Why I Wrote The Shakespeare Sisters by Juliet Greenwood

I have long been a fan of Juliet Greenwood’s writing. I loved her novels Eden’s Garden and We That Are Left. Juliet is now writing for Storm Publishing and her first book for this imprint is The Shakespeare Sisters. Juliet is going to tell us why she wrote the book…

Thank you for the invitation to be featured on your blog! It’s a pleasure to be here, and I’ve enjoyed writing about why I wrote my latest book, The Shakespeare Sisters, which has just been published by Storm.

My original inspiration for The Shakespeare Sisters came from my long-held ambition to attempt the challenge of writing a series, and particularly one based on the different members of a single family.

I’ve always been fascinated by how families operate, with influences from the past taking each member in a different direction, and particularly when it comes to sisters. My mother was one of five sisters, who had their battles but were always very close, so my childhood was filled with the intricacies of their relationships, particularly in the summer when us kids were sent off to amuse ourselves while the adults talked.

The history of those five sisters is one that has influenced all of my family, and particularly the women. Much of their past, and therefore ours, comes from the time when my grandfather set off to find gold in Australia, which might have been with good intentions, but the practical upshot for his wife, my grandmother, was being left with small children and no means of support. We are talking about a time, not so very long ago, when women had few rights and even less ability to earn, and no childcare unless it was a grandmother. A truly frightening position, if you look through a woman’s eyes. It might have been different if my grandfather had been successful, but, like many men who went around the world to seek their fortune, he returned destitute.

It’s only been as I’ve grown older that I’ve realised the impact that has had on the family. My grandmother may have had no choices, but she made sure each of her five daughters received an education and trained as a teacher, one of the few occupations open to women. Of course, they were immediately sacked once they married, but it meant that if anything went wrong they all had a means of some kind of financial independence. It also resulted in me, and all my female cousins, having a university education, at a time when it was generally seen as fairly pointless, as all we were going to do with our lives was to hoover the living room floor while our husbands worked.

My family may not have owned a crumbling Tudor mansion like Arden House, but they all had dreams and ambitions, just like the Shakespeare sisters, and a determination to beat the odds and follow their own paths. So I loved writing Rosalind’s story, and I’m equally loving writing the next instalment. It’s been a joy seeing where my heroines’ bids for freedom and independence will take them. I can’t wait to see where they go next!

I’m also really enjoying returning to the landscape of my childhood, near to Stratford-upon-Avon, along with the traditional village activities of choral societies and amateur dramatics that took place, and were also where people socialised before social media. That has also brought back memories of aunts and uncles and a bye gone era.

And the names? Well, that’s down to my grandfather, too. He loved reading Shakespeare, getting up early before he went to work in the factory he never escaped. He also named his daughters after Shakespearean characters – a tradition that has been carried on with at least one of his granddaughters. 

How fascinating! Mx

About Juliet Greenwood

Juliet Greenwood has always been a bookworm and a storyteller, writing her first novel (a sweeping historical epic) at the age of ten. She grew up near Stratford-upon-Avon, and was inspired by an extended family of enthusiastic amateur actors and singers.

After studying at Lancaster University and Kings College, London, Juliet worked at a variety of jobs, including creating puppet shows with underprivileged children and collecting oral histories of traditional villages before they are lost forever. She finally achieved her dream of becoming a published author following a debilitating viral illness, with her first novel being a finalist for The People’s Book Prize and her first two novels reaching #4 and #5 in the UK Kindle store.

Juliet now lives in a traditional quarryman’s cottage in Snowdonia, North Wales, set between the mountains and the sea, with an overgrown garden (good for insects!) and a surprisingly successful grapevine. She can be found dogwalking in all weathers, camera to hand.

Social Media

Website:          http://www.julietgreenwood.co.uk/

Facebook:       https://www.facebook.com/juliet.greenwood

Twitter:           https://twitter.com/julietgreenwood

Instagram:       https://www.instagram.com/julietgreenwood/

Storm: https://stormpublishing.co/

About The Shakespeare Sisters

Four motherless sisters, raised by a distant father in a crumbling, ivy-choked country estate. A terrible war on the horizon that will tear an ancient family apart. 

Stratford-upon-Avon, 1940. Rosalind Arden, born into one of the oldest families in England, has grown up running wild through the walled gardens and secret passages of historic Arden House, known to have once been frequented by Shakespeare himself. But centuries of squandered wealth have left the family destitute, and Papa Arden plans to replenish the coffers by securing hasty marriages to the highest bidder for Rosalind and her sisters. Passionate and headstrong, Rosalind is quickly running out of ways to avoid this fate.

But then war comes to England, and not even Arden House can remain untouched. As food shortages grip the villages and England is shrouded by black-outs, Rosalind is unexpectedly swept into the orbit of soft-spoken aspiring architect Guy Thompson… just weeks before he’s sent to fight. Heartbroken, Rosalind knows she can’t return to the golden prison of Arden. With little more than a leather-bound book of Shakespeare in tow – a secret bequest from her mother – she runs away to London. There, she throws herself into the war effort, photographing the heart-wrenching aftermath of the blitz – building a life for herself she never thought possible.

Until death comes to Arden and Rosalind is called home to devastating news. With Guy having inexplicably cut contact and her father on the edge of ruin, Rosalind must choose between the life she has made for herself and saving her beautiful, broken Arden House, home to the man who has only ever tried to bend her to his will…

A heartbreaking and unforgettable story full of mystery that will have you reaching for the tissues. Perfect for anyone who loves Fiona Valpy, Lucinda Riley and Dinah Jefferies.

Buying Links: The Shakespeare Sisters: https://geni.us/50-Storm

Morton’s Review – 5 Star

I am still missing this book now that I have finished it and do hope that there will be a sequel.
 
I was a bit worried at the start of reading as my knowledge of Shakespeare’s works is not vast, but this didn’t matter at all. I loved the feisty Rosalind and could, through the skill of the author, put myself in her shoes, especially at the start of World War Two. I kept praying that she would make the right choice for a life partner too.
 
Having read another review that said the reader was swept away into the world of the Shakespeare sisters, I would completely agree. A great read that has me wanting more.

Thank you for visiting my blog – Morton S. Gray – Author. I hope you enjoyed this post. You can also find me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Morton S. Gray news – all of my six Borteen Novels are now available on Kindle Unlimited! Details here

Summer at Lucerne Lodge – Now available on Kindle Unlimited 

Christmas at the Little Beach Cafe – Now available on Kindle Unlimited 

Sunny Days at the Beach – Now available on Kindle Unlimited 

Christmas at Borteen Bay – Now available on Kindle Unlimited 

The Truth Lies Buried – Now available on Kindle Unlimited 

The Girl on the Beach – Now available on Kindle Unlimited 

Published by Choc Lit an imprint of Joffe Books