Laura E James talks about the theme of her novel, Follow Me, Follow You
Thanks to a fantastic Julie Cohen 2013 RNA
Conference workshop on theme, I realised my second Choc Lit novel, Follow Me, Follow You, is about reconnecting. Connection is a universal
human need, which most likely took root in the days when hunting for food
required teamwork ‒ where safety in numbers ensured mankind’s survival. A group
can provide protection for the individual and share the workload.
I loved team
sports when I was at school – I wasn’t naturally athletic, but I enjoyed the
interaction and the process of working towards a common goal. To celebrate a
win or commiserate over a loss with others is emotionally more satisfying and
healing than whooping or crying alone. Being part of the team gave me a sense
of belonging; a sense of being part of something greater than just me. And it gave me a sense of
acceptance. This is what Victoria Noble, the heroine in Follow Me, Follow You, is missing. A divorced mother to
four-year-old Seth, with whom she has a difficult relationship, and let down by
the men in her life, she seeks sanctuary in her virtual world of computers. At
work she doesn’t suffer the risk of emotional rejection, as the only
connections she has to make are professional, but it’s here she unintentionally
fulfils her basic human need of being part of the bigger picture.
However,
what strikes me about Victoria is her obvious need to reconnect with the real
world ‒ with real people. Her sanctuary,
where she escapes the harsh realities of life, is a business she’s built
centred on social media. EweSpeak is the number one social networking site,
with all sorts of people interacting with one another. Victoria rarely engages
with her flock, but she facilitates others to do so.
When
we first meet Victoria, she’s beginning to understand the importance of the
human connection and wants to fix the broken bond between her and Seth. The
problem is she doesn’t know where to
start. ‘The fact he provoked such intense feelings within her was proof she
loved him. Wasn’t it? The question banged around her sore head. She wanted love to flow through her veins.
She wanted it to flood her heart and be her life force, but it was hard with a
child who communicated with words of hatred.’
 |
| Seth on Chesil Beach |
To
secure and nurture the connection, interaction is required, which means both
parties need to be open to the idea. To make matters worse, Seth connects with
others with astonishing ease. And then there’s a romantic connection with her
first love, Chris Frampton, Victoria has to address …
She
has a long journey ahead, and she has no idea if she’s taking the correct path.
She knows from past experience rejection can lead to negative emotions ‒
anxiety and poor self-esteem, to name two. It’s a tough call.
To
my mind the importance is not in how we make those connections, but in the fact
we have the courage to pursue them. The human race needs to belong to survive. I am lucky. I have
found my place in the world. I have established connections that make me happy.
I am secure. I am accepted for who I am, along with my disabilities,
limitations and funny ways. I love and I am loved. And for that, I shall be
eternally grateful and thankful.
Follow Me, Follow You is available on all major
digital platforms and as a paperback.
Laura
is married and has two children. She lives in Dorset, but spent her formative
years in Watford, a brief train ride away from the bright lights of London.
Here she indulged her love of live music, and, following a spectacular Stevie Nicks
gig, decided to take up singing, a passion that scored her second place in a
national competition.
Laura
is a graduate of the Romantic Novelists’ Association’s New Writers’ Scheme, a
member of her local writing group, Off The Cuff, and an editor of the popular
Romaniacs blog.
She
was runner-up twice in the Choc Lit Short Story competitions. Her story Bitter
Sweet appears in the Romantic Novelists’ Association’s Anthology. Truth
or
Dare?, Laura’s debut
novel, was shortlisted for the Festival of Romantic Fiction Best Romantic eBook
2013 and the 2014 Joan Hessayon New Writers’ Award. Follow me, follow you is
Laura’s first Choc Lit novel published in paperback.
http://youtu.be/5IJWZS63lRU
Thank you for joining us today, Laura
This blog is brought to you by Elaine Everest and Natalie Kleinman. If you would like to write about the craft of writing or perhaps be interviewed about your writing life please contact us at elaineeverest@aol.com
Thank you for joining us today, Laura
This blog is brought to you by Elaine Everest and Natalie Kleinman. If you would like to write about the craft of writing or perhaps be interviewed about your writing life please contact us at elaineeverest@aol.com
4 comments:
Thank you for having me here today :-)
Interesting post, Laura. I often worry that's what's missing today with so many young people connecting more through social media than face to face.
Making connections is so important - especially for a writer. Thanks for an interesting post, Laura.
Thank you, Angela. Messaging does become a habit, and one of which I'm guilty, but it's fab when used in a positive fashion.
Nothing quite like a chat in person or on the phone, though :-)
Appreciate the comment, Wendy. Thank you. I like some quiet time, I always have, but I need my family and friends - I value them greatly and try desperately to not take them for granted. Not sure I always succeed ... :-)
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