The two other main characters in The Mother’s Day Club, who give homes to evacuee expectant mothers, are sisters, Thea and Prue – both in their forties. They were inspired by reading Virginia Nicholson’s fascinating book Singled Out, which highlights the life of young women in the 1920s and 30s, after the huge losses of men during the First World War.
Thea is unmarried, her fiancé having been killed in France, and she has recently returned to live in the village after years of living in London where she ran her own business. The inspiration for that business came from something I read in Singled Out, about working women in London finding it difficult to find affordable meals during the working day. The idea for Thea’s business – mobile catering for such workers – was born. Having decided to return to live in Norfolk, Thea has sold the business and bought the house she’s always loved back in her home village in Norfolk.
Thea is a good friend of Station Officer Violet Steele from the East End Angels books, the pair of them having worked as ambulance drivers together in France during World War One. I couldn’t resist having a link to the East End Angels books, and this was the perfect way. In the second book of this new Women on the Home Front series, Thea visits Violet in London and goes to Station 75 and meets Winnie, Frankie and Bella.
Prue is married, but all is not well in her life. Her marriage was one of convenience rather than love, having married a widower with two young boys. Her husband Victory is horrible, but great fun to write!
Coming up soon, exclusively for my newsletter subscribers is a special competition to win a signed copy of The Mother’s Day Club and I will also make the winner a pair of handknitted socks, in true 1940s style. There is still time to sign up for my newsletter here, and also get a free copy of my ebook of short stories too, if you’d like to enter.