What happened to Phil?

How do you design the rise and fall of characters in a novel?

Where it becomes tricky is when the author decides that a favourite character must die (witness the upheaval over the final Harry Potter book/movie). This has happened to me with Karoo Plainsong. One of the most poignant characters in the book is Phil, the son of Cath and Edward Harrington. Although Phil is some eight years older than Ada, they form a close bond. In contrast, Phil's sister Siobahn seeks to undermine Ada at every turn. But more about that in a later blog.

Phil serves in North Africa during World War 2, and returns to Cradock with 'inside wounds' - what Ada's mother says are the sort of wounds that don't have blood. These days we recognise the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, but in Phil's day it was poorly understood. 'Shell shock' was the common expression at the time. You were meant to buck up and just snap out of it. But for Phil, like many others, this was to prove almost impossible. Of course, in Phil's case, there was more to his illness...

Phil's character was inspired by my heroic real-life uncle, who was the subject of earlier blogs, see Desert Search and Desert Rest. I never met him because he tragically died in battle in North Africa. I didn't want the fictional Phil to perish in the same way. I wanted him to return home, and meet Ada again, and try to rebuild his life. But the world he returned to was different from what he left behind. Ada was now beyond his reach. His love for her was forbiddden by the laws of apartheid.

And this is where it has become intriguing for me, as the author, because Phil's death has sparked a huge debate amongst my readers. At a recent Book Club meeting, I had to moderate between 2 factions who each held a determined view about his demise.
Was it an accident? Was it suicide?
What do you think?

Karoo Plainsong breaks into the Glossies!

In my last blog, I talked about the article that recently appeared in the South African Mail & Guardian newspaper, and which - to my delight - featured an interview with me. Well, now it's the turn of a UK publication to feature Karoo Plainsong.

If you live in the South East, you may have come across Surrey Life, a glossy monthly magazine. In the August edition there is an article on local authors - some famous, some unknown - and I'm thrilled to say that they chose to include me! This will certainly raise awareness of Karoo Plainsong and perhaps nudge me into the category of the 'knowns'!

Getting the word out there about your book is essential if you want to catch what we have called the 'third wave' i.e. readers beyond your family (1st wave), friends/colleagues/friends-of friends (2nd wave).
Third wave readers are strangers to the author. They will buy the book based on Amazon recommendations, the advice of friends, or perhaps after hearing me on the radio... Courting such potential readers is the reason I am engaged on my epic book signing tour around Waterstones in the South East. So far I have done 10 signings, with 8 to go. I have met hundreds of people, many of whom have been sufficiently intrigued by the story to have bought the book. Hopefully they will then pass it on, and so help build up that third wave into a tsunami of interest in Karoo Plainsong.

You can help me by passing on this blog... or my website... or by telling a friend. After all, big waves start from the merest ripple...