Interview with Author Penny Haw
Welcome Readers to
another installment of our author interview series. Today we have the pleasure
of chatting with Penny, author of two historical fiction books.
JMR-Welcome to the
Books Delight, Penny. Tell our readers where you live, what you do for fun and
what does the perfect day look like?
PH-Thank you, Jeanie.
It’s pleasure to be here! I live in a fishing village called Hout Bay, which is
little over 20 kilometers from Cape Town on the southern tip of South Africa.
It’s a gorgeous spot where the Atlantic Ocean crashes against the mountains,
except where it’s tamed by sandy, white beaches. Every morning my husband and I
walk our three dogs along the track above the sea. The views never get tired.
I’m a lover of the outdoors and animals so my days are incomplete without a
hike with my hounds. Sometimes we head down the mountain to allow the dogs to
romp on the beach. I also run—neither fast nor far, but regularly—to try and
counterbalance the many hours I spend upon my butt at my desk. I enjoy cooking
and, of course, like most writers, I am a great reader. The perfect day? A run
in the cool of the morning, a dog walk, a swim (in summer) and then an
uninterrupted day of writing in my office followed by a good meal and a few
hours with a book.
.jpg)
JMR-What’s your
favorite historical time period? Why?
PH-My books are set in
the late 19th Century and early 20th Century. I’m
fascinated by the true lives of relatively unknown women who thrived during
these years despite the odds stacked against by the patriarchy, church, and
religion. The main characters in my novels—Aleen Cust, Britain and Ireland’s
first female veterinary surgeon, and Bertha Benz, one of the world’s earliest motoring
entrepreneurs—were trailblazers in professions dominated by men. Their lives
are inspirational, and I absolutely loved researching and writing about them.
JMR-Who is your
favorite historical figure? Why? If you could ask them one question, what would
it be?
PH-Because I love
animals and once dreamed of becoming a veterinarian, Aleen Cust is my favorite.
My novel, The Invincible Miss Cust describes the extent of her passion
and determination to live a life of purpose in the Victorian era and to work
with animals. She was extraordinary. If I could ask her anything it would be to
confirm the source of her determination. In my version of her life, I reason
that she was driven by her love for animals and her desire to do more with her
life than be an aristocratic wife and mother. I’d love to know if I was right.
What did I get wrong? What don’t I know? Of course, Bertha Benz—the focus of my
novel, The Woman at the Wheel—is also a favorite. I’d ask her how she
managed to juggle the roles of wife and mother of five with her deep
involvement with the invention and business of the Benz motorwagen.
JMR- How did you come
to be a writer of historical fiction?
PH-It happened by
chance! I’d written contemporary fiction and was planning another, which I
thought I’d set in a veterinary practice. This led me to researching when women
first became veterinary surgeons. That’s how I came across Aleen Cust. Her
story was gripping. I couldn’t believe that no one had written historical
fiction about her. I couldn’t resist and one thing led to another.
JMR- You worked as a
journalist and columnist for newspapers and magazines, how did this impact or help
form your writing style?
PH-Having had a long
career as a writer means that I am disciplined about my work. I’m accustomed to
working to deadlines and, even when they’re self-imposed, have great respect
for them. It seems like the luckiest thing to me that I love writing. I can’t
imagine doing anything else. However, as much as I enjoy it, I don’t
romanticize writing and wait for the muse to appear. I’m pragmatic and
businesslike about the process. Also, my work as a journalist prepared me for
the process of research. I enjoy it but have learned not to allow it to take
over the job. On the other hand, I’ve had to learn to adjust certain things
about my style since trying my hand at fiction. As a journalist, one doesn’t
leave readers guessing. I’m still learning not to over-explain in my fiction.
But isn’t that one of the joys of writer? The fact that we’re always learning
and can always improve?
JMR- Did you visit
anyone of the places in your book? Where did you feel closest to your
characters?
PH-I’ve visited several
places in Ireland, Scotland, and England (where The Invincible Miss Cust
is set) and Germany (where The Woman at the Wheel is set). I
particularly love the Irish countryside and can imagine Aleen Cust riding her
white Arabian stallion, Nasser across the green fields. The Black Forest area
in Baden-Württemberg in southwest Germany, where Bertha lived, is also
magnificent. It was easy to picture her and Carl there, particularly in the
picnic scene, when they meet.
JMR- Penny, tell us
about your new book, The Woman at the Wheel.
PH- The
Woman at the Wheel is based on the true story of Bertha
Benz, who was the wife of the man known as the “Father of the Automobile”, Carl
Benz. Bertha lived largely in Carl’s shadow but when, while working as a
journalist, I read about a journey Bertha and her teenage sons made in the Benz
motorwagen in 1888, I realized that there was more to her than most accounts
let on. My research proved as much. She was inventive, entrepreneurial,
adventurous, astute, and as much an extraordinary visionary as Carl was. The
Woman at the Wheel celebrates Bertha’s foresight, wisdom, and many
contributions to the development of the world’s first commercially produced
motor vehicle. It is also a story of perseverance, resilience, family,
friendship, and love.
JMR-What projects do
you have in the pipeline?
PH-I am joyfully
contracted to write two more works of biographical historical fiction for my
publisher, Sourcebooks. I’m busy with the edits on the first of the two now. It
is about archaeologist and paleoanthropologist, Mary Leakey and is set
primarily in East Africa. It’ll be published early in 2025. The next—also based
on the life of a woman from history—will be published in 2026.
JMR- Tell our readers
how to find you on social media and the web.
https://www.instagram.com/pennyhaw/
https://www.threads.net/@pennyhaw
https://www.facebook.com/PennyHawAuthor
JMR- What question were
you hoping I’d ask but didn’t?
PH-Oh, I love this
question and my response is based on something I’ve been thinking about a great
deal recently as I recognize how challenging the book publishing business is.
The question one might ask is: “What motivates you to write?” My answer? I do
it for the enjoyment I get from storytelling and the process of writing, and
the fact that I will never stop learning as long as I write. As others have
said, books are the closest thing to magic we have. As authors, we create
something out of nothing and that something takes readers on journeys to places
in the world and in their minds that they might otherwise never visit. That’s
what motivates me to write.
JMR- Thank you, Penny,
for stopping by. Your books look really great! Readers, I’ve included a link to
Penny’s books below. Please be sure to check them out.
%20(1).jpg)
Comments
Post a Comment