend. My current ratio is 7 People’s Friend: 2 My Weekly.

3. Are all your Pocket Novels set in the same era?

I generally write historicals and they’re often set in Victorian times. However, I’ve also had a couple of contemporary novels published and I’ve got a medieval story being considered. I love reading historical novels, as well as writing them.

4. Which is your favourite of all the Pocket Novels that you’ve published, and why?

I have a soft spot for An Honourable Wager which was my first one, but my favourite is now probably Biddy’s Big Adventure. I love Biddy’s character and the fact she wanted to do something exciting with her life, as well as marrying the man she loved and starting a family.

5. What are you currently working on?

I am currently working on another historical pocket novel which will be a prequel to a series. I’m a planner and I’ve really enjoyed developing a set of characters. Each book in the series will focus on a different but linked, main character.

6. Tell us something surprising or interesting about yourself!

In my twenties I used to make bobbin lace, nowadays I just collect the bobbins. I wonder if I have any made by woodturner, John Darley, who also happens to write historical pocket novels!

7. What is your latest publication?

Adam’s Emporium has just been released by Ulverscroft Large Print and I’m delighted to say all three local councils have all bought copies for their libraries. Adam’s Emporium is set in Victorian times and is based around Ester who acts as go-between, between those who are too proud to pawn their goods and the pawnbroker himself.

Adam's Emporium Cover
Adam’s Emporium

Thanks for sharing that with us, Sarah! If anyone wants to sign up to Sarah’s one-page monthly newsletter, they can do so via sswatridge@hotmail.com. Copies go out ‘blind’ and you can unsubscribe at any time.

If you’d like to read about some of the other Pocket Novelists I’ve interviewed, you can find them here, including John Darley, who Sarah mentions!

Interview with Angela Britnell
Interview with Jill Barry
Interview with John Darley
Interview with Stefania Hartley
Interview with Carrie Hewlett
Interview with Sue Cook
Interview with Alan C Williams
Interview with Enid Reece

2 responses to “Introducing Pocket Novelist, Sarah Swatridge”

  1. John Darley avatar
    John Darley

    A very interesting article made even more so for me when my name was mentioned regarding bobbins. I didn’t actually make the bobbins, I painted on them, mostly wildlife. I worked for Biggins Bobbins and over the years painted 1600 of them

    1. Dawn Knox avatar
      Dawn Knox

      Gosh, that’s interesting, John!

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