We\’re living through a strange time, aren\’t we? My heart goes out to anyone who is suffering from Covid-19 or has a loved one who is currently poorly, and I send every good wish to all patients with this cruel disease for a speedy recovery.
However, I do think that books can be a great solace when you feel stressed, frightened or lonely. A book will not answer you back, it is not on a schedule that you may have missed. A book will wait patiently for you to read it, at whatever time suits you. It won\’t go out of date or change but will be a constant resource to escape the grim reality we each are facing right now.
It is my humble hope that Woodbine can be an escape for its readers. There are resonances in the story with this world war we are all fighting against a silent, invisible killer. World War Two was a tough time too and many people died who didn\’t deserve to. There were heroes then as well and, as I researched extensively for this new book, I kept seeing similarities between that global conflict and the worldwide struggle we now face.
Woodbine is Book Five in The Katherine Wheel Series and I was struck how this second World War was really unfinished business from the first one, depicted in Daffodils. (Daffodils remains #free for now) In Woodbine, it is the children of Katy and Jem, Cassandra and Douglas who must battle their way through these difficult years.
