I'm delighted to welcome Juliet to the blog today to talk about her debut novel ...
Juliet West’s debut novel Before the Fall is described as a
‘compelling, moving tale of a love affair, set in the East End during World War
One and based on an unforgettable real life story’. And yet it is so much more.
When my proof copy first arrived a terrifying
thought sprang to mind: what if I hated it? What if I couldn’t finish it?
Suddenly reviewing a friend’s debut novel wasn’t such a good idea. But then I
started reading and all these silly fears dissipated before I’d turned the
first page. I was gripped by Hannah’s voice and story, reading the whole book
over a couple of days.
The novel weaves between Hannah’s narrative
(first person) and Daniel’s story (third). It was the genuine voices of the
main characters that hooked me. They are complex and intelligent, yet both
outsiders not really ‘fitting’ in with their working class friends and family.
Hannah is struggling to find any meaning in her life. Her husband volunteered
early for the army leaving her and their two children to live with Hannah’s
sister. Daniel has a protected job in London’s dockyard so hasn’t been called
up. Being a fit young man he’s the target of malicious gossip and the white
feather brigade. The two outsiders are inevitably drawn to each other, with
tragic consequences. I don’t want to give anything away, but I finished this
book with tears running down my face. The story seems even more poignant when
you learn it’s based on a real story – more on this in Juliet’s interview
below.
Juliet’s writing has the same melancholic
and haunting atmosphere of Helen Dunmore. Honest storytelling, lyrical yet
fluid and so readable. If you enjoy Dunmore’s novels then I think you’ll love Before the Fall.
Here is an excerpt: “ I think the war is
everywhere in the rain, in the river, in the grey air that we breathe. It is a
current that runs through all of us. You can’t escape the current; either you
swim with it, or you go under.”
I’m sure you’ve guessed, but I highly
recommend this novel. And if you’re already suffering WW1 overload then please
don’t overlook this novel. It is intriguing to hear the stories of those who
endured the Great War at home. I found it refreshing to read about the war from
a domestic perspective.
......
Juliet West worked as a journalist before taking an MA in
Creative Writing at Chichester University. Her poetry and short stories have
been published in various magazines and anthologies including The French Literary Review, Ink, Sweat and Tears, and The Sunday Times online magazine.
Juliet’s debut novel, ‘Before the Fall’, is published on May 22nd
2014 by Mantle/Macmillan. She lives in West Sussex with her husband and three
children.
Twitter @julietwest14
Q:
Hannah and Daniel are complex main characters, but come across as very
real to the reader. I also understand Before the Fall is based on a true
story. Can you tell us more about the background to the novel - without giving
too much away of course. How did you first come across the story?
I first heard about this story nearly eighteen years
ago when I was working as a newspaper journalist in London. During the First
World War, a young soldier’s wife had fallen in love with another man while her
husband was abroad fighting. Their affair ended dramatically in 1918, leading
to a murder trial at the Old Bailey. Police and court documents relating to the
case had been released by the Public Record Office in Kew, and I co-wrote a
feature which appeared in January 1997 under the headline: ‘A soldier at the
Front, a wife at home and a tragic betrayal’.
The
story was so poignant and shocking – it haunted me for years, and I really
wanted to explore it in more depth. But it wasn’t until 2010 that I finally
started to research and write the novel.
I
should mention that ‘Before the Fall’ is a fictionalized version of the story,
and that the names Hannah and Daniel are not the real names of the people
involved. Although I remained very true to the key events, I did invent a wider
cast of characters in order to create believable worlds for Hannah and Daniel.
So characters such as Hannah’s best friend Dor, Daniel’s landlady Mrs Browne
and his neighbour Sonia are all fictitious.
Q:
I was intrigued to learn from the novel that London had been bombed by German
Zeppelins and planes during WW1, air raids are something you associate with
WW2. Before the Fall is distinctly set in the Eastend of London where Hannah
lives and you've captured the setting and people so well. How much research did
you undertake for the novel? Can you share some of your research process, for
example did you do all the research before you began writing?
Initially I was very daunted by the prospect of research.
I’d studied history at university, yet I’d never attempted to write historical
fiction and hadn’t a clue where to begin.
In the end, my approach was unsystematic (polite way
of saying ‘chaotic’). I researched as I wrote, usually from home, reading history
books, biographies, memoirs and browsing countless World War One sites on the
internet. I also had several field trips to the East End, especially around
Docklands and Whitechapel, walking the streets and visiting local history
archives and museums. In fact the research wasn’t a burden at all. I absolutely
loved it and found myself more and more fascinated by the period.
Of course the difficulty of becoming immersed in
another world is that you end up with so much material that it’s hard to know
what to leave out. I wanted to avoid the clichés of rattling trams and
flickering gas lamps, but ultimately these were very much part of the London
landscape one hundred years ago, so the odd tram has crept in…
Q:
You read a beautiful but poignant poem at a recent poetry event and I know you
enjoy writing poetry. As well as working on novels can you tell us more about
other writing projects and successes.
Thank you, Tracy, I’m glad you enjoyed that poem. I
do love reading, writing and discussing poetry, and a couple of my poems have
been published. However I’d hesitate to call myself a ‘proper’ poet. One day
I’d like to study poetry in greater depth – I want to know about spondees and
anapests! - but for now I just dabble when the mood takes me. I probably write
only two or three poems a year. Must do better.
While I was studying for my MA in Creative Writing
(at Chichester University), I concentrated on short stories and started
submitting to competitions. For ages I didn’t have any luck, and then my short story
‘Beauty in the Bog’ won the H E Bates prize and went on to be published in the
Sunday Times online magazine. This was a massive confidence boost. I’d
definitely encourage other writers to submit to competitions. If a story isn’t
placed, don’t lose heart or take it personally. Toughen up, tweak, and
re-submit!
Q:
I believe you have a 2-book deal with Macmillan. Now Before the Fall is out
in the shops are you working on book 2. Can you tell us anything about it and
when it will also be available?
Book 2 is another historical novel, but the setting
and the characters are very different to ‘Before the Fall’. This book is set in
Sussex and London during the summer of 1935. It’s about love and family
loyalty, set against the political backdrop of this era. It’s not a war novel,
but certainly the legacy of the First World War, and the fear of a future
conflict, are relevant to this book.
I hope to complete the first draft by the end of
this year, but I don’t want to jinx my progress by suggesting a publication
date!
Q:
Finally, Juliet, if, or should I say when, Before the Fall is optioned for
film or TV who would you choose to play Hannah and Daniel? If you could have a
part then which character would you like to play?
Ha,
you never know! It’s a difficult question to answer, though. Because I’d seen a
photograph of the real-life Hannah, this was the only face I pictured when I
wrote the book. She was a petite woman with beautiful wide eyes and dark hair.
Audrey Hepburn circa 1953 is the closest I can get.
I
have no idea what real Daniel looked like - the only description is that he was
a tall, broad man. But I’m sure he must have been very attractive for Hannah to
have fallen for him, given everything that was at stake. Jon Hamm with a
Cockney accent, perhaps?
As
for which character I’d play, this is even trickier as I haven’t acted since I
was about twelve (in a school assembly - a Coronation Street spoof, in which I
played Deirdre Barlow). Probably I would be the café owner, Mrs Stephens,
grimly chopping onions in the kitchen.
Thank you, Juliet for stopping by today. Hope you are recovering after the launch party yesterday - it was a great "do" and a terrific venue for a book launch (The Library at The Proud Archivist, Haggerston)
Top right photo: Juliet giving her speech
Bottom right photo: Juliet and Tracy with a copy of the book!
.....
Finally, here are some links to where you can buy Before the Fall
Wishing Juliet every success and many sales for Before the Fall. It deserves to do well!
