Interview with Tracy Rees - author of The Elopement
Author- Tracy Rees
Interview with Tracy Rees – Author of ‘The Elopement’
Publisher: Pan McMillan
See my review of The Elopement
Novel is out now and available from Amazon and other favourite book sellers.
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INTERVIEW
Please give us an overview of The Elopement and what inspired you to write it?
Although The Elopement is a standalone novel, it contains several characters who appeared in my previous book, The Rose Garden. Basically, I enjoyed writing The Rose Garden SO much that I didn’t want to say goodbye to that world of late Victorian Hampstead. I continued to be intrigued by the idea of different dramas unfolding behind the grand and beautiful front doors of an affluent neighbourhood; it had captivated me throughout that earlier book and I wasn’t done with it yet. At the end of The Rose Garden (Don’t worry – this isn’t a spoiler!) one of the protagonists has a brief conversation with a young woman who has always been her nemesis. Something about that encounter left me wanting to write more about Rowena Blythe, who’d been a very minor character in The Rose Garden. She seemed like a highly and began to write Rowena’s story. I’m so glad I did – it was loads of fun!
The year is 1897 and the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria. How has this event worked in your favour for the writing of The Elopement?
I always like to have a historic event at least mentioned in historical fiction. For example, in Florence Grace the Great Exhibition at Crystal Palace features briefly. In Darling Blue, which was set in the 1920s, the Great Strike provided the backdrop for a dramatic episode. I prefer not to write stories that are tightly bound by fact and well-known names, but public events like this are a really great way to convey the mood and attitudes of the time. In the case of the Jubilee, it was a very colourful, celebratory event so it added a great energy to the narrative and, because of all the pomp and circumstance, added commentary to my theme of the class divide. It also occurs towards the end of The Elopement so the crowds, the glitz, and the excitement all add to the climactic feel of the closing chapters, which I liked in terms of the narrative unfolding. I hadn’t figured when I wrote it that the hardback would also be published in the year of Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee!
What advantages did you have in telling the story through three female characters?
I wanted to give a well-rounded view of society at the time and having three protagonists meant that I could highlight the above- and below-stairs attitudes of those elegant Hampstead homes. Because I already knew Rowena a little from The Rose Garden, I knew she wouldn’t initially be the most appealing character! Starting the story with Pansy, a maid in her home, meant I could show the flip-side of all this privilege, when it wasn’t handled wisely or compassionately. Having both Olive and Rowena from wealthy homes, but carrying their wealth very differently, meant I could make it a more nuanced picture and show the wonderful side of being rich – the help you can give others, the true enjoyment of blessings. I also enjoy a multiple-person narrative because it means I can have three very different personalities and voices telling the story, which hopefully adds colour and variety.
Provide three words each to describe Rowena, Olive and Pansy.
Rowena: Beautiful. Naïve. Constrained. (Hard to think of three for Rowena because she changes so much through the course of the book!)
Olive: Clever. Independent. Philanthropic.
Pansy: Fierce. Resentful. Caring.
Who is your favourite male character in The Elopement and what makes him special?
I think my favourite is probably the main male character, John Hobbs. I like that he features prominently in two of the female characters’ storylines (Pansy and Rowena) and I like that he inadvertently creates a love triangle with the two women, which leads to some interesting dynamics in the story. What makes him special? His dignity, I think. He’s far from a perfect character and certainly Pansy becomes massively exasperated by him at certain points. He’s not a swashbuckling hero and at times he’s a little dogged, but he’s always himself, he’s devoted and loyal and, even though he has a humble job and is treated with little respect by his employers, he always takes a pride in it and does his very best. Yes, it’s that quiet dignity that I admire.
Olive Westallen appears in The Rose Garden. Why have you chosen to include her in The Elopement? Are these two books part of a series? If so, must they be read in order?
They don’t need to be read in order, no, as each is a complete story in its own right. Although for readers who prefer to read in order, The Elopement is set two years later than The Rose Garden. As described earlier, I found myself flowing from writing The Rose Garden into The Elopement and because Rowena had appeared in The Rose Garden as the thorn in Olive’s side, I was interested to see if that would change and to see how the relationship between the two might develop. Also, I thought Olive’s socially-conscious, intellectual character and Rowena’s superficial, selfish traits were a great foil for one another. Would Olive start to see more in Rowena than met the eye? Would Rowena start to realise she was worth more than a life as a society prize? Also, I really loved Olive! So since I was writing another book set in this community, having Olive in it again was a bonus.
Please share at least two social issues (beliefs, opinions and viewpoints practised in Victorian England) that you cover in The Elopement?
There are quite a few themes that link into the social issues of the day. One is attitudes towards race: there’s a character called Hipolito who’s Black and although he has a place in that community where he is happy and valued, when he goes out of his usual circle he encounters prejudice both personal and institutional. He has a deeply upsetting encounter with the police and this is instrumental in triggering Pansy’s determination to make the world a fairer place. Another is the upbringing of women: Pansy and Olive both have progressive parents who brought them up with love and an emphasis on personal happiness. In the book, Pansy’s mother is important in Pansy’s story because she nudges her to improve her life and make better choices for herself. Rowena has cold parents with values that revolve around status, money, class and appearances. For them, a daughter has value only in as much as she can reflect well on her family and grow up to make a brilliant marriage. As such, Rowena has been taught to play the social game – which she does very well at first. Her behaviour is massively constrained, her circle narrow and the consequences for stepping out of line are drastic. Essentially she’s taught to behave according to a template constructed from beliefs about the role of women. It doesn’t equip her at all for real life affairs of the heart.
Your writing totally immerses the reader in the world of your protagonists. What is your secret? If you were giving advice to new historical fiction writers, what would you suggest to help them achieve this?
Thank you! That’s lovely to hear. I think my “secret” is a two-sided coin. Firstly, I can imagine the action so vividly as it unfolds. It’s entirely real to me and the narrative is dictated by the characters, not by me! I never have to wonder how a plot point will resolve itself or how a character might react in a certain situation because I’m just there, watching it happen – like watching a film! This might not sound like something that can be taught but I think that all writers and would-be writers have this in them, this powerful imagination, this wish to be lost in a story. I think people struggle when they start to fear and doubt! It’s difficult for us as “sensible adults”, often with academic qualifications and professional skills, to let go like that. We start to worry that it’s not very good; we’re not used to that sense of creative freedom. So, my advice would be to switch off that anxious, critical voice, at least for the duration of a first draft! The second side of the coin is turning what I see and imagine into words. I think this feels very natural to me because I’ve written all my life, since I was tiny. Stories, poems, essays… and most of all, journaling. Journaling is GREAT because you just splurge out whatever comes into your head, even if it’s just moaning about the rubbish weather. You know no-one else is ever going to see it so the inhibitions I mentioned earlier simply aren’t there. So I would suggest that writers write – anything and everything! The more writing in any form becomes second nature, the better equipped you’ll be to capture the scenes in your mind on the page.
What book, author or experience inspired you to become a writer? Please share a bit about your publishing journey.
There’s no one book or author that inspired me. I was an avid bookworm as a child and read widely – all the usual childhood favourites: CS Lewis, LM Montgomery, Frances Hodgson-Burnett, Patricia Leitch and many more! Basically, I half lived in a fictional world so it was always obvious to me that I needed to write stories as well as read them. It took a long time – two careers, many jobs and over forty years before that dream came true! I had tried getting published many times over the years but without success. It wasn’t until I turned 40 that I decided that was it, make or break. So, I left a really good job to go and be a waitress because I wanted a job that wouldn’t exhaust my brain! I went home after every shift footsore but mentally alert. I wrote and wrote, sending out work to agents, competitions, literature festivals… I worked so hard for a year before I was shortlisted for the Richard and Judy Search for a Bestseller competition and then won it. The phrase “dream come true” is accurate but inadequate. It was incredible, and changed everything for me. I’ve been a full-time writer ever since. Again, very hard work, but absolutely what I want to do.
Are you a plotter, pantser or a bit of both in your writing approach?
I’m a pantser. Very simple!
What favourite foods do you like to keep handy while writing?
Oh dear! One of the hardest things about being a writer is battling the whole food-as-fuel temptation! It’s so easy to reach for the nibbles to keep powering through when inspiration is flowing! To that end, in the past, there’ve been a LOT of cookies and chocolate! But over the last year or so I’ve worked hard to develop healthier habits and now I keep nuts and fruit to hand. (And the occasional cookie.) And tea! Lots and lots of tea.
Please provide five books you have read this year you highly recommend?
In no particular order:
Peach Blossom Spring by Melissa Fu.
The Other Half of Augusta Hope by Joanna Glen.
The Lost Whale by Hannah Gold.
The Ballerinas by Rachel Kapelke-Dale.
Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins-Reod
All so wonderful in different ways.
If you could time travel and meet one of your favourite historical figures, who would you want to meet? What two questions would you want to ask them?
Charles Dickens. HOW did he write those enormous, complex, clever novels without a word processor? How did he keep track of it all?
And Marc Bolan. Not sure I would ask him anything, just bask in his general fabulousness!
Share at least one dream or secret ambition you have that has not yet been fulfilled.
I’ve always dreamed of singing in a band. Two things always stopped me – sheer terror and a complete lack of talent. The first isn’t so much of an issue now – as I get older I don’t let fear stop me doing things any more. The lack of talent is still an issue though. Still, maybe one day…
Are you working on any new writing project(s)? If so, can you share a little about it/them?
I’m always writing. I’m very fortunate that I constantly have new ideas streaming through my head, much faster than I can capture them. So yes, I’m currently working on book 11, but I’m not able to share much about it yet as it’s in quite early stages. But I can share that it’s historical, but quite a different period and material from anything I’ve done previously. I’m absolutely loving the challenge and can’t wait to finish and share it…
Thank you so much Tracy for being my guest author today and for sharing your heart on writing matters.
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