A view to the past…
When Izzie Dean’s beloved nan, Molly Blackshaw, passes away, Izzie returns to the Blackpool bungalow where she grew up, to say goodbye once and for all. When Izzie’s homecoming reunites her with her first love, Justin Swift, every emotion that Izzie has repressed since the day he broke her heart comes rushing to the surface. But then an unexpected discovery changes everything.
Between the pages of the battered secret diary Molly kept during WWII, Izzie discovers a story of love, heartbreak, and the incomparable hardship of life in a world at war. Reading her grandmother’s words soon puts her own story into perspective, and suddenly Izzie realises that the only thing holding her back from happiness, might be herself. Now she just has to convince Justin that they deserve a second chance at forever…
Title: The Secret Notebook
Author: Julia Wild
Published By: One More Chapter
Publication Date: 8th July 2021
What was the inspiration behind The Secret Notebook?
The inspiration behind The Secret Notebook came after talking with Charlotte Ledger of 0ne More Chapter, then uncovering my own time spent living in a Blackpool guest house – discovering that RAF trainees were billeted there during WW2, and reliving the sights sounds, and walks along the prom both in and out of season.
Did you always want to be a writer?
I always wrote diaries and stories starring friends and myself along with whoever we had a crush on at the time, and have always been an avid reader (gifts were always book tokens) but I didn’t realise just how obvious it was that I wanted to be a writer until I read a rare book that I didn’t enjoy much and thought ‘oh, I could do this…’
Little did I realise – you don’t just write a book and send it off to the publishers and get your cheque back in the post! (This was way before the internet came into being) And yes, I really thought that was how it worked!
What other jobs have you had?
I have worked as a receptionist for a famous cheese company in London, a bank teller, a nightclub waitress, a legal secretary and for an environmental equipment company, also worked in a housebound library service delivering books to those who couldn’t leave home – and then in a local library.
How did it feel when your first novel was published?
There is nothing to rival that feeling – I was so excited and I didn’t stop smiling for at least three weeks! Realising that all your effort has finally paid off is so joyous.
Can you please tell us a little about your publishing story?
Whilst spending a day in a double-glazing showroom as a favour (when there were such places) I’d taken along a book to read and it was then I thought, I could write one! That was in 1989 and between then and being published in 1997, I joined Eastern Arts, who would critique a first chapter per year and in 1993 won a week on a Historical residential course; a tutor there said, ‘Join the Romantic Novelists’ Association…’ which I did – a very good move - and also went to night school for creative writing. I wrote and submitted everything from 18th Century blockbusters to Medical Romances, and then in 1996, Hilary Johnson, also known as ‘The Oracle’ and who at the time ran the RNA’s New Writers’ Scheme suggested that I try writing a contemporary romance for a new line with Robinson – Scarlet. Which I did, and Dark Canvas was accepted for publication on 2nd January, 1997! It went on to win the RNA’s New Writers’ Award for that year – and I was absolutely thrilled – I had that feeling of dreams coming true!
What other books have you written?
Dark Canvas was the first, then Blue Silk Promise, Moon Shadow, Soul Whispers, Secrets and Illusions. Illusions won the RNA’s first Shorter Romance Prize in 2003.
They were all destined for the same publisher, Scarlet, but sadly, that line finished. However, my lovely editor and friend, Sue Curran took me along to Heartline Books with her and the books were tweaked and published there.
After that, Heartline also folded, life took over, all my submissions to agents and publishers weren’t successful, so in 2014, when the library cuts happened, I took voluntary redundancy in order to bring out my backlist as eBooks. I think I need to go back and look at refreshing the covers of these at some point!
In 2018, the writing tide turned again when I met Charlotte Ledger at an RNA party and submitted to her at 0ne More Chapter @Harper Collins) That particular story wasn’t taken up, but after some collaborating the Secret Notebook came into being.
Have you ever had writer’s block?
Yes, usually if my emotions are all over the place in my own life.
If so, how did you overcome it?
Talking to friends and fellow writers, taking some long walks. A breakthrough for me came about when I took a few pages of work on a train journey and found that change of writing location inspired me enormously – unexpectedly I was through the block!
What motivates you to keep writing?
That fizzy excitement when a new idea begins to grow – that motivates me to keep writing.
Where is your favourite place to write? (can we please have a picture)
I’ve turned the little bedroom into an office and just love it. Yes, of course, I’ve attached a photo.
Do your characters moods ever affect your mood and vice versa?
Yes, although interacting with friends or family if the character moods threaten to take over is a useful thing to do – or a walk (even up and down the garden a few times) is a great way to get the balance back. My own mood can affect the ability to write – I think worrying can be a difficult emotion to overcome. I meditate these days to help that but don’t always manage to throw it off. However, in the words of my lovely meditation teacher, Val, ‘Fake it till you make it’ – that can work too!
What three pieces of advice would you give to an aspiring writer?
First, don’t give up, second, write what you enjoy writing (it will show) and lastly, try to write in a natural voice (I used to litter my mss with fancy words just so that it looked as if I knew what I was doing!) I don’t do that now. I would also say don’t throw anything away that you write – it’s a fabulous way to see how your writing changes over time and I always thought of any work that was rejected as my apprenticeship – and still do!
Which authors inspire you?
Sidney Sheldon, Sandra Brown, Milly Johnson, Serena Mackesy, Debbie Viggiano, – there are so many brilliant new authors too.
What are you reading at the moment?
I’m just between books at the moment, I recently finished Big Sexy Love by Kirsty Greenwood which was amazing (I laughed and cried)
If your book was made into a film what song would you choose for the opening credits?
Oh! ELO’s Mr Blue Sky. I LOVE Jeff Lynne and that song reminds me of looking over the sea on a lovely summer day in Blackpool.
Who would you choose to play your favourite character in the film of your book?
Izzie and Molly would be played by Nicole Kidman, Eric Christian Olsen would play Justin (he has the best smile and twinkly eyes!) Aiden Turner would play Jack Blackshaw. Apologies for casting everyone – it’s one of my favourite pastimes!
What is your next book about?
It is very much in the building stage, but Tally and Gabe meet when they have both deliberately escaped the world to adjoining cottages in the Lake District – each for their own powerful reasons… There may be a thread running from The Secret Notebook.
Thank you so much for joining us on our blog today and good luck with the book.
And huge thanks for having me on your blog, Sincerely Book Angels, it’s been great fun!
We reviewed The Secret Notebook here
Sincerely
Book Angel x
About the Author
Hello there!
I was born near Manchester, am married and live in Bedfordshire and have three fantastic youngsters - all adults now.
After years of submitting to the Romantic Novelists Association in the 1990s, I came through the Scheme to win the New Writers Award (now the Joan Hessayon Award) with Dark Canvas, my first published book. Illusions, which was originally published in 2002, also won an award - the RNA's Romance Prize in 2003.
I love to read romantic intrigues, thrillers, suspense and love stories, love writing them too - turning what first appears simple into something far more mysterious! Always, my books start with... 'Oh, what if...?' a wonderful, tingling question, the story developing as I work.
As well as a variety of jobs in a craft shop, solicitors, a bank, a nightclub, and I worked most recently in local libraries for 18 years and when the cutbacks came, I took redundancy and am taking some time to be self-employed, doing what I love best - escaping into the writing world with a head full of dreams and story themes.
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