Why I Wrote The Lost Heir by Jane Cable

I’m happy to welcome Jane Cable back to my blog this week to talk about why she wrote her latest novel, The Lost Heir published by Sapere Books on 11 August 2023. Over to Jane …

My Cornish Echoes romantic dual timeline romantic adventures are based around the great houses of Cornwall during the Poldark era so there are no shortage of candidates, each one with their own particular cast of historical characters. So why did I choose Tehidy, where there has been no actual house for more than a hundred years?

Tehidy as a great house, and the Bassets as a great family, have almost been forgotten. The scant remains of the property are included within a private estate and so out of bounds to the public, but what does remain is the great park, now the property of Cornwall Council, and open to everyone.

It lies just south west of the fishing village of Portreath and about a mile or so back from the dramatic cliffs that characterise this part of the north Cornish coast. But when the wind is blowing in from the sea its tree-lined paths provide a sheltered place to walk, and it is one of our favourites.

But in order for it to work as a Cornish Echoes story I needed to delve into the history of what was there before the house, by that time an infirmary, was destroyed by fire in 1919. I knew little about the Bassets, although perhaps I should have. Frances, Baron de Dunstanville, was not only one of the richest, but one of the most influential, men of his time. Member of parliament, mine-owner, gentleman farmer, supporter of both sciences and arts, and philanthropist. His life would have been perfect and the family’s status would surely have been maintained if he’d had a male heir.

But Frances had only a daughter, Francis, and not a marriageable one at that, it seems. She would have been one of the most eligible young women in Georgian England and yet she remained single. Contemporary accounts describe her as not especially fair of face, and lacking in social graces. But for all that she devoted her life to good works, particularly those relating to the education of children.

It seemed to me I had my historical heroine, so I began to ponder the possible reasons she may not have married. I delved deep into any reputable source I could find, but there was little in the way of an answer; especially as her father had a special baronetcy created to pass through the female line. No mean feat in those days.

When I could not solve the conundrum, my imagination went into overdrive, creating reasons and stories around her. Why, who and what? And equally important, how did it link to my contemporary characters, Carla and Mani? What reason could they, an unhappy teacher desperate to be a glass artist, and an American geologist, have to need to find out?

In common with most authors will tell you about most of their books, the reason I wrote their story was because it had to be written. It absolutely intrigued me and I wanted to bring it to life.

Thank you, Jane. It sounds fascinating and The Lost Heir is on my Kindle and I will be reading and reviewing it soon! Mx

About Jane Cable

Jane Cable writes romance with a twist and its roots firmly in the past, more often than not inspired by a tiny slice of history and a beautiful British setting.

After independently publishing her award-winning debut, The Cheesemaker’s House, Jane was signed by Sapere Books. Her first two novels for them are contemporary romances looking back to World War 2; Another You inspired by a tragic D-Day exercise at Studland Bay in Dorset and Endless Skies by the brave Polish bomber crews who flew from a Lincolnshire airbase.

Jane lives in Cornwall and her current series, Cornish Echoes, are dual timeline adventure romances set in the great houses of the Poldark era and today. She also writes as Eva Glyn.

To keep in touch with Jane you can use the following social media links:
Twitter @JaneCable
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/JaneCableAuthor
Bookbub https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jane-cable

About The Lost Heir

Cornwall, 2020

At the beginning of lockdown, teacher Carla Burgess needs to make some changes to her life. She no longer loves her job, and it’s certainly time to kick her on-off boyfriend into touch. But then, while walking on the cliffs, she meets Mani Dolcoath, a gorgeous American with the darkest of auras.

Mani is researching his family history, and slowly their lives and their heritage begin to entwine. The discovery of a locked Georgian tea caddy in the barn on her parents’ farm intrigues Carla, but then she starts to see orbs, something that hasn’t happened since her grandmother died. They terrify her and she’ll do anything to outrun them, but will she lose Mani’s friendship in the process?

Cornwall, 1810

Harriet Lemon’s position as companion to Lady Frances Basset (Franny) perfectly conceals the fact they are lovers. But when Franny is raped and falls pregnant their lives are destined to change forever.

The one person who may be able to help them is Franny’s childhood friend, William Burgess, a notorious smuggler. But he has secrets of his own he needs to protect. Will his loyalties be divided, or will he come through?

Buy The Lost Heir here – https://getbook.at/LostHeir

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

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