Welcome, Mary-Lou! Tell us about The Chocolate Factory, what inspired itand what’s special about the timing of its release?
I grew up in Hobart where a favourite school excursion or special family treat was a trip to the Cadbury’s Factory at Claremont. I still remember the aromas in the different areas of the factory ranging from harsh and overpowering to rich and sweet, and the hot chocolate we were given at the end of the tour, plus the delicious chocolate samples. This factory was the first factory established by Cadbury outside of the UK and I was curious as to why they chose Tasmania.
I went to The Friend’s School in Hobart, which is the largest Quaker school in the world. The link between Quakers and chocolate is strong. All the major UK chocolate companies were founded by Quaker families. The reason intrigued me.
The third element was discovering the extent of the industrial espionage that went on between chocolate the chocolate firms in the early 1900s. They tried to steal trade secrets by sending spies, posing as employees, into each other's factories. In turn the factories employed detectives to catch the spies. At this time Cadbury’s Dairy Milk was the most popular chocolate in the world. The recipe was kept in a vault at Bournville and very few were privy to its secrets. What if the chocolate spies thought they’d have a better chance of stealing the recipe from the new Tasmanian factory?
Chocolate, spies and Quakers – these are the three elements that inspired the writing of The Chocolate Factory.
I’m thrilled that The Chocolate Factory is being released this year. Back in 1824 John Cadbury opened his shop in Bull St, Birmingham, where he prepared cocoa and drinking chocolate using a mortar and pestle. 2024 marks Cadbury’s 200th anniversary. The timing couldn’t be sweeter.
Did you take any interesting research trips that helped with the writing of The Chocolate Factory?y
I walked every inch of the chocolate peninsula in Claremont where the Cadbury factory is located, “between the mountain and the sea” as their early promotional material put it. It’s a beautiful spot on the Derwent River. Many of the original buildings are still there as well as the remnants of the railway track that was laid especially for the factory. Sadly, it’s no longer possible to take a tour of the factory but having watched many videos of how the chocolate is manufactured today it’s a far cry from how the factory operated in the 1920s. Instead, I visited chocolate factories on my travels. My husband and I have been slow travelling through S.E. Asia for the past year and the rise of chocolate making in this part of the world is astounding. I was able to visit many small factories and see chocolate being made in very much the same way as it was in the 1920s when The Chocolate Factory is set.
While I was poking about the Cadbury Estate I met a man who lives in one of the original cottages provided for the staff of the factory. He was kind enough to give me a tour of the cottage, which he’d restored beautifully to the original 1920s style. It gave me a real sense of how some of the staff lived during the time frame of The Chocolate Factory.
What two surprising facts did you learn about Cadbury’s during the research stage?
One delightful surprise was finding out how Flake came into being. In 1920 a worker in the Bournville factory noticed that the overflow from the chocolate moulds fell into folds which cooled into flaky ripples. His observation led to one of Cadbury’s most popular lines.
I was also intrigued by the fierce opposition to the Tasmanian factory by the Australian confectionary manufacturers at the time. MacRobertson’s in particular was intent on stopping Cadbury from succeeding. There was much skulduggery. It’s ironic that many years later, in 1967, Cadbury bought MacRobertson’s.
Why did you choose to tell your story through two viewpoints: Dorothy’s and Maisie’s? What advantages did it offer? What is unique about these two women?
Dorothy Adwell grew up in Birmingham, the home of Cadbury. She began working for The Firm, as Cadbury is known to its employees, when she was thirteen. She brings the knowledge of chocolate making and the experience of living and working at Bournville to the story. Dorothy also brings the heartache and yearning of being a young war widow and the ambition and boldness of a woman who knows her worth. She’s a career woman at a time when that description hadn’t yet been coined.
Maisie Greenwood, born and raised in Hobart, is a young woman with a mission. She’s the oldest child of an ailing war widow and takes on the responsibility for her family. Her younger sister, Lily, is very bright and Maisie’s fervent desire is to enable Lily to stay in school and not have to start working at fourteen as she did. When Maisie lands a much-desired job at the new Cadbury factory she sees a way out of poverty and a future for her sister. Through Maisie we encounter the unfamiliar factory environment, the fascinating machines that make the chocolate and an initial naivety that falls away as she gains experience and navigates through some threatening and dangerous situations.
Tell us about your interest in Quakerism and its connection to this novel.
As I’ve mentioned, I studied at The Friend’s School in Hobart. Instead of attending chapel we would go to the Meeting Room and sit in silence as is the Quaker way. Quakerism is more of a philosophy than a religion. There are no clergy, no churches and no hierarchy. Quakers believe the light of God is in everyone. Everyone is equal. This was considered heretical back in the 1600s and Quakers were persecuted. They were banned from attending university because they would not pledge allegiance to the Church. As they were not able to become lawyers or doctors they turned to business instead and became very successful.
As I’ve grown older I’ve become more and more drawn to the Quaker principles of simplicity, social responsibility, pacifism and stewardship of the earth. I wanted very much to write a novel about Quakers but realised not everyone is as fascinated with them as I am. That’s when I remembered their links with chocolate. In the 1800s alcoholism was a widespread problem. The Quakers were advocates for temperance and considered hot chocolate and hot cocoa to be a healthy alternative to alcohol so they started selling and promoting it. Thus, the great firms of Cadbury, Rowntree’s, Fry and Terry’s were founded.
What was your most fun experience during the writing of The Chocolate Factory?
Eating lots of chocolate! Writing about chocolate day after day, and then through the editing process, I had chocolate on my mind constantly. I ate my way through every variety of Dairy Milk, all for research purposes you understand. Visiting chocolate factories was also a delight. I’ve met many passionate chocolate makers and tasted the results of their skill and ingenuity. There are some astounding chocolate varieties in the world.
Tell us about your writing and publishing history (the highs and lows).
I never thought I’d write novels. I was going to be a famous singer/songwriter. I played in bands for years, performing my own songs, but never got beyond a certain level. When my last band broke up I retrained at AFTRS and got a job in radio. While working for the ABC as a presenter I was asked to write a column for the local paper. I enjoyed writing and honing those 600 words every week, getting published and getting paid. I began writing short stories and attending writing workshops and retreats. I was about 40 at this stage. After a few years, I saved up my money and took leave without pay to find out if I could write a novel and after doing so if I wanted to do it again. The answer to both questions was yes. Like most first-time authors I thought I’d written a best seller. A manuscript assessment put paid to that belief. I kept learning and kept writing. My memoir, Sex, Drugs and Meditation was picked up by Pan Macmillan through their open submission process and published in 2013. I thought I’d made it. In a way I had. I had a book published with a major publisher. However, it took another eight years before I was published again. In those eight years I wrote two more novels, kept attending writing courses, masterclasses and retreats, suffered through many rejections and disappointments and then wrote a fourth novel that became The Last of the Apple Blossom. To my utter delight and gratitude the novel was picked up at a pitch session through the RWA and published by HarperCollins (HQ) in 2021. I only had a one book deal, but despite the travails and lockdowns of Covid, The Last of the Apple Blossom sold well and HQ offered me another two-book deal. The Chocolate Factory is the first of those books
Name at least three authors who have inspired or helped shape your writing career?
Monica McInerney mentored me as part of the ASA Mentorship Program. She helped me shape The Last of the Apple Blossom into a novel that was ready to pitch successfully. Her wisdom and generosity were a blessing. I will always be grateful to her.
I attended Fiona McIntosh’s Masterclass many years ago and although the novel I was working on back then didn’t find a home, Fiona never stopped encouraging and supporting me. She does the same for all of her alumni. She’s a great woman to have in your corner.
Josephine Moon is a friend and a wonderful writer. She has been a listening ear, a wise counsel and a shoulder to cry on through troubles and rejections. She has also celebrated my successes and championed my work. Josephine is a big-hearted, dazzling soul and I’m thankful to her in many, many ways.
What special activities do you enjoy that provide inspiration, relaxation or renewal?
The creative art of crochet – great while listening to audio books and podcasts. Walking on the beach is a wonderful way to renew, relax and inspire – bare feet on the sand, all those negative ions and the sound of the sea.
I have to ask: what is your favourite Cadbury bar? And if you were to create a new one, what special ingredients would you use and what name would you call it?
Dairy Milk Hazelnut. The Hazelnut Whirls in the Milk Tray box of chocolates were always my favourite when I was young. I love enjoying the same taste in a bar or block of Hazelnut Dairy Milk.
I really enjoyed the Dark Milk chocolate that Cadbury released a few years ago but is no longer available. If I were to create a new Cadbury bar it would be the Dark Milk chock-a-block with roasted hazelnuts. What would I call it? Delicious.
Are you working on any new projects and, if so, can you provide a few hints?
I was standing at Constitution Dock in Hobart one day looking towards Hobart town. To my left was the old Peacock factory and to my right was the old Henry Jones IXL factory. They were both major jam manufacturers during a time when Hobart was the jam making capital of Australia and their factories faced off against each other over the waters of the dock. It got me thinking. Was there a jam war? Stay tuned.
Thanks Mary-Lou for being my guest author today! We wish you much success on the ‘sweet’ release of The Chocolate Factory!
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About the author Mary-Lou Stephens 🍫 🍎 Visit her website here.
Mary-Lou Stephens was born in Tasmania, studied acting at The Victorian College of the Arts and played in bands in Melbourne, Hobart and Sydney.
Eventually she got a proper job – in radio, where she was a presenter and music director, first with commercial radio and then with the ABC.
She received fab reviews for her memoir Sex, Drugs and Meditation (Pan Macmillan, 2013), the true story of how meditation changed her life, saved her job and helped her find a husband.
Her debut novel, The Last Apple Blossom, was published by HarperCollins (HQ) in 2021. The Chocolate Factory will be released January 31, 2024.
Mary-Lou has worked and played all over Australia. Now she’s travelling the world with her husband, slowly, and writing, mostly.
