Tag Archives: author talk

Accidents will happen!

Since I wrote my Spring blogpost, it must have only been days later that I had a horrible accident. I’m almost too ashamed to tell you what happened. I was doing a Pilates exercise in the kitchen showing off to my friend that even at my age I could stand on one leg for more than the 10 seconds Dr Michael Mosley said we should do whilst cleaning our teeth. I dropped my leg down after about 30 seconds of near-perfect balance and told my friend I could have gone on longer. So far so good.

Then she said, ‘Have you ever tried it with your eyes closed?’ I hadn’t. But instead of grounding myself first and making sure there was something solid close by – just in case – I simply closed eyes and raised leg at the same time, immediately overbalancing backwards. Trying to save myself, I slid helplessly across the floor, ending in a heap by the sink. From there it was the ambulance to the A&E and an X-ray. The doctor informed me I had a tiny hairline crack in one of my vertebrae. I said, ‘That’s good, it’ll soon heal then.’ She said, ‘Unfortunately, it’s enough to give you severe pain for the next few weeks, and then it will be 6 months getting back to normal and could even take up to a year.’ Grrrrr. I’m giving it 6 months max.

The good thing is that after the first fortnight, I’m writing as much every day as I usually do. In fact, my writing has been the one thing that stopped me from slumping into despair. With the help of a steady supply of painkillers at the beginning, I could lose myself in my characters and the many problems I threw at them. I am also exceptionally lucky to have my dear group of friends, close at hand, who cook for me, chauffeur me, and generally keep me cheerful. And I’m sure I wouldn’t have recovered this much by now if it wasn’t for Emily, my fantastic physiotherapist turning up every week at my house and showing me Pilates exercises, pressing into the trigger points and having me shouting with agony, then giving me a heavenly massage. This has not been via the NHS – they said I had to wait 5 weeks and then go to Brighton for just three sessions. But as I could hardly move, I couldn’t see how I could manage any kind of transport. Enough of that!

My latest book, Wartime Secrets at the Mayfair Club, has just been published (Tesco is selling the special Fern Britton recommendation with extra material at the back), so it’s exciting to see it fly from my computer to the shelves. My fictional club is modelled on the beautiful Georgian building that accommodates the University Women’s Club (UWC) in Mayfair, London, of which I’ve been a member for over 30 years. It was open every day to its 1500 members right through the Blitz until the end of the war, providing shelter and friendship as it still does today. Thankfully, the Club wasn’t bombed although some nearby buildings were damaged or destroyed.

But it was the lamp post a few feet away from the entrance that I’d just discovered held a wartime secret which gave me the inspiration to write this book. This time I’ve cautiously dipped my toe into spy world and absolutely loved writing it, even though I kept hearing the voice of Emma, my editor, in my ears saying, ‘Don’t make this a spy novel, Molly.’ Surprised, I answered, ‘No, of course not – I wouldn’t know how.’ I will leave it to you, the Reader, to judge whether I (more or less) kept to my word.

If you’re anywhere near Lewes on Saturday, 25th July at 2.30, I’m giving a talk at Ringmer Village Hall on some of the wild and wonderful research I do for my novels It’s only a fiver and that includes tea and homemade cakes. A real bargain, though I modestly say it myself!

Molly Green holding Wartime Secrets at the Mayfair Club in Tesco, Lewes

People sometimes ask which book has been my favourite to write. I’ve loved writing every single one but if I have to choose, it’s always the one I’m writing at this very moment! This happens to take place deep within a disused underground station in 1940 and I’m enjoying the research and the writing immensely. This one will be out in the summer of 2027.

So for now, settle down on a sunbed with a large hat to shade your face, and a long, cool drink topped with one of those little floating umbrellas by your side, relax and enjoy a wonderful summer of reading – and if you begin to drift, I give you full permission to close your eyes . . . but be sure to have something solid close by to hold onto!

Molly Green

Cats and Books – what a combination!

1 Reply

How is it possible that our lovely summer has already slipped into Autumn? And this time it was even more of a shock because the glorious weather had just turned a whole lot cooler. Luckily, for me, my Grecian writing retreat was just around the corner.

And what a (re)treat! Our small writing group was unfortunately one down (Suzanne Goldring couldn’t make it), but Carol McGrath, owner of a property in the sun-drenched, stunning coastline of the Mani, was a great hostess to Gail Aldwin and me in spite of having recently undergone a major operation. The four of us have annually (when possible) come together to write in The Greek House, sight-see, eat delicious food and share wine, shop (difficult to resist the colourful clothes at bargain prices), and relax in the blissful warmth of a summer evening.

This time we went to an unusual concert in the mountains, given by three vibrant young women who played different instruments and sang in 28 languages. Their voices in perfect harmony were magical. With all this going on, you’d think we’d have no time left to write. Wrong! We managed several hours every day, and at four o’clock we’d meet for tea and homemade scones (by me!) and read out our chapters and critique them. It works like a dream. I wrote 11,000 words – a record in 7 days for me. No matter that I deleted at least a thousand when I was home. That’s all part of the writing process.

In August, I gave a talk at the University Women’s Club where I’ve been a member for over thirty years. The subject was some of the iconic buildings I’ve used for my settings in my novels. It was the first time I’ve ever used a projector and screen and although I’d practised under the instructions of author Alison Morton (also a member), who kindly put the slide show together, I was still nervous on the night.

Of course, technology sometimes acts up (not my fault, of course!) but gave the audience a few laughs – never a bad thing at a talk. I was surprised so few of the women (there were only two men in the audience) had been to Bletchley Park and Churchill’s Cabinet War Rooms, so I’m hoping my books on those subjects will inspire them to pay a visit.

One of the slides I showed was Longleat, near Bath. It’s been on the television several times lately but mostly commentating on the grounds and the history of the world-famous safari. However, during the war the safari didn’t exist. The Marquis of Bath was requested by the War Ministry to take in a private school called The Royal School for Daughters of the Officers of the Army. I read a memoir of one of the girls who attended there during the war. A spoilt and rebellious child, she was eventually expelled.

The Marquis also gave permission for the Americans to build an American military hospital in the grounds. Perfect! I now had an American doctor who would be the hero, working and living in a conglomeration of hurriedly built huts, and my heroine would be in the grand house as the librarian.

Throw the rebellious teen (they didn’t use the term ‘teenager’ in the war) into the mix and I had the fragments of a story which became The Wartime Librarian’s Secret, published last July. You can see how it appeals to cats as well as readers!

The penultimate building I showed was the club itself. I told them this is the setting I’ve chosen for my latest book, out next June. It’s called Wartime Secrets at the Mayfair Club: The Ladies’ Mayfair Club survived the Blitz – but can it survive betrayal?

Just days ago I wrote THE END on a very rough draft, but at least the story is down so I’m able to enjoy all the editing it needs before submission. This time I’m tiptoeing into spy-land and have discovered another piece of history – namely the British Union of Fascists – that I never realised was quite so widespread and so treacherous, and that if Oswald Mosley and his tens of thousands of supporters had been successful, they could have completely changed the outcome of the war.

* * *

If anyone is near Lewes, East Sussex on Saturday, 15th November, do come to a talk I’m giving in the library located at Styles Field, Friar’s Walk, 1.30 – 3pm and signing copies of The Wartime Librarian’s Secret. I would love to see you so please introduce yourself if you do. There will be a similar slide show to the one in the UWC and you’ll have the chance to see the last slide which is actually a video made especially for me showing the ultimate iconic building – where I write!
Until next time, happy reading.

Molly Green

Happy New Year!

Where I write

3 Replies

Well, summer has endeavoured to arrive on a number of occasions but just as suddenly disappeared into pouring rain, but this week looks much warmer and drier. My rain garden is quite happy though and the flowers and grasses have shot up. The exciting thing for me in the garden is the flowering of my three newly planted magnolia trees. They’re the ones I remember when I lived in Georgia, USA some decades ago. When the flowers are fully out, they look like gorgeous creamy-white satin bows.

Those of you who read my posts know that I do my writing in my railway carriage, specially built by my two artisan builders. Here is the latest photograph taken when the flowers first bloomed in early ‘summer’. I still haven’t got over the novelty of sitting in the First-Class compartment, having my coffee or cup of tea, reading over the latest chapter or one of my research books, then walking through the partition into the office section where the ‘real’ work continues.

My latest novel: Courage for the Cabinet Girl is out next month, 26^th September. My heroine, Katie, trained as a secretary and wanting to do her bit in the war, grasps the opportunity to work in the mysterious underground maze of the Cabinet War Rooms, not realising at first that this is where Winston Churchill directed the entire Second World War. I’ve really enjoyed writing this particular novel (actually, I’ve loved writing all of them!) because Mr Churchill plays a leading part – he would, wouldn’t he? It’s been such fun writing dialogue in the way he used to speak to various members of the staff, his idiosyncratic and volatile personality bursting through, all too often to the chagrin of the recipient.

I’m giving a talk on the novel and how I did my research on publication day itself at Waterstones in Lewes on Thursday, 26^th September, from 6 -7pm. If you happen to be in the area, I’d love it if you could join us, as meeting my readers is so rewarding and spurs me on to write the next novel! The event is bookable through Waterstones website and the £5 ticket price will be deducted from the price of the book, should you decide to buy one. And just today the manager told me he would provide a welcoming glass of wine!

Hope to see some of you there.

Molly’s carriage in summer

Until next time, happy reading.

Molly Green

Marching into Spring

1 Reply

Good morning, everyone. It’s hard to believe it’s almost spring when I look out of my office window where rain is hurtling down and it’s still cold. But I’m lovely and toasty in my railway carriage where I write.

Bella, my elderly rescued cat, finally plucked up the courage to come and see me in the carriage and when she visits, she likes to jump onto the train seat. I’ve prepared it in advance for any wet paws by unfolding an old sheet across it. She then curls up to nap for a few hours (that’s her definition of a nap!) until I emerge needing coffee. (photo attached)

I’ve written the first draft of a new novel which I’ve just finished editing for the umpteenth time. This last edit was serious as it was the one my critique writing partner, thriller and historical fiction writer Alison Morton, meticulously went through, leaving a trail of red-penned alterations and suggestions.

My heroine, Katie, is a secretary, nursing a devastating personal secret, and lands a job in Churchill’s Cabinet War Rooms in Whitehall. It’s a wonderfully claustrophobic atmosphere for a novelist to explore and perfect for secrets to be kept under wraps (though not always successfully!) and romantic liaisons to develop!

I’m thinking about the next novel after this. As an author, it’s wise to have at least one good idea ahead of your current one. This time, the setting will be on a country estate, requisitioned for more than one other purpose. Because of the war, a twist of fate will bring my new heroine and hero into contact with one another. That’s all I’m up to in my head and I have to trust myself that I can write it and my publishers will eventually transform it into an engaging historical novel.

This requires lots of research but I can’t pretend

it’s a chore. I love research. I’ve learnt so much about the women I write who did unusual jobs in the Second World War, mostly through their published memoirs, so I’m confident I’m writing straight from the heart on behalf of these marvellous women. And my goodness, the more I uncover, the more there is to learn! But if by reading my novels, a reader gains some insight into the kinds of difficult situations these women, sometimes still in their ‘teens, faced, then I consider my job worthwhile.

And lastly, if anyone lives in the Wandsworth area and would like to come to my talk on Bletchley Park to be held on 4^th April in the Avery Care Home, do get in touch.

That’s it from me. Happy reading!