In writing my real life stories I have found myself on a new path of learning. The interest in the past, which the stories have generated, has been amazing. Each story's appearance brings new discoveries. Family and friends have been quick to add their reminiscences.
My first story, Wartime Scare, was read by family and friends from around the world. My cousin in Bishops Stortford remembered the incident. Her dad had, at the outbreak of war, sent her and her two sisters and their mother to the old family home in Abbeyleix, but they were returning to London in June of 1940 at the time of the scare.
My Northampton cousin's husband at first laughed the story off as a tall Irish tale but grew less sceptical when others confirmed the incident. I now doubt that there were three haystacks. In such a remote place any tiny incident was exaggerated out of all proportion. Faces might be less red if there had been three. History confirms that a German invasion of Britain was expected to start in Ireland.
Three people gave an explanation of the ball of fire, saying it was a phenomenon called 'ball lightning'. I'd never before heard of it.
Some old school friends didn't remember the German plane but others recalled it in sharp detail. My brother's children hadn't known about their dad's failure to report for duty. They told me that the Managing Director of Foster Gwynnes in Ted's day was Sir William Tritton, inventor of the original tank. An interesting piece of information! I believe the first tank was called 'Little Willie'. Foster Gwynnes were still making tanks when Ted was there.
My sister in New Zealand hadn't known that our father and uncle had served with the RAF in its early days. I recently visited the Public Records Office in Kew and discovered my father's records. Holding the old, fraying parchment with its hand-written entries filled me with a strange sensation. Time seemed to go into reverse, blending past and present into one. A grandnephew then produced my father's dog tag. Once again, as I held it in my hand, I felt at one with the past, and found myself wondering about my father's thoughts as he hung the disk around his neck. It took me months to discover that the letters 'CE' inscribed on the metal meant that in case of death he was to be given a burial according to the rites of the Church of England. Writing this story has set me on a quest for further information about my family's past.
Another story eliciting extensive reaction was 'Startling News by Telephone'. My daughter, Anna, hadn't known, till she read the story, about the telephone call from San Francisco. She confirmed that she'd been on a dangerous mission. Many of her friends read the story and they all showed interest in these tales of her past. Knowing her as she is today, no one was at all surprised. One of my old school friends asked if I'd received Virginia's permission to print her name. She remembered Virginia's sisters but not Virginia. Because of this query I began using initials for people's surnames in my later stories.
Joel, a French friend of my daughter's, says he reads the stories to improve his English! He also enjoys finding out more about Anna and me from the stories! He met my daughter in Kyrgyzstan and joined up with her group for part of the expedition mentioned in 'In the Midst of Life'. This story brought the accusation of inaccuracy from Anna. 'Now, I can't let my friends see this story', she complained.
'What was inaccurate?' I asked. 'I wrote it as it was told to me.' I kept brief records on scraps of paper of the telephone calls I'd received.
'I wasn't carried on to the helicopter. No one has ever carried me anywhere. I walked on.'
'But, you were doubled up in agony!'
'Yes, but no one carried me', she insisted.
Oh, dear! The lesson is sinking in that when you're writing, you must weigh up every word before printing it.
Anna's former primary teacher was keen to see what I'd written about him in 'Who Am I?' He can't believe how dictatorial and abrupt he sounded at times! I felt I had to tell him and the headmaster mentioned in the same story, what I'd written about them. The headmaster apologised to Mike for calling him 'granddad'. I was surprised that what to me were amusing episodes were being taken seriously by both men!
After writing 'Different Views of Adoption' I contacted Eric and sent him a copy. He told me more about his past. He wasn't officially adopted till he was 18 and about to do his National Service. He also told me that it was in the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne that he was a finalist in the Steeplechase (Hurdles) and he told me about his racing bicycle which was bought for him by a sister of the woman who adopted him eventually. I was wondering how he always looked so well dressed. He said that a lady who was a member of a local aristocratic family and well known for her charitable work supported him.
My adopted cousin, like Eric, didn't mind my referring to him. His wife printed a copy of the story for him and he enjoyed reading it. Both he and Eric share the fact that both of them have brought up really happy families of their own. A fellow bridge player recognised the nun mentioned in this story! Talk about not using the full names of my characters! Geoff, mentioned in 'Being Involved', was disappointed that I didn't give his full name. You can't please all of the people all of the time! Perhaps it would be better to ask people beforehand what they'd like!
At a lunch in Oxford in the summer I was surprised to meet the son of my first headmaster, referred to in 'Secrets Revealed'. He told me that his mum, who'd visited my grandparents in 1917 as a 12-year-old, died only two years ago at the age of 94. How I wish I'd met Douglas before she died! He and I have been in touch again, exchanging news of the past. Douglas remembered me as a guest at his 21st birthday party in 1953.
'Real Life Stories' has opened up so much for me. Who would have thought a year ago that I'd be writing stories on my own computer and e-mailing them and then hearing from people across the world that they'd been reading them on their own screens! Even people whom I had not known when I was writing a story became involved.
When Anna read 'Secrets Revealed', she sent an e-mail to Keith, the British sales manager of North Face, saying, If you look at www.toowrite.com you'll find a story of my mother's. Have a look at the plug she gives North Face (no doubt totally subconsciously) in the last paragraph!
Keith's reply was, 'Brilliant! Glad to see the strong marketing campaign is filtering through to your mother. Love the angle; we can get TNF to sponsor your wedding. I've contacted Hello magazine and they're really keen to discuss exclusivity of the whole thing.'
So, as a result of writing this story, it looks as if I've solved the problem of Anna's wedding costs! I wonder who the bridegroom will be! So many likely candidates come and go. Was ever a young woman more spoilt for choice! The main choice Anna has, unlike in my youth, is between marrying and deciding to remain single! Was any fate, long ago, worse than being left on the shelf!
I'd written 'Secrets Revealed' weeks before Anna met Keith and I'd chosen North Face at random because I thought of Everest when I mentioned a mountain! I quickly altered my next story, 'Who Am I?' I decided to omit the information that the red fleecy jackets were made by Patagonia! I might find myself in business as an advertising agent! When Keith came to visit us, we laughed about it!
I'm glad that so many people are finding pleasure from reading the stories. My sister was doubled up laughing when she read 'Horse Riding Adventure'. I told her it wasn't funny at the time but she said it must have been a comical sight! I guess it was! Anna shared the story with the friends who had been on a riding course in Wiltshire with her. An account of their weekend had appeared on the Internet, accompanied by photographs of Anna and the others on their horses. It was a remarkable coincidence that my story appeared around the same time.
I hope that others are enjoying as much feedback and encouragement as I have had.