The Second Mrs. Thistlewood by Dionne Haynes - Book Tour
The Second
Mrs Thistlewood
Regency England. A land of oppression and social discontent.
Arthur Thistlewood is fighting for a revolution. Susan
Thistlewood is fighting for freedom. From Arthur.
Battered and bruised by her violent husband, Susan finds comfort
in food and books. As Arthur’s legal property, leaving the marriage seems an
impossible dream — until a chance encounter with a charismatic Bow Street
Runner. In the sanctuary of an inconspicuous London bookshop, the Runner’s easy
manner and unexpected generosity compel Susan to pursue a life without her
husband.
But will the Bow Street officer provide a key to Susan’s
freedom? Or will he place her in the greatest danger of all?
Inspired by true events from the
Cato Street Conspiracy of 1820, this is a tale of courage, determination, and
love.
Purchase Links
Author Q&A
Favorite childhood memory involving
books?
I’ve always been an avid
reader, and less keen on sleep. As a child, my mum or dad would come upstairs
and insist I switch off the light and go to sleep or else I’d be tired for
school in the morning. I would do as I was told, wait for them to go
downstairs, switch the light back on and carry on reading. When I heard them
come upstairs at their bedtime, I’d quickly switch the lamp off and pretend to
be asleep – but the lamp had an inner segment that rotated when the lightbulb
was hot, and it would keep spinning for several minutes after switching it off.
As a result, I was caught so often for reading late at night!
I also had a phase of reading
under the covers with a torch but was so engrossed in whatever book I was
reading that I didn’t hear the sound of footsteps coming and was caught far too
easily.
Did you want to be an author when you
grew up?
Actually, no. I’ve always enjoyed making up stories, but my ambition was
to be a doctor, and I put my heart and soul into that. I graduated from medical
school in 1992, and it wasn’t until a few years ago that I decided to switch
careers and become an author.
If you had to describe yourself in
three words, what would they be?
Happy. Caring. Determined.
What’s one movie you like recommending
to others?
Hidden figures.
I love this film. When we think of space exploration, I’m
sure most of us think of men cloaked in spacesuits and walking on the moon.
This film is about the African-American women who propelled America forward in
the space race via their vital roles within NASA. Based on a true story, it
reveals the amazing contributions they made despite being subjected to racism
and sexism. These women are inspirational and deserve wider acclaim.
If you could own any animal as a pet,
what would it be?
An elephant! Elephants
are beautiful, majestic creatures. I love the way they work together as a herd,
respecting the matriarch and caring for their young. I’d have to have a large
home bordering a well-protected game reserve as I wouldn’t want poachers
anywhere near my elephant and I’d want him or her to be able to roam free with
other elephants.
Have you ever met anyone famous?
Yes, I have.
I’ve met a few famous sportsmen at events I’ve attended, and I had the honour
of meeting Jackie Mann not long after he was released from captivity in Beirut
in 1991. I’ve also met one or two famous people in my professional capacity as
a doctor, but obviously I can’t tell you about those!
What is the first book that made you
cry?
Unforgettable – Black Beauty. The terrible things that beautiful horse
endured before finding happiness!
How long, on average, does it take you
to write a book?
Approximately 2 months to write the first draft, followed by another couple
of months to edit and rewrite. Then it’s a case of editing, editing, editing,
looking for holes in plots and polishing the story. I suppose it’s about eight
to ten months in total, but that doesn’t include the research that goes into it
before I start writing.
How do you select the names of your
characters?
Many of my characters are fictionalised versions of real people and so
they have their real names. For the characters I create to join them, I look at
birth and marriage records for the era, or old newspaper reports and select
names that were in use during the period.
I often come across unusual names that I jot down for future use. One
name I look forward to using is Ichabod, but I haven’t found a place for him
yet!
If you were the last person on Earth,
what would you do?
Cry! What an awful thought – it means the human race has been wiped out
by something and I don’t think I’d cope with the loneliness and the absence of
my loved ones.
What fictional character would you want
to be friends with in real life?
Dr Dolittle. Imagine being able to talk to the animals. I’d be chatting
with elephants first.
Do you have any advice for aspiring
writers?
Yes! If you want to write a novel, do it! It takes a long time, and like
anything, it takes practice to hone the skills required. I spent five years at
medical school and three years in postgraduate education to qualify as a General
Practitioner (family doctor). It took five years to get to the point of
publishing my debut novel, and I’m still learning. It takes dedication and
commitment, but so do most worthwhile goals in life.
What book do you wish you had written?
The Handmaid’s Tale. Wow! What a story!
What is your favorite genre to read?
I read widely and historical fiction is my favourite, but I’m also
partial to a good thriller or police procedural.
Author Bio
–
Dionne is
a retired doctor, living in Plymouth with her husband. She has a passion for
history, the great outdoors, good food and life in general. With her medical
career now well behind her, she is enjoying a second career as an author.
In 2015,
Dionne finished writing her first novel The
Provenance of Lilly, but after careful reflection and consideration of some
harsh criticism, she decided not to put it into print. Instead, she worked hard
at honing her writing skills, and published her debut novel, Running With The Wind, in 2019. She is
currently working on a sequel which will form Book One of The Trelawney
Wives series.
Dionne
graduated from St George’s Hospital Medical School in 1992, and started her
medical career in the Royal Air Force. In 1998, she left the military to have
her son, and worked in General Practice and Occupational Medicine. The
opportunity to retire came in 2014 and Dionne did not hesitate to take it,
relishing the opportunity to delve into history books and begin her writing
career. Although no longer practising medicine, her medical background has some
influence in the plotting of her stories.
While keen
to maintain historical accuracy in her writing, Dionne creates stories from
real events with sparse recorded details, allowing her imagination to take over
and tell a tale of what may have occurred.
Social
Media Links –
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dionne-Haynes/e/B0813VDWN9
Facebook: https://facebook.com/DionneHaynesUK
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DionneHaynes_UK
0 Comments
Please try not to spam posts with the same comments over and over again. Authors like seeing thoughtful comments about their books, not the same old, "I like the cover" or "sounds good" comments. While that is nice, putting some real thought and effort in is appreciated. Thank you.