The Priest and the Lily - a guest post by Sanjida O'Connell

Today, I am delighted to welcome Sanjida O'Connell to Off-the-Shelf Books to talk about the background to her novel, The Priest and the Lily.

The Priest and the Lily
By Sanjida O'Connell

Many of our most common and beautiful garden plants have come from far-flung locations throughout the world, brought to us by intrepid explorers who have literally risked life and limb in their search for the rare and exotic. Our gladioli originally came from South Africa, rhododendrons from the Himalayas, the monkey puzzle tree is indigenous to Chile, the regal lily was discovered in China and many of our most exquisite orchids originate in the Amazon. The stories of some of these men - for they were mostly men - who travelled the world in search of flowers, and got themselves into scrapes - attacked by bandits, gored by a bull, capsized from a canoe, fell off a cliff - inspired my story, The Priest and the Lily.

Set in 1865, just after Charles Darwin published The Origin of Species, on his radical theory of evolution, The Priest and the Lily is about a Jesuit priest, Joseph Jacobs, who sets sail from Bristol for Outer Mongolia. Joseph, passionate, idealistic and driven, wants to discover rare plants and animals and make a name for himself in scientific circles back in Britain. The young priest is accompanied by a Buddhist monk and a horseman; as they travel across the steppes, he hears stories of an astonishingly beautiful white lily. Finding this lily becomes his dream. But to discover where it grows, he will encounter many dangers, for he will have to face the savagery of the White Warlord, a Chinese General intent on seizing power in Mongolia, as well as the far more powerful Yolros lama, the living incarnation of the Buddha. And in his quest for the lily, Joseph will meet a woman who will show him something far more precious than a flower. 

I spent years researching my story - and travelled to Outer Mongolia, where I had my own mini adventure. We were due to spend three weeks travelling by jeep and horseback in order to meet the tribe I was going to write about in my novel. Unfortunately, my luggage ended up in Russia, and I had to set off in just the clothes I was wearing! Thankfully I was wearing my walking boots!

Mongolia is stunning: it is a country of seemingly endless skies and steppes, with incredibly hospitable people. At the time of writing this blog, we’re in the grip of COVID-19, and everyone in the UK as well as many other countries, is currently in lockdown at home. I hope that my novel can, in some small way, help take our minds off this situation, transporting us to a country and a time far from our own immediate experience, and perhaps, too, allow us to appreciate what Joseph comes to realise - that it is love, which is more important than anything else on this earth. 

            

About Sanjida O'Connell

Sanjida O’Connell is a novelist. She writes psychological thrillers under the pseudonym, Sanjida Kay.

Find Sanjida on her website and on Twitter - @SanjidaKay

About The Priest and the Lily

The Priest and the Lily

By Sanjida O'Connell

Description

In 1865, Joseph, a young Jesuit priest and plant-hunter, sets out on a dangerous journey through Outer Mongolia, a land virtually unknown to the Western world. Charles Darwin’s radical theory of evolution has just been published, and Joseph is driven by his passion for science and his love of God. As he crosses the Mongolia Steppes with a Buddhist monk and a local horseman, he hears rumours of a rare and beautiful white lily. He believes that if he finds this flower, his fame and fortune will be assured. 
But then Joseph meets Namuunaa, a shaman and the chief of her tribe. 

And it is Namuunaa who will teach him the true meaning of his desire… 

'You will journey far beyond the boundaries of your imagination. You will meet and seize your heart’s desire.

It will be the death of your soul.'

An epic journey, a story of East meeting West, and of a love that transcends culture, faith and ultimately tragedy.

The Priest and the Lily is available to buy from Amazon here

Little: A Novel by Edward Carey

Little: A Novel
By Edward Carey
Published by Aardvark Bureau (16 May 2019)
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher

Publisher's description

Born in Alsace in 1761, the unsightly, diminutive Marie Grosholtz is quickly nicknamed “Little”. Orphaned at the age of six, she finds employment in the household of reclusive anatomist, Dr Curtius. Her role soon surpasses that of mere servant as the eccentric doctor takes an interest in his newfound companion and begins to instruct her in the fine art of wax modelling.

From the gutters of pre-revolutionary France to the luxury of the Palace of Versailles, from clutching the still-warm heads of Robespierre’s Terror to finding something very like love, Little traces the improbable fortunes of a bloodstained crumb of a thing who went on to shape the world...

My verdict
Little is a unique gothic historical novel. Not only is it written beautifully but it is illustrated beautifully too.

This is the reimagined memoir of the little girl who became one of the world's renowned waxwork artists, Madame Tussauds. The writing is poetic, with often-humorous descriptions of its vibrant characters, as little orphaned Marie Grosholtz (nicknamed 'Little') is taken into employment by a reclusive anatomist and artist. I laughed, I grimaced, I cried and I winced, as the author transported me back in time to the French Revolution.

This book is rich in history and science, darkness and despair, power and intrigue, beauty and tenderness. It's gruesome and eccentric, wonderfully weird, whacky and even wicked in places, as is the concept of creating waxworks, not just of the best in society but also of the worst.

Little is like nothing I have read before, and I will possible never read anything like it again. As already mentioned briefly, the intricate illustrations are outstanding, bringing the author's descriptions to life. I read this book incredibly slowly, just so that I could savour the language of the prose.

Just like Madame Tussaud's legacy, this book is innovative, quirky and highly memorable - a story of an extraordinary life as well as a stunning work of art.

Dinah Jefferies' Writing Toolkit

WRITING TOOLKIT gives you an idea of an author's writing process through the tools they use. The tools can be anything (real or virtual) that they think is essential for their writing - serious, fun or even a fetish (that they're willing to own up to)! 

I am delighted to welcome 

DINAH JEFFERIES

AUTHOR OF THE SAPPHIRE WIDOW

TO SHARE HER WRITING TOOLKIT

FOR HER BLOG TOUR

The Sapphire Widow was published on 5 April 2018 by Penguin. 

A good night's sleep
This is the most useful tool of all, but not something I can always rely on. However, if I have slept well (without waking up in the night with one of my recurring migraines or half a dozen plot ideas) the words tend to flow and I really enjoy my work. Tiredness is my devil, my demon, and my challenge, and coffee is the only answer.

Breakfast
I can’t even begin to think without a mug of tea and a bowl of muesli inside me. We have breakfast in front of BBC breakfast! When I’m writing, this will be my only portal into what is happening in the real world.

Fresh air
I walk the dog in one of Cheltenham’s many beautiful parks before I start writing, or for inspiration when I’m stuck for ideas. If I want to take my mind off the current book I’m writing – something I need to do to let my subconscious mind flow - I love to wander the many Regency streets marvelling at the architecture and imagining how life might once have been.

My writing room
I’ve had a writing room built at the bottom of the garden. It’s a glorified shed really but large, airy, peaceful and, most importantly, entirely mine. I need total silence to work and my shed gives me that in spades.

My audiobooks
Again, these are a wonderful way of taking my mind off my own book so that I don’t obsess. I lie on my bed and escape to someone else’s invented world instead. Heavenly.

My husband
Richard does all the shopping and all the cooking which leaves me free to write. He’s also an ace researcher and I often bounce ideas around with him when I’m in the early stages of plotting. He should really be at the top of the list.

My exercise bike
I like to be warm when I write, so if it’s chilly I get on my bike (in my shed) to get my blood and creative juices flowing.

My mountains of research books and notebooks
I like to be surrounded by these even if I don’t refer to them. Something about them being there makes me feel safe. If my memory fails me there they all are, although with my somewhat haphazard organisational systems the chance of finding what I need is not that great.

Cake
Last but not least. For when I’m having a horrible day and the words won’t do what I want them to, cake is the only solution.

THANKS FOR TAKING PART, DINAH!

About Dinah Jefferies

Dinah Jefferies was born in Malaysia but moved to England at the age of nine, travelling widely throughout her life and always maintaining a love of Southeast Asia. She spent time living in a musicians' commune, and has had work publicly exhibited as an artist. Dinah’s first novel The Separation was published by Penguin in 2014. The Tea Planter’s Wife is her second novel. 

The Silk Merchant’s Daughter, was published in February 2016 and also entered Sunday Times Bestselling list. Before the Rains was published in February 2017. After living in Northern Andalusia for five years, she now lives in Gloucestershire with her husband.

Find Dinah Jefferies on her website, FB page and on Twitter - @DinahJefferies

About The Sapphire Widow

Published by Penguin (5 April 2018)

Publisher's description

Ceylon, 1935. Louisa Reeve, the daughter of a successful British gem trader, and her husband Elliot, a charming, thrill-seeking businessman, seem like the couple who have it all. Except what they long for more than anything: a child.

While Louisa struggles with miscarriages, Elliot is increasingly absent, spending much of his time at a nearby cinnamon plantation, overlooking the Indian ocean. After his sudden death, Louisa is left alone to solve the mystery he left behind. Revisiting the plantation at Cinnamon Hills, she finds herself unexpectedly drawn towards the owner Leo, a rugged outdoors man with a chequered past. The plantation casts a spell, but all is not as it seems. And when Elliot's shocking betrayal is revealed, Louisa has only Leo to turn to...

Follow the Blog Tour

The Good Doctor of Warsaw by Elisabeth Gifford

On Wednesday evening, I will be at a local Synagogue for an evening of remembrance to commemorate Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day), which takes place from Wednesday evening to Thursday evening. There, I will hear poems read out by teenagers, a testimonial from a Holocaust survivor, a speech by two nuns from the Evangelical Sisterhood of Mary (which was originally founded in Germany and supports Holocaust survivors) and light candles for named Holocaust victims. 

Today on Off-the-Shelf Books, I have my review of The Good Doctor of Warsaw by Elizabeth Gifford. 

The Good Doctor of Warsaw
By Elizabeth Gifford
Published by Corvus (1 February 2018)

Publisher's description

'You do not leave a sick child alone to face the dark and you do not leave a child at a time like this.'

Deeply in love and about to marry, students Misha and Sophia flee a Warsaw under Nazi occupation for a chance at freedom. Forced to return to the Warsaw ghetto, they help Misha's mentor, Dr Korczak, care for the two hundred children in his orphanage. As Korczak struggles to uphold the rights of even the smallest child in the face of unimaginable conditions, he becomes a beacon of hope for the thousands who live behind the walls.

As the noose tightens around the ghetto Misha and Sophia are torn from one another, forcing them to face their worst fears alone. They can only hope to find each other again one day...

Meanwhile, refusing to leave the children unprotected, Korczak must confront a terrible darkness.

Half a million people lived in the Warsaw ghetto. Less than one percent survived to tell their story. This novel is based on the true accounts of Misha and Sophia, and on the life of one of Poland's greatest men, Dr Janusz Korczak. 

My verdict
I had already heard of Dr Janusz Korczak before I read The Good Doctor of Warsaw, having seen a brief mention of him in the book (and film) The Zookeeper's Wife by Diane Ackerman. My eldest son visited Poland earlier this year and learnt more about his orphanage, visiting some key Holocaust locations in and around Warsaw. But while I knew a little about his story, The Good Doctor of Warsaw really brought him and the children he cared for to life.

This is a true story written like fiction, in easy-to-read prose and dialogue, yet I can't describe this as an 'easy read.' It's a powerful book - traumatic and heartbreaking in places, yet also uplifting and hopeful in others. A love story, not just between Misha and Sophia, but also between Dr Korczak and the children that he refused to abandon. Dr Korczak may not have been their biological father, but he treated all of them as his own, putting his own life at risk while trying to keep them safe and protecting them from the horrors of the Holocaust, right until the bitter end.

The book begins before the war, providing a calm and happy contrast to the rising tension and growing fear of the Jewish community, and then the creation of the Warsaw ghetto. The book is realistic and well-researched. The descriptions of Warsaw and the ghetto are difficult to read at times, but such an important part of the reading experience, understanding the despair and horrors felt by all of the people who lived there.

The Good Doctor of Warsaw is an important book, one that needs to be read - not just to remind us how quickly prejudice can escalate into genocide, but also as a legacy for the future. We are currently living through a period when holocaust denial and antisemitism are on the rise once more in Europe, and within the UK itself, reminding many people of 1930s Germany.

Reading this book (and similar books) will ensure that we (and future generations) will never forget the worst of humanity and how easy it is to turn a blind eye.

Coming Home to Island House by Erica James

Coming Home to Island House
By Erica James
Published by Orion (11 January 2018)
I received an Advance Reader Copy through the Lovereading Readers' Panel.

Publisher's description

It's the summer of 1939, and after touring an unsettled Europe to promote her latest book, Romily Temple returns home to Island House and the love of her life, the charismatic Jack Devereux. 

But when Jack falls ill, his estranged family are called home and given seven days to find a way to bury their resentments and come together. 

With war now declared, each member of the family is reluctantly forced to accept their new stepmother and confront their own shortcomings. But can the habits of a lifetime be changed in one week? And can Romily, a woman who thrives on adventure, cope with the life that has been so unexpectedly thrust upon her?

My verdict
I smiled my way through Coming Home to Island House, with its uplifting writing and gentle humour. Not many books give me a warm feeling inside, but this one certainly did.

Author Romily Temple, who is used to leading an independent adventurous lifestyle, and her dysfunctional stepfamily are thrown together unexpectedly after Romily's husband Jack falls ill. His family have grown apart over the years. Not only do they not know Jack married Romily but they hadn't even met her - so this is a shock when they arrive.  Each member of the family is very distinctive, with their own little quirks and beliefs, creating a diverse array of characters. It's their diversity that keeps this story flowing, as they learn to accept one another for who they are - and as Romily copes with her new role in life.

This book is about family dynamics and sibling relationships but also political uncertainty at a time of war. The story takes place mainly in the UK, but also covers the situation in Germany and Italy, highlighting the plight of Jews as the Nazi movement rises in Europe. In many ways, the book's theme is war itself - between family members and also countries - and the impact it has on people's lives.

I highly recommend Coming Home to Island House if you're looking for an easy read - perfect for cold winter nights with a mug of hot chocolate at your side. Go on... treat yourself!

Gill Paul's Writing Toolkit

WRITING TOOLKIT gives you an idea of an author's writing process through the tools they use. The tools can be anything (real or virtual) that they think is essential for their writing - serious, fun or even a fetish (that they're willing to own up to)! 

I am delighted to welcome 

GILL PAUL

AUTHOR OF 
ANOTHER WOMAN'S HUSBAND

TO SHARE HER WRITING TOOLKIT

Post-its

I go through dozens of packs of these per novel, usually (but not exclusively) yellow ones. I rip each post-it into three raggedy pieces and use them to mark paragraphs I want to remember in my research books. The best books end up with hundreds, like a bizarre kind of plumage. It saves writing on the pages, which I hate, but it’s a real pain taking them off if I decide to donate books to a charity shop. 

'Work hard' sign

This hangs behind my desk as a reminder. I used to have a hand-scrawled sign until a lovely friend painted this on wood for me. My dad was a workaholic and I think he’s passed on a bit of a gene because I’m not good at taking days off. Even on holiday I’ll be doing research or scribbling notes on odd scraps of paper. 

Notebooks

I carry these around and make notes like “Henry needs to be more charismatic”; “don’t forget about the camera”; “how does she find out?” Either that or I’ll describe things I notice as I wander around during the day, like pigeons having sex on the path in front of me, or a ravaged couple smoking a crack pipe on the top deck of the 24 bus.

Herbal teas in big mugs

There’s always a tea beside me as I write, and wandering to the kitchen to make the next one helps me to think of the next line. Twenty cups a day would not be far off the mark.

Swimming cozzie

Most days I toddle up to the Pond on Hampstead Heath to swim with the ducks, heron, kingfishers and other women. This is where I’ll work out plot points, character traits, and what is going to happen in the next chapter. The changing room is useful for finding experts on a wide range of different subjects.

Writing desk

If I showed you a photo of my desk, Louise Beech (author of Maria in the Moon) would have a conniption fit so I’ll describe it instead. It’s got an iMac in the middle, a big industrial printer on one side and a scanner on the other, several open books lying face down, umpteen scribbled notes to myself, a mug full of pens that don’t work, a box of tissues (Sainsbury’s Basics), a spotlight, an exploding address book and diary, a globe, dozens of business cards from people I can’t remember, several general stationery items and a thick coating of dust.

Thanks for having me on your wonderful blog, Vicki!

THANKS FOR TAKING PART, GILL!

About Gill Paul

Gill Paul is an author of historical fiction, specialising in relatively recent history. Her new novel, Another Woman's Husband, is about links you might not have been aware of between Wallis, Duchess of Windsor, and Diana, Princess of Wales. 
Gill’s other novels include The Secret Wife, published in 2016, about the romance between cavalry officer Dmitri Malama and Grand Duchess Tatiana, the second daughter of Russia’s last tsar, who first met in 1914. Women and Children First is about a young steward who works on the Titanic. The Affair was set in Rome in 1961–62 as Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton fell in love while making Cleopatra. And No Place for a Lady is about two Victorian sisters who travel out to the Crimean War of 1854–56 and face challenges beyond anything they could have imagined.
Gill also writes historical non-fiction, including A History of Medicine in 50 Objects, and a series of Love Stories, each containing fourteen tales of real-life couples: how they met, why they fell for each other, and what happened in the end. Published around the world, this series includes Royal Love Stories, World War I Love Stories and Titanic Love Stories.

Find Gill on her website, on her Facebook page and on Twitter - @GillPaulAUTHOR

About Another Woman's Husband

Published by Headline Review (2 November 2017)

Publisher's description

Two women who challenged the Crown.
Divided by time. Bound by a secret...

1997
Rachel's romantic break in Paris with her fiancé ends in tragedy when the car ahead crashes. Inside was Princess Diana. 

Back in Brighton, Rachel is haunted by the accident, and intrigued to learn the princess had visited the last home of Wallis, Duchess of Windsor, only hours before the crash. Soon, the discovery of a long-forgotten link to Wallis Simpson leads Rachel to the truth behind a scandal that shook the world.

1911

At the age of fifteen, carefree Mary Kirk and indomitable Wallis Warfield meet at summer camp. Their friendship will survive heartbreaks, separation and the demands of the British Crown until it is shattered by one unforgivable betrayal...

To read my review, click here.

To read more Writing Toolkit features, click here.