Louisa
Treger began her career as a classical violinist and worked as a freelance
orchestral player and teacher. She subsequently turned to literature, gaining a
PhD in English at University College London. Married with three children and a
dog, she lives in London. The Lodger
is her first novel.
I had the pleasure of reading The Lodger, shortly after its release and absolutely loved it. You'll find my review here.
Giveaway: Louisa has generously offered to send an autographed hard cover copy of The Lodger to two lucky readers of this blog. [Update: Congratulations to the winners, Sara in Ontario and Terry in Missouri!]
Welcome, Louisa, to the twenty-first
edition of The Write Spot, a bi-weekly author series spotlighting the many and
varied places where writers write.
Tell us a bit about your Write Spot.
I live in
London, but my late mother was South African. I still have family and strong
ties with South Africa, and I spend as much time as I can there. South Africa
has always been the place I feel most alive in. And so, I decided to share my
South African 'Write Spot' with you.
What makes
it 'The Write Spot' is the view: the lushness of grass and rolling hills, the
river, the quality of the light. I am lucky to have such inspiration before my
eyes! Also, the room I work in is visually simple and uncluttered. It is in a
remote and utterly peaceful area; there is no noise, other than from birds, no
phone and no WiFi.
What a spectacular view! Other than your computer or laptop,
what's the one thing you couldn't be without in your Write Spot?
Actually,
there are three things! Foremost, my dog, Monty. He is the sweetest and most
undemanding of writing companions, and he has become a necessary part of the
process. I refer constantly to my notebook, which I carry round whenever I'm
not writing to mop up all the words and ideas that come to me at odd moments. And
I depend on a constant supply of strong coffee!
Monty looks like a real sweetheart. Honestly, between that face and the view beyond your window, I don't know how you get any work done!
What
are you working on now?
I am
writing my second novel. Itβs about a girl who was part of the Kinderstransport
β the rescue mission that brought thousands of refugee Jewish children from
Nazi occupied Europe to safety in England. They left their families to go to
the care of strangers, in a foreign country whose language they only had the
barest grasp of. They didn't know what would happen to them, or if they would see
their parents again. The novel describes how the girl and her descendants
adjust to English life, and how the trauma of the Holocaust doesn't stop with
the people directly affected by it, but spreads down through successive
generations.
A fascinating topic, Louisa. I'm looking
forward to reading it. Where can readers find out more about you and your
books?
You'll also find me on social media at the following sites:
I love
connecting with readers, so do reach out!
Dorothy
exists just above the poverty line, doing secretarial work at a dentist's
office and living in a seedy boarding house in Bloomsbury, when she is invited
to spend the weekend with a childhood friend. Jane recently married a writer,
who is hovering on the brink of fame. His name is H.G. Wells, or Bertie, as he
is known to friends.
Bertie
appears unremarkable at first. But then Dorothy notices his grey-blue eyes
taking her in, openly signalling approval. He tells her he and Jane have an
agreement which allows them the freedom to take lovers, although Dorothy is not
convinced her friend is happy with this arrangement.
Reluctant
to betray Jane, yet unable to draw back, Dorothy free-falls into an affair with
Bertie. Then a new boarder arrives at the house β striking, unconventional
Veronica Leslie-Jones, determined to live life on her own terms β and Dorothy
finds herself caught between Veronica and Bertie. Amidst the personal dramas
and wreckage of the militant suffragette movement, Dorothy finds her voice as a
writer.
The Lodger is a beautifully intimate novel
that is at once an introduction to one of the most important writers of the
20th century and a compelling story of one woman tormented by unconventional
desires.
About The Write Spot:
I've always been
fascinated by what goes on behind the scenes. Whether it's backstage photos
from my favourite play, a peek into the kitchen where a chef is working her
culinary magic, or simply a glimpse through an uncurtained window into a
stranger's private world, there's an undeniable thrill of discovery, a sense of
secrets shared. It's no surprise, then, that I'm immensely curious about where
other writers do their work. I've blogged about it before in this post about my own 'write spot' and so enjoyed the comments, I was inspired to launch a
regular feature here at stillpoint. Watch for The Write Spot every other
Wednesday and join me as I discover the many and varied places where writers
write.
stillpoint
is the blog of Canadian author Cheryl Cooke Harrington
Labels: author spotlight, Cheryl Cooke Harrington, Dorothy Richardson, fiction, giveaway, H.G. Wells, history, interview, London, Louisa Treger, South Africa, The Lodger, The Write Spot, writers, writing
5 Comments:
Excellent post! Love the view from your writing spot...a constant source of inspiration. The Lodger sounds intriguing. Best of luck with sales.
P.S. Monty is adorable!
Thank you for sharing your writing spot. Monty does look like a wonderful companion. I've been watching the Murdoch Mysteries with my husband - a reward for writing that day - and H.G. Wells has been a character on the show recently. Intriguing to now see your book info. All the best with your second book!
Looking from the view out the window to that gorgeous Monty face - definitely two of the most inspiring vistas for inspiration. I look forward to reading The Lodger, which sounds intriguing, and the book you are working on also sounds fascinating. Good luck with both.
I loved the post! I first saw the book on display in the Gay's the Word independent book shop in London and knew instantly it was my kind of book. I love the Victorian feel of it too. Such a pretty cover too.
A wonderful post. Thank you for sharing, Louisa and Cheryl. I look forward to reading 'The Lodger'. It sounds fascinating and comes highly recommended. Best wishes to stellar writing companions, Sam and Monty.
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