Many of you know me for my historical fiction, tales like The Pearler's Wife, The Orphan of Good Hope, and The Trouble with Tigers. If you've read them, you'll know my writing process usually begins with a kernel of truth – a forgotten detail, a whisper from the past – that sparks that ever-present question in my mind: "what if?"

That "what if" then becomes a relentless tug, driving me into the heart of history, sifting through records, and imagining the lives of those left out of the grand narratives. My passion has always been to give a voice to the voiceless, particularly the women whose stories deserve to be told.

My next book is no different in its origins, yet it's been an incredibly profound journey. It started, as usual, with a true story – a set of remarkable events I uncovered from a period of immense challenge. This time, I'm taking you to Poland during the Nazi occupation.

While the core of the story came from meticulous historical accounts and personal testimonies, I knew I needed to truly see the world I was recreating. So, I embarked on a three-day research trip to Krakow. It was essential for me to walk those streets, to feel the atmosphere, to put "colour on my blank canvas" and ensure every detail I depicted resonated with truth. It’s one thing to read about a place, but another entirely to stand there and let it speak to you.

And that's the heart of this new project: every scene in this book is true in history, grounded in real events and personal accounts. I've fictionalised the narrative, of course, to bring these incredible people and their experiences to life, but the foundation is solid, built on the very fabric of the past.

It's been an intense but incredibly rewarding experience, and I can't wait to share this deeply personal and meticulously researched story with you all. Stay tuned for more updates as we get closer to its release!