We had the pleasure of chatting to author Jenny Ashcroft about her new novel Meet Me In Bombay, book recommendations, writing, and so much more!
Hi, Jenny! Tell us a bit about yourself!
Hello! Oh, I never know where to start with this question. I’m currently typing at my kitchen table, one end of which resembles a toy dinosaur kingdom, so I guess I’ll begin there – I’m a mum of three, and these days juggle my time between all that entails, and work. I never don’t stop and reflect on how lucky I am that my work is writing stories! I’ve always loved history, which I studied at university, and books just as much, so combining the two really is my dream job. I also adore travelling, and am never happier than when planning an escape somewhere (even if planning and dreaming is all we can do at the moment). I’m from the UK, but am married to an Australian, and we’ve lived all over the world, moving from London to Sydney to Singapore, back to Sydney, back to Singapore again, before settling down here in England on the south coast. I definitely find it hard to sit still! I suppose no surprise then that I’m a keen runner, a keen eater and cooker too – I have shelves packed with recipe books – and of course an avid reader. My ideal weekend is most definitely one spent curled up with a brilliant novel.
With it being a new year (but still feeling much like 2020), have you set any resolutions or goals?
Yes, I’ve decided to seize every moment – I think a lot of people are resolving to do this more. For my part, I started on New Year’s Day. There’s a tradition here in Brighton of swimming in the sea at the start of the New Year. I’ve always talked about getting involved, but never actually done it. This year I set that right, and it was absolutely freezing – literally, zero degrees out – but I felt so great once I’d taken that plunge. For me it was absolutely the right way to start the year. I also have a very real work goal of writing another book, but I’m taking that one day at a time 😉
When did you first discover your love for writing?
I honestly don’t remember discovering it, it’s always just been there. When I was really little, before I could even write, I used to make up stories with drawings. I suppose they were a bit like wordless comics (with the characters in old-fashioned clothes). For years after I left university, I worked in an entirely different industry, but would always write on my commute, or if I was travelling somewhere further afield, or had a breather in my day – basically, any minute of spare time I had, I wrote: odd chapters, countless openings to books I’ve never finished, small scenes. Writing is a complete escape for me, I couldn’t do without it.
Your new novel, Meet Me In Bombay, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Love and hope overcoming all.
Now tell us a little more! What can readers expect?
It opens with a letter from a man to a woman, who he knows he loves and needs to get back to, but can’t remember, other than through glimpses in his dreams. It then moves to the start of 1914, in Bombay, and the chance meeting at a party of Maddy Bright and Luke Devereaux. A heady romance follows, but then so too does the outbreak of World War One. Luke is sent to France whilst Maddy remains in India, both desperately hoping they’ll be able to find one another again.
What was the inspiration behind this novel?
I’ve been so lucky to spend a lot of time in India and, back when I used to visit Mumbai for work, still dreaming of one day being an author, I also dreamt of one day writing a book set there. In my spare time, I’d visit as many places as I could, talk to as many people as possible, listening to their stories. I think Meet Me in Bombay has been weaving together in my sub-conscious ever since. I also studied the First World War at university, and so many books I love are set during this period; all the things I’ve read and learned – the voices of the soldiers who survived the war, their diaries and letters, the accounts of the Indian Army who were sent to the trenches – were part of this novel coming to life too.
Is there a character or scene that you really enjoyed writing?
Lots – and I can’t talk about most of them without giving the story away. But two characters I really did enjoy writing were Peter and Della. I love those two.
What challenges did you face while writing and how did you overcome them?
Probably my biggest challenge was time. We had a very small baby when I started writing this novel, plus our older two, and finding the space to work was often hard. I overcame that with help and support – from my husband, incredible friends, and my agent, who was always at the end of the phone whenever I needed to bounce around plot lines, or character development (or be convinced I could actually do this!). Another challenge was that with Mumbai being such a core part of the story, I knew it was so important to revisit the city for research so I could do it justice. With a baby, that wasn’t an easy one to pull off, but I ended up going towards the end of the first draft, in a pretty tight timeframe, and am so glad I did because I rewrote huge chunks of the draft afterwards. It made a real difference.
What advice do you have for aspiring historical fiction writers?
Definitely to read, as much as you can. Even when I’m really tight on deadline, I always read in the evenings, because I love it, but also because I just think it’s such a crucial part of writing. Another tip would be to start with a one-line premise for the book you’re thinking of writing. If you can sum up something truly intriguing in one line, you may well be on to something! Then, to write, write and write, even if lots of those words never see the light of day. I’ve deleted many, many more words than I’ve shared, but I think that’s all part of the process.
What’s next for you?
I’m currently working on a new novel, based in Greece, where my grandmother was from, but my next to be published in the US will be Under The Golden Sun, coming in 2022. It’s set in the Second World War, and is about a young woman who answers a London newspaper advertisement to escort a five-year-old orphan home to the family of his parents, on a cattle station in Australia – where nothing is as either of them have been led to expect.
Lastly, are you currently reading anything and do you have any book recommendations for our readers?
I’m currently reading the second of Jane Thynne’s Clara Vine books, The Winter Garden, and am completely caught up in its world. I was also lucky enough to read an advance copy of Kate Quinn’s The Rose Code recently. I know a lot of people are excited about it and all I can say is, rightly so. It’s wonderful!
