Novel Number 5
Last Tuesday, my fifth novel was published. Since then, I have been overwhelmed by the messages, reviews, congratulations and kindness not just from family and friends who have lived the journey with me but from people I've never met in the writing community. The support has been amazing and I thank each and every one of you.
So, what is The Silent Sister all about? The book tells of three-year-old Eléni who is pulled, barely alive, from the rubble of an earthquake in Kefalonia when her parents and grandparents perished alongside her. Once physically healed, the traumatised little girl is raised by Cassia, who witnessed her rescue and who is faced with keeping a secret that must never be revealed. I was inspired to write the story after my first visit to the beautiful Greek island and hearing about the devastation caused by the earthquake. The ‘what if?’s began!
The novel, set in 1953 and 1973, in rural mid-Wales
and the Greek island of Kefalonia,
is a dual timeline dealing with a family secret, trauma, identity and reconciliation.
Although I'd gone through four other publication days, I was just as excited and nervous as I had been on the other occasions. NetGalley reviews had been wonderfully positive, pre-order numbers had been very encouraging, and Jasmine, my fantastic editor, and the Joffe/Choc Lit team had loved it but I still had the niggle, What if readers don't like the book? The old imposter syndrome is never very far away.
How did I celebrate? My husband and I went to a small local Greek restaurant, The Athenian Tree, where the waitress and the chef were both from Crete.. The food was excellent and we felt we were back in Kefalonia.
Jane Cable, Morton S Gray, Jessie Cahalin, Georgia Hill, Anni Rose and Jenny Kane - Opening Lines
For me, the highlight of this publication has been to take part in my very first book tour, organised by the fabulous zooloosbooktours. There has been a review each day, sometimes two, and I've been blown away by what bloggers have said about the novel. Thanks to every one of them and especially to Zoe for organising it.
But what truly sets this book apart from others is the unique portrayal of emotions. The author delves deeply into loss and the strength of the human spirit. Cassia’s resilience is truly inspiring. I also appreciated different shades of love in this novel: the parental love that is unconditional, the romantic love, the timeless love between sisters…
If you are looking for outstanding historical fiction, you must read this book! I highly recommend it!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thank you for reading. What makes you choose a newly published novel?
- cover
- blurb
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