Kitty Canham - Love, loss and necessary lies.
A woman had to be strong to make her way in the eighteenth century.
Kitty is her parent’s only surviving child. The life she has always known is changing. She fights to make her own way, but withheld truths and the conventions of the age conspire against her.
Through an unexpected invitation she finds herself amidst London society. There she becomes the keeper of a secret, which leads her into a deception of her own. She seeks to live a conventional life, but when tragedy strikes, misunderstandings follow. She keeps her secret close, but the time will come when she can keep it no longer.
This is a fictional story woven around real life events that began in Beaumont-cum-Moze on the North Essex coast.
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How I came to write about Kitty
During the era of covid, I walked the landscape behind our home. A young woman called Kitty, who walked the same landscape 300 years earlier, became a constant companion. I wondered how would she have experienced this land. It would have been different in many ways, but the waters have not ceased to wash clean the mudflats with every tide. The wind has not ceased to blow and the story of Kitty's life has not ceased to intrigue the locals in all these years. And so, after much research, the novel was born.
Writing was not on the cards for me, being dyslexic, but in writing a dissertation at Art School in my mid years, I discovered that I could write, or at least, I enjoyed expressing my thoughts through words. It has been an interesting journey.
If you'd like to find out more about my process, have a look at the Interviews page or have a look at my blog page.
Reviews
'A fantastic debut novel that was impossible to put down.'
Amazon customer.
'The story is skilfully written and drew me into an era that I know little about. Kitty is both a believable character and a sorrowful heroine. As an avid reader, this book was an absolute pleasure to read.' J.L.Philips
'Loved this book from beginning. Such a visual read. It would be great to see on screen. Hardly put it down till finished.' Liz N.
'The author skilfully draws you into Kitty's relationships and dilemmas. A spirited character, she struggles against the conventions of the age. Her fallibility and weakness when faced with true love make her actions believable; she is certainly not a heroine. This story is based on real life events and addresses real life temptations. A very enjoyable read.
A Few Images of the Beautiful Walton Backwaters where Kitty lived.
It is said that Kitty haunts the Bell inn in Thorpe le Soken where she lived, before disappearing. When a fire demolished much of the pub in the 1980's, a portrait of her remained hanging on the wall. It was untouched by fire or smoke damage.
