Writing my first novel is probably one of the toughest things I’ve ever done. I say this, not to be boastful, as I know countless brave people whose life challenges would dwarf my own, but rather out of sheer and utter respect for all authors out there who have contributed to life’s rich library in their own unique way.
I have barely dipped my toe into the shallows but already learned just how much goes in to getting your first book ‘out there’.
But, somewhere down the line, between those first few scribbles in a notebook around three years ago, and the very last proofread of The Life I Owe Her, I have a completely new understanding for why creative writers do what they do.
Writing a full length work of fiction is the most indulgent, bonkers, rewarding and joyful feeling I’ve had since first adding mini marshmallows to my hot chocolate. To create your own world, populate it with your own cast, and throw them all into a state of conflict and disaster is an adventure to be savoured.
As a mum of two boys, it breaks my heart to hear statistics about how many young children don’t even own a book. I was lucky. Reading has always been encouraged as one of life’s pleasures in my family. My mum’s love of Agatha Christie and my Dad’s love of Hemingway and Steinbeck sparked something in me that has been simmering ever since. Some of my happiest school memories involved escaping in to the minds and worlds of a rich variety of writers, with inspiring English teachers guiding me on the journey. I honestly can’t imagine childhood without reading.
Whether you’re 8 or 80, the best books are the ones that grab you somewhere in the tummy and keep you turning the pages until you’re reading with only one eye perched open by your own finger. These books either explore topics that resonate with your life experience or they feature people that you can relate to. Both, if you’re lucky. That’s why I wanted my first book to draw on two themes that are close to my heart : the trials of parenthood and the power of female friendships. You know, the really enduring ones that you know are there for the long run.
The potential to lose ourselves in a great story is something which, once discovered, is hard to resist. And so, I very much hope that you find the time and space out of your busy lives to delve into the world of Ava and Sylvie – the two women who are at the heart of The Life I Owe Her. I should warn you that it will be a rocky ride at times but, hey, so is life as we know it, yes?
Happy reading and please, if I could ask two small things when you are finished;
Please write a review and let me know what you think. Because we, as writers, exist to serve our readers first and foremost.
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Thank you, just for being out there in Readerland, where the magic happens!
Allison x
