How do you write a novel?

Now writing fiction alludes me.

 I can do the factual stuff, supported by research and heaps of maps and pictures, but the skill of making real historical names come to life is beyond me.

So I went to the Edge yesterday to hear Juliette Tomlinson talk about her debut novel, "Longford", which charts the lives of Enriqueta and John before they met and takes the reader on that journey that eventually saw the two of them married.

It is the first of a trilogy which will span the decades from 1864 into the twentieth century and on the way offers up glimpses into the lives of the two, set against provincial France and Manchester, with of course sideways looks at Longford Hall, Stretford and other bits of south Manchester.

The book came out on September 1st and yesterday we got to meet the author and hear about her passion for Enriqueta, how she came to write the book and her plans for the two subsequent books.

The room was packed and the presentation started with Juliette engaging with the audience to explore what makes fiction and then by degree we were led into the story of the Rylands, from their origins, to their lives before and after they met.

All of which was supported by a power point presentation and a reading from the novel.

But what I especially found fascinating was the question and answer session which allowed Juliette to develop why she chose the Rylands, the tension with portraying once real people who may have descendants, and her favourite character.

One of which was a disagreeable owner of a house the author stayed in durimg a holiday in the French town where Enriqueta had lived in and who became the equally disagreeable woman  Enriqueta worked.

And alongside that answer was the equally revealing question about how Juliette took each of the characters and brought them alive mixing the known evidence about them and that skill of making real historical names come to life.

So there you have it .... almost two hours in the company of the Rylands, the 50 or so who attended, and of course Juliette in what was a smashing afternoon.

Leaving me just to acknowledge the work of Beverley from library who supervised the talk as part of   Chorlton Book Festival the staff at the Edge and Linsey from Chorlton Bookshop who did the business of selling Longford after the event was over.

Location; Chorlton

Pictures; cover of Longford, courtesy of the author and Chorlton Book Festival courtesy of Manchester Libraries, and other images from the collection of Andrew Simpson, 2024

Longford, A Manchester love story, Juliette Tomlinson, 2024, The Squeeze Press

 The Squeeze Press, www.woodenbooks.com

And having said all of that ..... which includes how much I enjoyed the talk, and what I learned about the Rylands and writing fiction, my final comment is that simple one that it was fun.

Juliette had a light engaging way of presenting the story which never detracted  from her deep knowledge of the subject, or commitment to the project, and yes it was ...

.... fun.