September book club - leave your thoughts and questions for Lesley

Miriam

I really enjoyed reading this and could relate with the period as I was working in London at this time after leaving school.

The descriptions of family life at that time was well written and believable but I also cannot quite believe that Katy's mother would change so easily, although that is a minor point and does not take anything away from the story.

It was quite harrowing when Katy was imprisoned and I wonder if Lesley found that difficult or painful to write.

I too notices a few uncorrected errors in the book.

I have read Lesley Pearse before and will certainly read her again.

I’m very glad you found the family life believable. It is my belief that any mother when she finds her child in danger will put aside her own problems to help that child. In doing so she would be likely to look more closely at her own behaviour. It pleases me to hear you found Katy’s imprisonment harrowing, that was my intention. No I didn’t find it difficult, I really like writing dark stuff. Writing lovey dovey stuff is far more difficult to me. But then perhaps I’ve got a dark side!!

rocketstop

I have just finished reading this book, and I really enjoyed it.I have read everything Lesley has written over the years.
Lesley creates real characters.Someone mentioned that the Mother wasn't believable because she had a personality change, but I have seen people who let go of a secret that they think is damning and actually they really DO undergo a metamorphosis , so I could actually find that believable.We were still led to believe that she could still be sharp and was doing her best to bite her lip !
My question to Lesley would be ..
I understand you had a pretty turbulent life yourself and did you use elements of that in the story, I don't mean specifics but what I mean is I suppose, is when you do write about such things and you can give your characters a 'Come uppance' do you feel that is an exorcism of sorts ? Sweet revenge to exact on your characters ?
How long does it take you to complete a book from planning to seeing it published ?
Well done from me , and I look forward to your next !

I don’t set out to dip into my own experiences when I’m writing, but it can happen without me realising it. As for giving characters their ‘Comeuppance’, I don’t feel its any kind of exorcism just fairness. I like to see goodness praised, evil punished. I don’t often consider revenge., I do a book a year at present. That is the whole thing from dreaming up the story, the research and the writing and publishing.

HelenST

Thank you for my copy I really enjoyed it. The mother came across as very unpleasant but when you learnt of her past you could feel sympathy for her. Very thought provoking subject has made me want to read more books by this author. How did it feel Lesley to get your dream career in your 40's?

I believe most people’s nastiness is something from the past. If they can look at it and deal with it, I also believe this will help them change. I hope you will read more of my books. It was wonderful to get published when I was 48, I had thought I’d already had my share of excitement when I was younger. I could hardly believe my luck, or maybe it was just my sheer persistence.

ranorman45

Thanks for the book,I must admit it was quite thought provoking ,being set in what seems a different world to today.The female characters would certainly follow different paths today and there would be much more support for them now.It certainly brings to mind an era when curtains twitched and no one said anything.A pleasant holiday read. I wonder if Lesley ever visited a dress shop like the one at Bexhill on sea?I certainly remember going to one with my mum in the late 60's.

I visited many dress shops like the one in my book during the ’60’s, though the ones I remember most were run by fearsome women who barked at you and hated it if you said you ‘were just looking’. I remember one where us girls used to dare each other to go in to wind the owner up and not buy anything. I can’t remember one with a kind, interesting owner like Gloria, that was wishful thinking.