Nancy Jardine Author: Who, or what, do you depend on?

Wednesday, 8 January 2014

Who, or what, do you depend on?

Who do you depend on? Or even...what do you depend on?

Everyone has their own unique domestic situation which has relevance to what we do and how we think every single day. For me, I'm back into the routine of being the official grandchildminder for approximately 2 days a week, aided and abetted, a lot, by my husband when we are all together at my house. I do this childminding for many benefits, though none are finacial to me. I gain a huge boost from regularly seeing the development of my amazingly bright granddaughter - I'd not have wanted to miss a second of that. I also do it to help my daughter since it gives her peace of mind that her child is being cared for by family and people she trusts, and it naturally helps with my daughter's general finances. Paying for the 2 afternoon sessions at the private nursery which my granddaughter attends isn't cheap, and the concept of the finances needed for 5 full days is mind boggling. It also means I get to see a lot more of my daughter and son-in-law as well during collection and arrival times.On childminding days I do almost no writing or book marketing tasks, the timing just isn't suitable. I don't expect or even plan to do anything on those days- so I do not depend on making writing progress till I am on a different 'work day'.

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But support comes in other ways. My immediate family’s support regarding my writing is so welcome. Both of my daughters are great at boosting my confidence when times get tough, like lack of sales being a little bit depressing. They find wonderful ways of lifting the spirits at birthdays and other special times, drawing me out of my writing chair and out into the real world to participate in enjoyable pursuits. They read my novels at the beta reading stage and are heartily encouraging. My friends and other relatives are likewise great at giving continuous help and cheer me on no end! My husband cooks some wondeful meals and reminds me when it's coffee break time on writing days, and he helps me with technology problems since I can be tunnel visioned and more than a bit challenged.

Is that what it’s like for the characters in my historical romantic adventure After Whorl: Bran Reborn? Er…no.

The passing on of information can only happen by word of mouth between the Celts in my novels since the Ancient Celts had no writing system that we know of. However, between the Romans who appear in the novel written communication is possible.

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So how is my main female Celtic character-Ineda-supported? Ineda’s only living relatives are her aging grandmother and her father. She can’t rely on her grandmother Meaghan, for much help, since the Romans have forced them to live apart at some distance from each other. Ineda’s father, Ruarke, can help her a little but he’s been wounded – the result of a clash with a Roman patrol. Ineda and her father are also coming to terms with having to leave their own village and live in the settlement that the Romans have forced them to live at. Help from new neighbours is always welcome, but when you live in a climate of distrust with the Roman Empire breathing heavily down on your neck making friends isn’t so easy.

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Brennus, my Celtic warrior from The Beltane Choice, the first book of the series, finds he can’t return to his own hillfort of Garrigill and takes on a new identity as Bran. Like Ineda and her father, he’s forced to live at the settlement of Witton, the Roman Army monitoring his every movement. At Witton, with no relatives of his own, he relies on the assistance of neighbouring women to provide food and shelter for him while he’s forced to labour every day in the forest with the rest of the men from the settlement, felling wood for Roman Fort building. Their generous help is received very gratefully but he’s no different from Ineda and Ruarke – he’s a stranger at the settlement and most of the tribespeople are wary and slow to make real, new friends. It’s no surprise that Bran, Ineda and Ruarke turn to each other for support.

As Bran, he finds a new purpose in life and segues fairly easily into the role of the spy when necessary, gathering information which may aid Venutius, the King of the Brigantes, and will hopefully thwart the northwards progress of the Roman Army.

When my internet works properly, it’s so easy for me to make contact with all my internet friends. For Bran and Ineda making contact with anyone outside of Witton is extremely hazardous and almost impossible- the Roman eye ever watchful of ongoing activities. However, that doesn’t stop Ineda and Bran from attempting to thwart the advance of the Roman Empire on the soil of Britannia.

But to find out more about their spying you’ll just have to… read the book!!