IT'S SAGA SATURDAY!! Please welcome historical romance author Kay Seeley...

 

Thank you for inviting me to Saga Saturday. I enjoy reading and writing sagas, having been a huge fan of Catherine Cookson in my youth. In those days I could always be found with my head in a book but if you’d told me I’d be just finishing my sixth novel I wouldn’t have believed you.

My latest book, A Girl Called Rose is set during the turbulent years of The Great War. The Great War was a time of great change for the country. With the men away women took on male roles for the first time in our history, not only at work but also as head of house at home.

It was also a time when the threat of loss was ever present. Young people falling in love never knew when or if they’d see each other again, so time spent together was precious. Relationships formed very rapidly and not always wisely. The usual social conventions went out of the window and the role of fathers in deciding young girls’ futures went with it. The war heralded a time of greater independence for women, independence they were reluctant to give up after the war. As one of the characters in my book says: ‘new ideas can’t be put back in the box’.

People ask me is where I get my ideas from and what inspires me. All my novels are inspired by people I’ve met or members of my family.

A Girl Called Hope, the first in the Hope Series, was inspired by my late husband’s family. Hope was a family name passed down through the generations from his great grandfather, Jack Hope Daniels, through his grandmother and an aunt, all named Hope. Hence A Girl Called Hope. The characters in the Hope story inspired A Girl Called Violet (Hope’s sister) and she inspired A Girl Called Rose (Violet’s daughter). The series spans the turn of the century through to The Great War. I did a lot of research for Rose which I found particularly poignant as my grandfather served in both World Wars. It’s a fascination time and a time of great change, especially for women. I wanted to bring that aspect of the story to life.  The series is about family relationships, legacy and how courage and fortitude span generations.

I’m often asked what advice I’d give to aspiring writers. My advice would be to learn the craft, join a writing group to get feedback on your writing and write what you’re passionate about. Enjoy it and never give up Hope. 

Blurb & Buy Link:

Set against the turbulent years of The Great War, A Girl Called Rose is a deeply moving story of heroism, sacrifice, human weakness and the enduring strength of family ties.

The close, loving family life Rose has known is shattered when the country goes to war. With the men away the women must take on war work and Rose resolves to do her bit.

Aged sixteen she leaves home, despite her mother’s opposition, to train as a nurse in London. There she finds freedom, excitement and a way of life she never thought possible.

A brief encounter with a soldier opens her eyes to romance, but is he the man she thinks he is?

Can first love survive long separation or will Rose discover that her heart belongs to another?

When disaster strikes and the war brings searing loss and heartbreak, can the family find the strength to look to the future?

Can Rose make a difference to people’s lives as she hopes?

A Girl Called Rose is Kay Seeley’s third novel in the Hope Series. Written from the heart it follows the fortunes of the extended Daniels family through the war years. A must read story you won’t want to put down.  

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3sgK2Tc

Author Bio

Kay Seeley lives in London. She has two daughters, both married and three grandchildren, all adorable. She has been a writer for several years, writing novels, short stories and poetry. 

A Girl Called Rose is her sixth novel set in London’s East End and follows A Girl Called Hope and A Girl Called Violet in the Hope series. Three of her previous novels, The Water Gypsy, The Watercress Girls and The Guardian Angel were all shortlisted for The Wishing Shelf Book Award. The Guardian Angel was a #1 best seller. They are available for Kindle in The Victorian Novels Box Set.

Kay has had over fifty short stories published in women’s magazines including The People’s Friend Magazine, Woman’s Weekly, Take-A-Break Fiction Feast and The Weekly News. Her stories are available in her three short story collections: The Cappuccino Collection, The Summer Stories and The Christmas Stories.

She is a member of The Alliance of Independent Authors and The Society of Women Writers and Journalists.

Visit her website www.kayseeleyauthor.com