Category:

Britain's lost children

29/8/2014

This summer we have had a house full of children and watching them play and jump endlessly in and out of the swimming pool made me reflect on a book I published last year about three children who lose their home, their family, even their country. Their lives could not have been more different from the excited little grandchildren charging around our house.

A couple of years ago I came across an article about the children who had been sent to the colonies as migrants, many of them wrongly labelled as orphans and under the delusion that their families were dead. I was amazed, not only that such a thing could happen in Britain but also that it had been kept secret for so many years. If it hadn't been for a chance circumstance, many of those children, now adults, would never have been reunited with their families. A social worker, Margaret Humphreys, was assigned the case of a woman who claimed that she had been deported from Britain when she was only four years old. That was in 1986; since then Mrs Humphreys has discovered that as many as 150,000 children were sent abroad by the British government to start new lives. The last case being as recently as 1967. Director and founder of the Child Migrants' Trust Mrs Humphreys has worked tirelessly to help these children find surviving members of their families. Her book EMPTY CRADLES tells of the first seven years of her struggle to bring this knowledge out into the open and to help those involved.

The article that I had chanced upon inspired me to read extensively around this subject and in the end to write a book of my own. THE ONLY BLUE DOOR is fiction, a novel based on true occurrences and drawn from the real experiences of those immigrant children. It is the story of the three Smith children from Bethnal Green who, through a series of unfortunate incidents, find themselves on a boat to Australia in 1941. This is not a story of tears and recriminations but rather the story of how each child, in their own way, struggles to make the best of their lives and never gives up the hope of being reunited.

THE ONLY BLUE DOOR is available as an ebook and in paperback.

HISTORICAL NOVEL SOCIETY INDIE REVIEW January 2014

Most of us are familiar with child evacuation during World War 2, but I wonder how many know about child migrants who were sent to South Africa, Australia and Canada to avoid danger? The Only Blue Door follows the story of Maggie, Billy and Grace, siblings who become victims of the good intentions of people believing them to have been orphaned during the Blitz. Shipped to Australia to start a new life, the children are separated and so begins Maggie’s struggle to prove her mother still lives and to bring the family back together.Based on actual events, this beautifully written story had me gripped and emotionally attached to the characters and their struggles. Apparently well researched, it provides some insight into the long term impact of the events unfolding between 1939 and 1945, without being clichéd. The tireless work and battles with ‘red tape’ of the organisations involved in evacuation and subsequent repatriation of thousands of children over this period, is aptly represented in the story.

The writing style is engaging and accurate, with fully rounded and believable characters. I will not only be recommending this book but also looking to read more of this authors work. Not every story has a happy ending, but maybe this one does?

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Researching the novel THE SHINING CITY

6/8/2014

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I knew from the start that writing a novel set in Moorish Spain would take a lot of work. I only had a general idea about what life was like in al-Andalus and most of that was really only relevant to Granada. The Moors had been in Spain for over seven hundred years, from the time of the Moorish invasion in 711 AD until the capture of Granada in 1492 by the Catholic Monarchs. There had been many rulers and many forms of government.
I was intrigued by the ruined palace of Madinat al-Zahra, just outside Córdoba, which was built between 936 and 947 AD and I decided to set my novel in the forty years from 947 to 987. A short period of time, in the scale of things and therefore much easier to research, or so I thought. Not so. Writing a historical novel requires great attention to detail and when you are completely unfamiliar with that period, it requires a great deal of research and discipline to get even the smallest details correct.
How could I make my characters come to life if I didn't know how they behaved, what their homes were like, what they wore, what they ate and even how they ate. I had to learn about the royal court as well as the common people, what it was like to be a soldier, a slave, an artisan. Most of my research was done by visiting Moorish sites and museums, reading books on the subject and, of course, trawling the internet. One of the first things I learned was that life in Moorish Spain changed dramatically over seven hundred years - what was true in Granada in the year 1400 was not the same in Córdoba seven hundred years earlier. I had to focus my research.
Then of course came the hard part - what to leave out. I had to include enough research to bring the period to life without boring my reader. After all this was a novel about love and adventure, not a history book.

THE SHINING CITY is available in paperback and as an ebook

SHORTLISTED FOR THE EDITOR'S PICK (HISTORICAL NOVELS SOCIETY REVIEW)
The Shining City by Joan Fallon is a beautifully told story set in tenth-century Spain which focuses on a city in southern Spain that flourished for a brief time only: Madinat al Zahra.

Built by the caliph, it becomes a rival to the capital, Cordoba. The book covers many aspects of the times: history, culture, religion and day-to-day life. Giving great attention to detail, Fallon depicts court etiquette with the same confidence as minor details, such as bakery and food preparation. I knew comparatively little about Spain under Muslim rule and found myself easily and entertainingly educated.

The characters are well chosen and developed, likeable and driven by their dreams and ambitions. This is a story of the little man seeking his fortune with insights into the rules of Muslim life, life at court, slavery, loyalty, betrayal, forbidden love and human tragedy.

The book is very well written, perfectly paced and atmospheric. It feels authentic, has a good story and a fascinating topic.

The only thing I can criticise are the colours chosen for the cover which makes the writing difficult to read, and maybe the chosen font size and type inside the book could be improved? A very enjoyable read.

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How I came to write SPANISH LAVENDER

9/7/2014

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It was when I was interviewing women for my book Daughters of Spain that I first heard about the massacre on the road between Málaga and Almeria in February 1937, early in the Spanish Civil War. I was so astonished with what one woman had to tell me that I broke off my research and began writing my first novel,SPANISH LAVENDER. It is the story of Elizabeth, an English woman who decides, against all reason, to stay in Spain while her family flee, with the rest of the ex-pats living there at the time, to Gibraltar. She finds herself journeying with other refugees to Málaga but instead of finding safety, she finds a city abandoned by the people supposed to be protecting it, its people dying of starvation, its buildings in ruins and in imminent danger of attack. She meets a young Spaniard, who befriends her and they fall in love. Together they decide to join the exodus of men, women and children who are trying to reach the Republican zone in Almeria. On the way they are bombed by cruising battleships and Juan is injured. In the ensuing chaos Elizabeth and Juan are separated and, believing he is dead, she escapes to England. It is not until seventy years later that her granddaughter uncovers the truth of what happened to Elizabeth's lover.

Essentially a love story, SPANISH LAVENDER is available in paperback and in all ebook formats.

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What Spain owes to the Moors

21/4/2014

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One of the advantages of writing books about Spain is that you have a great excuse to trot about the countryside investigating things. During the research for my novel THE SHINING CITY we visited Córdoba numerous times - not an arduous task and only two hours drive from Málaga. We made three trips to Madinat al-Zahra (my husband wanted to know why I couldn’t get it all down the first time) and made a couple of visits to Bobastro and Ardales.

10th century Spain was a period in history that I knew very little about and I was fascinated to learn just how much Spain owes to the Moorish occupation of the peninsula, even down to everyday items. It wasn’t just the type of food they ate that has been passed down but also the way they ate it: the Moors introduced menus and a series of different courses for each meal; they used tablecloths and cutlery and different plates for each dish. Some of their dishes were cooked exactly the same way they are today. There is a restaurant in Córdoba that has a lamb tagine on its menu that is identical to a 10th century recipe. For those of you that like churros, you’ll be interested to know that it was as popular then as it is now.

The Moors were a nation obsessed with water and cleanliness and had not only ornamental lakes and fountains but public baths, individual latrines and running water to wash in. They had an elaborate network of underground conduits for collecting rainwater from the courtyards and sewage from the latrines and kitchens.

Society was divided along ethnic and religious grounds but it was more egalitarian than one would suspect. There were four main divisions: the Arabs, the Berbers, the Muwallads and the Dhimmi (Christians and Jews). The first three were all Muslim. The Arabs made up a small percentage of the population but they were the ones with the power and they brought their language and culture to Spain. The Berbers were from North Africa and they mainly lived in the countryside. The Muwallads were Muslims of Iberian descent; they adopted the language and religion of the Moors and by 10th century there was very little distinction between them and the Arabs. The last group, the Dhimmis was made up of Christians and Jews. The Christians were numerous but the Jews only made up 5% of the population.

Jews, Christians and Moors lived in harmony; they were all montheistic faiths, all people of The Book. The Jews and Christians were not persecuted by the Muslims and could hold important posts in society and even in government. It was a society with great social mobility and people could move from humble beginnings to positions of power. Muslim men could even marry Jewish women, but not the other way round.

Women too had more freedom than one would imagine; they did not have to cover their faces with a veil but wore a crocheted cap instead. Many women were educated and worked as physicians, scribes and teachers. Some were wealthy in their own right and set up endowments for libraries and schools. They were often allowed to keep their own dowries and were allowed to inherit property. Those of you who have read my book DAUGHTERS OF SPAIN will see how different this was from women’s position under Franco a thousand years later.

It was a society that valued education and treated its scholars and artists with respect. Córdoba in the 10th century had more than seventy libraries, fifty hospitals and some of the best universities in the civilised world.

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Authors' Corner chats to JG Harlond

13/4/2014

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AUTHORS’ CORNER talks to novelist and writer J G Harlond

Good morning Jane. Welcome to Authors’ Corner. You’ve had two novels published now, THE CHOSEN MAN and THE EMPRESS EMERALD both of them historical fiction with a difference. What is it you like about writing in that genre?

As a child I loved books like ‘Children of the New Forest’ – books that took me out of my normal life into the past and showed me how people used to live in ‘the olden days’. Later, I started reading Jean Plaidy (reading the titillating bits about royal sinfulness may have had something to do with it). Then I moved on to Daphne Du Maurier and then discovered Dorothy Dunnett’s tremendous ‘Lymond’ series starting with ‘The Game of Kings’ – her Niccolo series – which I still read and reread. Dunnett was an amazing writer; I always find something I missed or overlooked as an important clue in an earlier reading. I suppose all these writers have influenced my own writing in one way or another. But what is it I like about writing historical fiction? I think it must have something to do with universal themes; how history repeats itself and we humans constantly get caught up in situations that are just beyond our control. My novels include aspects of how international politics and established religion (perhaps that should have a capital R) impinge upon the lives of humble people – but how those humble people, even those at the bottom of the social scale in political if not financial terms, actually have fascinating lives. On my ‘to do’ list is a big ‘Victorian’ novel about two Harlond wives who lived through the C19th. On the outside they may appear ordinary wives and mothers, getting on with raising a family, but they had the most interesting lives. I’d like to recreate what happened to them and examine how they not only coped in some very difficult situations but triumphed. This is not ‘misery memoir’ stuff it’s cultural history. Not kings and queens, but real people in real places, whose lives could show us a lot.

I also have to admit that I actually enjoy doing research. Sometimes, I get terribly sidetracked and then have to be ruthless about culling juicy details and interesting tidbits from my narrative. Novels that are crammed with historical information – even when it is ‘true’ history – don’t make good fiction. Readers soon spot what has become known as ‘an information dump’, and are rightly put off. I found all sorts of astonishing details about Vatican espionage when I was researching the background to ‘The Chosen Man’, but then had to cut a lot out of the manuscript because it diverted from the main plot – and some of it frankly beggared belief.

I particularly like the stunning cover that you produced for THE EMPRESS EMERALD. Can you tell us how you did it?

There is a wonderful Indian artist called Usha Shantharam living in Bangalore. I found one of her paintings called ‘Still Waters’ and thought it was ideal for ‘The Empress Emerald’ – it conveyed the Indian setting beautifully, and finding pictures that suggested the somewhat convoluted plot and sub-plots of ‘Empress Emerald’ was really tricky. Unfortunately, reproducing the painting was not viable so my publisher asked her printer to have a go at creating something similar. They then put in the leopard, which is the catalyst for the hero Leo Kazan’s strange history. When I first saw the finished cover I was thrilled because: it does look as if the leopard is walking out of the frame, and on the ebook it seems to go 3D.

I know that you’re a very busy woman, Jane. Tell us about the other writing that keeps you occupied.

I have been writing educational material for years. At one time I was commissioned to do workbook or teachers’ materials; I’ve also been asked to collaborate on ‘readers’ and create photocopiable worksheets etc. Gradually I took on bigger projects and last year I completed an IGCSE English as a First Language Student Book, Workbook and Teacher’s Guide for OUP (writing as Jane Arredondo). I have to say I’m really pleased with the Student Book in particular. It’s colourful and engaging – not a boring old school book at all. But that was largely to do with my commissioning editor, who shared my vision of how a book for 14 - 16 year-old should be.

Having been a teacher for many years, have you ever thought about writing for young people?

Funny you should ask that, I’m working on a proposal for a younger readers’ book right now. I’ve also recently finished a manuscript for a story based on the Volsung Saga that includes the wicked Loki and the slaying of a fearsome dragon. No publisher for that yet, but the search is on. Being a timeless story, though, I don’t feel too pressured to get it into print, although I’m told there’s a new movie coming out about Loki, so ...

What pitfalls do you see when writing fiction for teenagers?

Teenagers nowadays are tremendously techno-savvy; they have smart phones and educational apps in the classroom, and the means by which they are entertained and obtain information has changed in the past five years alone. One thing that worries me about the ‘Google search’ form of acquiring information is that it can be used and immediately forgotten. As for reading – I’m not sure many young people read for pleasure anymore. Those that do seem to go for titles and texts that include a lot of gore and dubious values. One of the most important aspects of reading fiction, as I see it, for young people and not so young people, is that one enters a vicarious world where one can read about other people’s struggles, joys and misfortunes, and perhaps learn from their misplaced alliances or wrong decisions. In the old days this was called ‘catharsis’ – fearing and hoping for a flawed hero/heroine. It bothers me a great deal that young people are not reading some of the old classics because I think older people have learned a lot the easy way through this sort of fiction. But then I am getting on in years: perhaps all ‘older generations’ have said the same thing.

I believe that you now also spend some of your time helping other authors. Can you tell us a little about how that works?

Some years ago I was involved with a splendid author called Joan Fallon and we ran a writers’ working holiday called The Memory Keepers’ Workshop - for people wanting to write biography or about their own lives, or writing historical fiction. I then joined Famelton Writing Services. Famelton offers very useful and practical advice for new and previously published authors. They can supply a critique of an early-draft ms; do copy-editing and final draft proofreading. I really enjoy working on a manuscript as a copy-editor, looking at the pace of the narrative, how dialogue is formatted etc. It’s exciting working with an author at this stage.

By the time you’ve done all that, I’m surprised you have time for anything else but like all authors these days I suppose you have to market your own books. What marketing techniques have been most useful to you?

Ah, pass. This is where I stumble. I spent part of a lifetime in education then moved into the sanctuary of my home office to write full-time. When it comes to marketing . . . well, I listen to what friends tell me and try to copy them, but I’m pretty dreadful at it. Maybe it’s because of all those years teaching Literature – I mean, basically, who do I think I am telling anyone I’m an author?

Despite your modesty Jane, I am pleased to hear that your latest novel The Empress Emerald is doing well. Good luck with your Dragon slayer book.

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THE WRITING PROCESS Blog Tour

6/4/2014

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I have always been a reluctant blogger. I often feel that I am searching for things to write about that are not that important and would actually prefer to spend my writing time working on my novels. Not that blogs can't be interesting and worth reading - many of them are, especially when they are written by someone who knows what they are talking about. Others, however, can be repetitive and time-wasting. Nevertheless I have come to realise that if I want to let people know about what I write and why I write it, there is no better way than to write a blog. So I was pleased to get an invitation from Lorraine Mace, who also writes under the pen-name of Frances di Plino, to take part in the Writing Process Blog Tour. The idea is that each participant invites two or three other writers to join the tour and everyone answers the same four questions about their work. It's a bit like pyramid selling but no money changes hand. You can read Lorraine's blog here.
I have invited the following two authors to take part next week: Paul Anthony, a well-known writer of crime thrillers and Welsh writer and photographer,Jean Gill. The questions they will answer are:

WHAT AM I WORKING ON?

HOW DOES MY WORK DIFFER FROM OTHERS OF ITS GENRE?

WHY DO I WRITE WHAT I DO?

HOW DOES MY WRITING PROCESS WORK?

So now it's my turn to answer:

WHAT AM I WORKING ON?
I have just finished writing a novel entitled THE SHINING CITY and I'm at the self-publishing stage.

The novel is the story of a city, a city that is now in ruins and lies five kilometres outside of Cordoba in Spain: MADINAT AL ZAHRA. The story is set in the 10th century, a time when southern Spain was under the rule of the Moors. The ruler, Caliph Al Rahman III was rich, powerful and cultured. His caliphate was, at long last, at peace and the capital, Cordoba, was considered to be not only the most beautiful city in the civilised world but also the seat of learning and culture. Against this background we meet the artisan Qasim - he and his family have moved to Madinat al Zahra to make their fortune as potters.

Qasim is a good husband and father. He works hard, says his prayers and keeps out of trouble. But Qasim has a secret; his past is not what it seems. When a stranger arrives asking questions about him, and his youngest son falls in love with the caliph’s concubine, he realises that all he has worked for could be destroyed. He has to take action.

I have just finished putting the final touches to the book cover and published it as an ebook on Kindle. The paperback version is with the printers and I have other ebook versions to do, for Smashwords, Kobo etc. While I am waiting for the proof to come back from the printers I will start the marketing process again - and probably more blogging. I have a great idea for a new novel but that will have to wait for a bit. If only I had a marketing agent!

HOW DOES MY WORK DIFFER FROM OTHERS OF ITS GENRE?

It's always difficult to categorise things exactly, especially something as wide-ranging as a novel. Some of my work could slot quite easily into Historical Fiction, but that in itself is a very broad category and doesn't tell you very much except that the story is set sometime in the past. If there is one thing all my books have in common it is their approach to women - they all have strong, female protagonists and the stories are about how they overcome adversity.
For many years I was a lecturer in Behavioural Studies and I am fascinated by the interactions between people of all ages and from all walks of life. My characters do nothing without a reason - I like to imagine what drives them to take the actions they do and show it to the reader.

WHY DO I WRITE WHAT I DO?

This is an interesting question. When I bemoan my lack of sales, my husband says that I should start writing books that sell: crime fiction, stories about vampires and time shifters, fantasy. I just shake my head. I write what I write because I enjoy doing it. I write about women because I know women; I know how their minds work; I know the problems women face daily; I know the discrimination that has shaped women's lives and still does, to some extent, today.
They say that you should write about what you know and that is one reason that many of my books are set in Spain - a country I have come to love.
I also write about history because I enjoy it. I love doing the research - in fact I sometimes have to curtail my reading because I could spend all my time researching instead of writing.

"Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it."
George Santayana

There is a lot to be learnt from history that applies to the present day and I like to write books that say something meaningful.

HOW DOES MY WRITING PROCESS WORK?

My writing process varies according to the stage that I am at. For example, once I have an idea, I make a draft outline of how I think the book will be then I list the characters and start creating them. Then, depending on the story, I may break off and start doing some research into the background. For example, when I wrote THE ONLY BLUE DOOR, I got the idea from an article in the newspaper about child migrants who were trying to trace their families. I was fascinated and began to read as much as I could about what had happened. In that case, it was only when I had fully researched the history of these events that I began to sketch out my story. That's the point when I try to adopt a work routine: start writing at 10am and keep going until 2pm. The morning is the best part of the day for me to work creatively. I prefer to monitor my progress through hours rather than a word count. I am not a writer who starts at the beginning and goes right through to the end; I am constantly rewriting, editing, rereading, cutting out characters, bringing in new ones. For me a word count does not reflect the amount of work that I've done. Until the book has been professionally edited and proof-read, it is not finished.

SO ON TO THE OTHERS:

Paul Anthony is the author of a dozen books which include the Boyd series and the Davies King series. Specialising in crime fiction thrillers, Paul is a retired British counter terrorist detective who populates his stories with a variety of very intriguing characters.
HE WILL BE HOSTING HIS PART OF THE TOUR FROM ... http://paulanthonys.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/the-blog-tour.html

Jean Gill is a Welsh writer and photographer living in the south of France with a very big white dog, a scruffy black one, a Nikon D700 and a man. She taught English in Wales for many years and her claim to fame is that she was the first woman to be a secondary headteacher in Carmarthenshire. She is the mother or stepmother to five children so life has been pretty hectic.
JEAN WILL BE HOSTING HER PART OF THE TOUR FROM www.jeangill.blogspot.com

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Latest novel: The Shining City

4/4/2014

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I loved researching the history behind my latest novel THE SHINING CITY. Besides reading a lot about the period, I made many trips to the archaeological site of Madinat al Zahra, just outside Cordoba. The ruins of this ancient city lie in the lee of the Sierra Morena mountains and face across the wide plain of the Guadalquivir valley.

They began the excavations in 1911 and up until now they have only excavated one tenth of the inner part of the city - and then there is still the part outside the city walls. As few contemporary written records remain one can only wonder at the size of Abd al Rahman III's new city.

Below you can read the prologue to my new book, which is set in the city in the early years of its construction. The year is 987 AD and Omar, one of the main protagonists is thinking back to when he first visited Madinat al Zahra, forty years earlier.

PROLOGUE

Córdoba
987 AD

The old man sat in the shade of the mosque wall. It was still early but already the heat was building with its usual summer ferocity. He loosened his robe slightly and fanned himself with the napkin he had in his hand. Omar was not a rich man but neither was he poor. His djubba was made of the finest white cotton, with long narrow sleeves and over that he wore his djellaba, a hooded cloak of the same material. It was light, cool and comfortable. He was of the generation for whom appearances mattered. Even his cap, crocheted in a green and white design, sat elegantly on his long, white hair. His beard was trimmed and shaped; once it would have been touched with henna but now it was as white as his hair.

‘More tea, old man?’ the waiter called from the entrance to his tiny shop.

Omar waved him away, irritated that he did not automatically come over and refill his cup. That was so typical. Standards were slipping all the time. He took off his cap and scratched his head.

‘There you are, uncle. We’ve been looking for you everywhere.’

It was his nephew, Musa, the youngest son of his brother Ibrahim. He was with his friend, Ahmad. Omar looked at them and smiled. Lanky youths, with their hair cut short in the latest fashion, they behaved as though life was theirs for the taking. If only they knew what vicissitudes lay ahead of them. Not that they would pay any heed. He certainly hadn’t at their age. The boys sat down beside him. The two were never apart; it was as if they were joined by some invisible rope. Where one went, so did the other. They reminded him of his own childhood; he had had a close friend named Yusuf. Just like these boys they had done everything together and were so similar in looks and mannerisms that they were often mistaken for brothers.

‘Drinking tea, uncle?’ Musa said.

‘Would you like some?’

The boys nodded and Omar waved across to the waiter, who still lounged in the doorway.

‘Another pot of tea and two more glasses, please,’ he said.

He turned to his nephew and asked, ‘So child, you have been looking for me. What is it that you want?’

He already knew the answer: nothing, just the opportunity to drink mint tea and listen to Omar’s stories.

‘We wanted to see if you were all right.’

‘And why wouldn’t I be?’

The boys looked at each other and giggled.

‘Is it true that you are more than a hundred?’ Ahmad asked.

‘No, it’s not true, although I certainly feel like it some days. Now what is it you want to know?’

‘Have you ever been inside the Khalifa’s harem?’ Musa blurted out.

‘The Khalifa’s harem?’

‘Yes, what’s it like?’ they both chorused.

‘Well ...’

The waiter arrived and set the freshly brewed mint tea on the table.

‘Maybe something sweet for the boys to eat,’ Omar said, looking at the waiter.

‘Churros?’

‘Excellent.’

Omar turned back to his eager audience.

‘So, what were you saying?’

‘The harem.’

‘Oh yes.’

The old man smiled; for a moment he let his thoughts drift back to when he was young. He sighed and turned back to the boys.

‘Yes, well, let me see. The harem you say?’

‘Yes uncle,’ his nephew said, barely keeping the impatience from his voice.

‘You do realise that no man is permitted to enter the Khalifa’s harem, other than the Khalifa himself. It is an offence punishable by death.’

The boys nodded.

‘We know that, uncle.’

‘Very well, as long as you do not tell anyone that I was once there, I will tell you about the most beautiful harem in the world.’

He paused and looked at the boys; their eyes were as round as moons.

‘Now, in the year 947, when I was not much older than you, my father took me with him to work in the new city, Madinat al-Zahra.’

The boys looked at each other and smiled. Omar’s stories always began in that way.

‘Our ruler, Abd al-Rahman III, wanted to build a city-palace worthy of the title of Khalifa so he sent his engineers and architects out to find the perfect location. And they did. They found a spot in the foothills of the Sierra Moreno, green, fertile, sheltered from the north winds, with as much water as you could wish for, yet set high enough above the plain so that you would be able to see anyone approaching. From there you could see across the valley of the Guadalquivir to Córdoba and beyond.’

‘He called it after his favourite concubine, didn’t he?’ Ahmed said with a smirk, urging him to get to the more interesting details.

‘His favourite concubine was certainly called al-Zahra and he lavished every possible luxury on her so it is possible that that was why he called the city al-Zahra. But do you know what else the name means?’

He looked at the boys, who shook their heads.

‘It means shining, glistening, brilliant. Possibly his concubine glittered and shone with all the jewels and beautiful silks he showered upon her but then so did the city. It was indeed the Shining City. When visitors entered through the Grand Portico, passing beneath its enormous, red and white arches, when they climbed the ramped streets that were paved with blocks of dark mountain stone, passing the lines of uniformed guards in their scarlet jackets and the richly robed civil servants that flanked their way, when they reached the royal residence and saw the golden inlay on the ceilings, the marble pillars, the richly woven rugs scattered across the floors and the brilliant silk tapestries, when they saw the moving tank of mercury in the great reception pavilion that caught the sunlight and dazzled all who beheld it, then they indeed knew that they were in the Shining City.’

It was a shame that his nephew had never been to Madinat al-Zahra and probably would never go. Soon the city would be as if it had never been, its stone buildings returned to the rock from which they came.

‘But they say that he loved his concubine more than anyone else,’ said Musa.

‘Maybe. Who knows what goes on in the hearts of men, even less in the heart of a Khalifa.’

‘They say she was the most beautiful woman in his harem.’

‘She was certainly very beautiful, but the most beautiful, no. There was another more beautiful than her, more beautiful than all his wives and concubines.’

‘Who was she? What was her name?’ asked Ahmed.

‘Jahwara,’ he whispered.

He could still feel the pain as he said her name. The boys waited, eyes wide in anticipation but Omar did not elaborate.

‘Did you ever see him? Did you see the Khalifa?’

‘Yes, once.’

‘What was he like? Was he big and strong?’

‘He was a bit on the stout side.’

He could see the disappointment in the boys’ eyes.

‘But he was a good-looking man, with white skin and blue eyes,’ he added.

‘White skin? Wasn’t he an Arab?’

‘Of course he was. Who else but an Arab could be Khalifa? But his mother was from the north. She was captured from one of the ruling families during the war and became his father’s slave and concubine. Abd al-Rahman inherited his fair skin and hair from her.’

‘I heard that he used to dye his beard,’ Ahmed said.

‘Yes, I believe he did. He wanted to look more like his subjects.’

The boys nodded wisely. Omar stifled a smile.

‘Tell us more about the harem,’ Musa insisted.

‘What can I tell you? There were hundreds of beautiful women, trained in all the arts of love and music; they knew a thousand and one ways to please their lord and master.’

‘The Khalifa?’

‘Of course, who else? Every woman who entered the Khalifa’s harem belonged to him and no-one else.’

As he said the words, he could hear the bitterness creep into his voice.

‘They were slaves?’

‘Indeed they were. Even if one of them wanted to leave she could not. The Khalifa would never permit it.’

Before the boys could start another stream of questions, he said, ‘Here, eat your churros and then you should be off. Is there no school today?’

He saw Musa blush. His nephew was a good boy and not able to tell a ready lie.

‘We’re going now, uncle. Come on Ahmed.’

The boys picked up the churros, doused it with honey and crammed it into their mouths.

‘Ma'a salama uncle,’ Musa said, honey dripping down his chin. ‘See you later.’

‘Goodbye, Hajj,’ Ahmed said, hurriedly eating the last piece of churros and following his friend.

Omar watched the boys skip down the road. If they hurried they would be in time for the first lesson of the day. He wished he had asked them what they were being taught these days. When he had been at school the curriculum was very strict: reading, writing, geometry, arithmetic, the Quran and the sayings of the Hadith. Everything in Arabic of course, although not many spoke it in the streets in those days; people retained the habit of speaking a variety of the local language among friends and family. That was normal. He signalled for the waiter to come over and paid him for the tea and churros. It was time he took some exercise. His doctor had said it was important to walk every day even if his knee was paining him. He would walk across the old Roman bridge and see if there were any fish in the river this morning. It was his favourite walk these days because he would stop half-way across and look back at the city of Córdoba and its beautiful mosque, towering against the skyline. This ancient city was once again the centre of power, his beloved Madinat al-Zahra abandoned and neglected since the young Hisham II had inherited the throne. Today the boy-Khalifa was isolated in Madinat al-Zahra, alone, living the life of a recluse, his city crumbling around him.

As he stood up a sharp pain shot through his knee and up his thigh. He grasped the ebony stick that he always carried with him these days and used it to propel himself forward. A wave of longing for his old home leapt to his breast. It had been years since he had visited Madinat al-Zahra yet there was never a day when he didn’t dream of its beautiful palaces and its fragrant gardens; when he closed his eyes he could still hear the sound of the fountains that fed the tranquil lakes and smell the orange blossom that used to grow outside his house. But he knew he could never return; the pain would be too great. The city lay only a couple of Arab miles to the west of Córdoba and yet it might as well have been in distant Arabia. Yes, there were many tales he could tell Musa about his days in Madinat al-Zahra.

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The children that people forgot: Britain's sea evacuees

30/3/2014

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Britain’s Sea evacuees: “The child, the best immigrant”

Because children were young and malleable they were seen as the best category of immigrant - easy to assimilate, more adaptable and with a long working life ahead of them. The British Dominions loved them.

Something that only came to light a few years ago was the fact that thousands of children had been sent as child migrants to countries such as Australia and Canada from Britain and never knew their own parents. A social worker called Margaret Humphreys stumbled on this by accident in 1986, when a former child migrant asked her for assistance in locating her relatives. She has since formed the Child Migrant Trust and subsequently helped many people to be reunited with their families.

Throughout the late 19th century thousands of children were routinely sent out to the overseas British Dominions to start new lives, and this continued during the 20th century until as late as the 1960s. They were taken from orphanages run by religious and charitable institutions and despatched to Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Some were as young as four and five; others were teenagers. Most of the children came from deprived backgrounds and it was considered to be for their own good that they were plucked from poverty and sent to a country where there was good food and new opportunities for them. The receiving countries welcomed them - they needed people and children were so much easier to mould into their way of life than adults.

So when World War II broke out in 1939 there was already a precedent for sending children abroad to start new lives. June 1940 saw the start of heavy bombing raids across London and, with the threat of an enemy invasion becoming more and more real, it was then that the British government decided to set up the Children’s Overseas Reception Board to send children, whose parents could not afford to send them to safety, to the Dominions. They enlisted help from charities with experience of child migration, such as the Barnado’s Homes, Fairbridge Farm Schools, the Salvation Army and the Catholic Church. However the plan was not warmly received by everyone - Winston Churchil thought it was a defeatist move and others warned of the disruption it would cause to families. Nevertheless within two weeks CORB had received over 200,000 applications from parents who wanted to send their children to safety. Parents often volunteered the names of relatives or friends who would look after the children in their new country and homes were found for the others by CORB representatives or the charities.

In the first few months CORB despatched over three thousand children to the Dominions. Then tragedy struck. All shipping traffic was subject to attacks from German U-boats and on 17th September 1940, the City of Benares, sailing from Liverpool for Canada with 197 passengers on board, was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic. Ninety of the passengers were children. It was a dreadful night, with gale-force winds and driving rain; 131 of the crew and 134 passengers were killed, among them seventy CORB children. The reaction in Britain was one of horror and recrimination. It had already been suggested that it was too risky to send children overseas during the war now the sceptics had been proved correct. It was decided that no more children were to be sent to the Domninions unless their ship was in a protective convoy. As there were not enough ships to use in the convoys that meant the end of the Sea Evacuee scheme. The children had to take their chance in Britain. Unlike other child migrants, most of the sea evacuees returned to Britain once the war was over. But child migration continued until 1967 when the last nine children were sent to Australia by the Barnado’s Homes charity.

In my novel ‘The Only Blue Door’, the three children are sent to Australia under the CORB scheme in one of the last ships to take sea evacuees to the Dominions. Unlike the other CORB children they are sent from an orphanage which had taken them in, believing them to be orphans.

If you want to read more about this topic I can recommend “New Lives for Old” by Roger Kershaw and Janet Sacks, “Innocents Abroad” by Edward Stokes and Margaret Humphreys’ book “Empty Cradles”.

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Authors' Corner talks to Ann Victoria Roberts

18/3/2014

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AUTHORS’ CORNER talks to best selling historical novelist Ann Victoria Roberts

Good morning Ann. Welcome to Authors’ Corner. You’ve been a successful novelist for many years now, tell us how you came to become a writer.

At the moment I’m completing a memoir, Life & Luck, which answers this question in full. But briefly, as a teenager I discovered a family diary written in 1916 by a young Australian soldier. I was so caught up by the detail – and the tragedy of his death a year later – I went home and immediately started my first attempt at research into WW1. I also started writing a story about him – all this while I should have been studying for exams!

It was never finished, but twenty years later, when I was married with children and my husband was away at sea, I started writing and researching in earnest. My original idea was diverted by details of the soldier’s background, and it eventually became two novels – Louisa Elliott, his mother’s story set in 1890s York, and Liam’s Story, which takes up the Elliott saga in modern times, while the past comes to life through old photos, letters, and a diary… A recent reviewer describes the book as, ‘a contemporary love story wrapped around an historical novel’ – such an apt phrase, I wish I’d thought of it!

What is it about writing historical fiction that you enjoy most?

History has always fascinated me – as a child I spent a lot of time in York, where history stands on every street corner, and even road-works become archaeological digs. My reading matter then was largely classic fiction, so you might say I was absorbing history without being aware of it. Nowadays I enjoy discovering what was going on in the world at the time, and how it might impact on my characters and the plot I’m constructing. I feel comfortable ‘in the past’, and my writing style is quite formal, so historical fiction suits me best.

I see that some of your characters are real people - the master of the Titanic for example. Does that present any problems when you insert them into a work of fiction?

Well, you do need to be sure of your facts. Having started out with real people – my forebears – I found that facts form a skeleton, around which the novelist can build the flesh of possibility. But their lives – and the facts – must be respected. The public figures I’ve written about – Captain EJ Smith in The Master’s Tale, and Bram Stoker in Moon Rising – are fascinating people simply because not a great deal is known about them. Researching their lives was a lengthy process – but I like to think that in reconstructing real events in fiction – and interpreting their actions – I’ve cast a revealing light on them as human beings.

I notice on Facebook that you are republishing some of your books as ebooks. How has this worked out?

My first two novels are now available as ebooks and will be in print again this year. As I’m now my own publisher, everything is down to me – and I must say it’s far harder work than simply being a writer! The ebooks are selling steadily, and making Liam’s Story free for a few days in January generated about 1500 downloads, mostly from the UK. The reviews are coming in now and I’m hoping that this will generate more purchases of the ebooks, and also the print books to follow. And of course my upcoming memoir, Life & Luck.

In the present climate, an author has to spend as much time marketing their books as writing them. How do you feel about that?

Marketing is the bugbear! It takes up a lot of time and I’m aware that I’m not good at it. A traditional publisher employs at least half a dozen people to get a book into the marketplace – including editor, cover designer, publicity people, sales team, and marketing experts. And we indie writers/publishers are trying to do the whole lot ourselves! I employ a cover designer and technical expert already – and feel I should consider employing a marketing person too. But I know nothing about marketing, so it’s impossible to judge quality v cost. Hence still doing it myself – badly!

Which marketing tool have you found the most useful for your books?

Hard to say, Joan. After many years I’ve just started giving talks again – and I’m sure this is the way forward. It’s getting the word out there in a very personal way.

Most useful so far, have been blogs on the website – https://www.annvictoriaroberts.co.uk Currently I’m blogging extracts from Life & Luck, and some traveller’s tales which haven’t made it into the memoir. When the children were young, we spent a lot of time at sea with my husband, and these stories are proving popular. I promote them on Twitter and Facebook, and it’s a good way of interesting people in my writing, rather than just shouting, ‘Buy my Book!’

I use Linkedin too, although to be honest, Linkedin feels like a black hole to me. As does Goodreads – I find it a difficult site to navigate. As for joining ‘groups’, I’ve tried that on Linkedin, and am not sure how useful it is. I read and contribute when I have time. Much prefer Facebook to all the media groups – I find it sociable and entertaining. Whether it sells books is another matter!

I can agree with you there. So where is the best place for readers to look for you?

You can find me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnnVictoriaRoberts#

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Ann_V_Roberts#

So, tell me Ann, what are you working on now?

I’m completing Life & Luck, which I thought was ‘ready to go’ a month ago. But having sent it to reader friends for their responses, I find they want me to include a ‘bad luck’ episode to counterbalance the ‘good luck’ which came with the publication of my first two novels. That’s been a surprise – and a difficult one to address – but I’m including it anyway. Currently re-writing and looking for knock-on effects.

Once the memoir is on its way, I’ll be able to get back to the novel I started over a year ago. It’s an English Civil War novel, set during the Siege of York in 1644. A completely different period for me, so I hope it works out.

Both books sound fascinating and we can't wait to get a chance to read them. Thank you for taking the time to talk to us, Ann and good luck with your new books.

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2 new book reviews from HNS INDIE REVIEW

2/2/2014

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THE ONLY BLUE DOOR

HISTORICAL NOVEL SOCIETY INDIE REVIEW January 2014

Most of us are familiar with child evacuation during World War 2, but I wonder how many know about child migrants who were sent to South Africa, Australia and Canada to avoid danger? The Only Blue Door follows the story of Maggie, Billy and Grace, siblings who become victims of the good intentions of people believing them to have been orphaned during the Blitz. Shipped to Australia to start a new life, the children are separated and so begins Maggie’s struggle to prove her mother still lives and to bring the family back together.Based on actual events, this beautifully written story had me gripped and emotionally attached to the characters and their struggles. Apparently well researched, it provides some insight into the long term impact of the events unfolding between 1939 and 1945, without being clichéd. The tireless work and battles with ‘red tape’ of the organisations involved in evacuation and subsequent repatriation of thousands of children over this period, is aptly represented in the story.

The writing style is engaging and accurate, with fully rounded and believable characters. I will not only be recommending this book but also looking to read more of this authors work. Not every story has a happy ending, but maybe this one does?

SPANISH LAVENDER

Reviewed by the Historical Novel Society Indie Review January 2014

In January 1937, Elizabeth makes the decision to stay in Civil War-torn Spain while her family returns to England. Her decision was, initially, made so that she could photographically record the impact of the war on Spain and her people. Finding herself alone in Malaga, she makes friends with two men, one who would be the love of her life, the other she would later marry. Seventy years later, a secret is unravelled by her granddaughter and a world of lies unearthed.

Spanish Lavender is, first and foremost, a love story. A naïve Elizabeth alone in a devastated city finds friendship and love with a young Spaniard by the name of Juan. When he becomes injured on the road to Almeria, he is taken to hospital but with no room for either Elizabeth or their mutual friend, Alex, they are separated and Elizabeth believes Juan dead.

Tragic, uplifting and beautiful, Spanish Lavender doesn’t shy away from the horrors of war, but neither does it concentrate on them. It is vital to remember that Spanish Lavender is a story of love.

The final third of the book suddenly leaps forward by seventy years, and here we meet Kate, the grandchild of Elizabeth. Initially a little confusing, this section helps answer some of the questions raised in the earlier section. A riveting read and one for reading while wishing for warmer weather!

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Britain's lost children

Researching the novel THE SHINING CITY

How I came to write SPANISH LAVENDER

What Spain owes to the Moors

Authors' Corner chats to JG Harlond

THE WRITING PROCESS Blog Tour

Latest novel: The Shining City

The children that people forgot: Britain's sea evacuees

Authors' Corner talks to Ann Victoria Roberts

2 new book reviews from HNS INDIE REVIEW

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