Imaginary people – The Promethean moment.

Writing a novel or short story, imagined people grow, change, even think and act in ways the writer might not have expected. You write about their lives freely, until that Promethean moment when people spring to life, make their own choices.

The character who became Cassie – Cass

andra McKay of Cassandra’s Phoenix, out this weekend,– began to exist in the summer of a horrible year. Only personally, nothing like this appalling year, only glandular fever. Cassie turned up, battered by loss, determined to change her life, and Iwanted to know more about her. When one of the Famous Five liked a book, asked for five more synopses, my hopes soared. So did my agent’s. Only briefly, but the publisher – they’re part of Hachette – had compared my style with that of a well known writer. If by any chance you’ve been following this blog, you’ll know this didn’t end well. ( An Adventure with the Famous Five) Glandular fever/mononucleosis began to set in as I reached London – a long and expensive journey. ( Zoom would have been so much easier)

Dense fog in my brain wasn’t nerves, but the onset of a bug that left me a rag for months. Now, doctors recognise the devastating impact of long covid. A few years ago, according to the UK’s NHS, anything ‘post-viral’ was all in your mind., exercise is the treatment. Off that sofa, just go for a run. I love running up hills, hated being ill.No book deal, and post viral, I was a mess for months – but I wanted to write those books. My agent died. Random House liked my slush pile submission, but once again, everything fell apart. Then I met my wonderful mentor, the woman I call ‘ The Spy’ Almost 90, she changed my life with her inspiring take on digital publishing.

‘ Publishing has changed., Do it now. You’ve no time to lose’

I’ ve written and published three of the books already, starting with East of the Sun, which was inspired by my favourite fairy tale. The Norse fairy tale, East of the Sun, West of the Moon is brilliant Just for a change, not drugged, imprisoned, or stalked by a foot fetishist, girl rescues prince… Better still, a part time polar bear prince.

Most of all, I wanted to write Cassandra’s Phoenix. For this book, I haven’t changed my original title. Telling Cassie and Rendall’s story, I wanted to explore what happens when people discover that lifelong partnership isn’t possible. People used to be in love, so what happened ? At fifteen, this question fascinated me. Pride and Prejudice was our English Literature exam set book

Darcy and Elizabeth ? No need to guess the ending, most of us had read P & P already, but would their marriage pass the Lucas test ? Given to Charlotte Lucas – seven crucial years older than Lizzie, Jane Austen’s thoughts on marriage are disturbing.

‘ Happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance. If the dispositions of the parties are ever so well known to each other or ever so similar beforehand, it does not advance their felicity in the least. They always continue to grow sufficiently unlike afterwards to have their share of vexation; and it is better to know as little as possible of the defects of the person with whom you are to pass your life.”

Twenty-seven, Charlotte would know only too well the kind of fate lying in wait for her.. Her father’s tolerable fortune might protect her, a little, from the fate of a Miss Bates, or Jane Fairfax, but would it be enough to buy a husband ? Only a Darcy or a Grandcourt could afford girls with out a decent dowry. Accepting Mr Collins was an economic decision – ’ solely from the pure and disinterested desire of an establishment’

How did all the Pride and Prejudice pairings work out ? From choice, I haven’t read any sequels, and of the many adaptations, l prefer the 1985 BBC version – Buying the DVD in a charity shop, for £2, I loved Fay Weldon’s skilful and respectful use of Jane Austen’s words.. Her book, nobody else could put it better.

Here’s the synopsis I’ve written for the Kindle edition of Cassandra’s Phoenix. .

‘ Love wouldn’t be so disastrous if the right people loved each other.

No loving family, sadly, but Cassandra seemed to have everything else, including brains. When Laurie Rendall didn’t want her, Cassie moved in with clever Mark, thought he loved her. Mark’s software’s brilliant, Cassie’s journalism hard-hitting. They’d marry, of course, just not yet. Then Mark fell in love, must marry the mother of his child, wanted Cassie’s children too.

Barrister at law, single mother, would-be QC, if only she could scavenge the time, Anna knew the truth about almost everything, Pangloss to Cassie’s Candide.

‘ Love ? Believe nothing. Test to destruction. Then test again. It’s the only way. ’

‘You mean, who puts out the bins ?

‘ Bins would be a start, and the cat throwing up, and a desperately sick child. I mean everything. How much do they really love you ? Not just words. What would they do for you ?’

No words for the end of love ? For unspeakable grief ?

Cassie and Mark’s weeks old daughter Kate died in a car crash. Mark and his future wife were still claiming four year old Ella. Activist, allegedly, is Cassie fit to be a parent ? As Mark said, so calmly,

‘Aspects of your lifestyle just aren’t right for bringing up a child.

Anna said, anger barely contained,

‘ Aspects of your lifestyle. You do realise how serious this is ? Yes, I know, you’re not keen on nukes. Silent vigil for Hiroshima. Writing in all the wrong papers. On the page or in court, they can make it sound like ISIS. Mark will have all kinds of useful friends. You’ve been seen, far too often.’

Cassie shuddered, suddenly afraid.

‘ Peaceful protest. Silent vigil. No arrest. Not even moved on. Last summer, one man was pretty horrible. Stormed at me..

‘ People like you are destroying this country.’

‘ I know. You told me all about it. Don’t you know who that was ?’

‘ Of course not.. Angry little man in the street. ’

‘ That was angry little Patrick Blake. Felicity’s father. Head of HBG systems. CEO, I mean. People like you really annoy him. I know Mark’s game. Hire the right lawyer, get your own way. Lawyers like winning, co-operating isn’t their style. Tough cases are like the fourth division reaching a cup final, all the more glory if you win. Mark and Felicity, claiming Ella, because you’ll be a single parent ? Even though Kate died in their care ? So-called activist too ? Brilliant… Jaw-dropping case law, the kind that could go down in history ?’

Anna’s advice :

‘ Go away. Let the dust settle. I bet you’ve never been free before. Go on… Have you ? ‘

Cassie considered, found a memory.

‘ Once. A summer job folded, a couple of weeks early, so I just wandered about France on my own. Only, there was a time limit. Meeting someone, for the crossing.’

‘ Mark ? ’

‘Laurie Rendall. ‘

Anna registered the name, knew all about Cassie and Rendall,

On her travels with Ella, Cassie records broken lives, finds healing. Some of her old friends seem like Job’s. Anna’s changed too, knows how to be a rich lawyer now. Then Rendall finds Cassie again.