Woking Author : Lelita Baldock : Where the Gulls Fall Silent

 

'Where the Gulls Fall Silent' is due out 28 October 2021 

A small fishing village, a shunned healer, her daughter, tradition, superstition and a world set to change.

Kerensa lives with her mother, the healer Meliora, on the edge of a small fishing community on the Cornish Coast.

The townsfolk, who work the fish runs of pilchard and mackerel that make their way up the Atlantic coast, call on her mother for help with their ailments, but never for her company.

Kerensa does not know why.

Curses and superstitions whisper around her as she grows into a competent young woman, fighting for her place amongst the people of Porth Gwynn.

But what has caused the rift between her and the town?

And can their traditional way of life survive in the face of changing winds?

Where the Gulls Fall Silent is a historical fiction that explores the lives of the fishermen and women who made their living from the rough Atlantic Ocean; the hardship they faced; the secrets that divided them; and the community spirit that pulled them through.

A story of love, loss, hope and second chances.

ORDER HERE

 

Woking-based Lelita Baldock is an author of historical fiction and crime fiction. She has a passion for dark stories, with an unexpected twist.

It was during her years studying English Literature at University that Lelita discovered her love of all things reading and writing. But it would be another 15 years before she took up the challenge and wrote her own novel.

Her debut novel, the historical fiction Widow's Lace, is an Amazon best-seller.

Her follow up, The Unsound Sister, saw her take a different direction in her writing, trying her hand at crime fiction and has been warmly received globally.

Her third novel, Where the Gulls Fall Silent, a return to historical fiction is available to pre-order now.

Lelita also runs a blog and newsletter featuring fellow authors and other creatives.

  

60 Second Interview: 

When did you start writing your new book?

I began Where the Gulls Fall Silent in September 2020. We were enjoying a break from lockdown and being able to go out and visit friends and explore the countryside really inspired my desire to be creative again.

What was the inspiration behind the book?

The inspiration came from my first trip to north Cornwall in 2019. My husband and I travelled there for a week, exploring Port Gaverne, Port Isaac and Port Quinn. The coastline was breathtakingly beautiful and the people warm and friendly. I found myself wanting to research more about traditional Cornish culture and the lifestyles of the fishermen and women of the area.

Can you describe your route to publication from concept to completed novel? 

I am very much a planner when I write. Once I have an idea I take time to research the history of the time, any key events, how people lived in the day-to-day. Then I outline my story in full, plan my characters and chapters. Only once that is ready will I begin to write.

Naturally things may diverge from the plan, but I work best with the majority of the story mapped out and most of the research already uncovered and ready to be conveyed.

After that I send it to a group of beta-readers for feedback. I work through their suggestions and edit as much as possible on my own.

Finally, the manuscript will go to my editor for the finishing editing touches.

So far in my writing career I am self-published, so I prepare my cover and manuscript, write up my blurb and marketing materials and publish through Amazon.

What ideas do you have for any future books?

I have a new historical fiction idea set in post Napoleon War France that I have been researching and planning. I have just started to write some chapters and am loving how things are flowing at the moment. Really enjoying the process.