I’m busily writing a whole new world right now, and it’s a scary prospect. I have to admit. I can’t quite believe that it’s happened. I’ve said goodbye to The Lunegosse Tales after 19 years with the publishing of The Final Battle. All three of her books are now out in the open. And yes I did say 19 years. She first came to me when I was almost 18. I started writing her story when I was 18 and at uni. I still have those first chapters, in my handwriting on A4 lined paper at home.
The Lunegosse Tales were always meant to be a trilogy. I always knew that. I never knew that they would see the light of day when I began to write them. I also never knew that almost twenty years after I first put pen to paper, I would be saying goodbye to the young girl with the dark hair who for almost half my life has been a steadfast fixture in my mind.
Lunegosse – Moon Child. You can tell I’ve always been obsessed with the Moon. Ever since I was a tiny child, she’s been my guiding light. I’ve always felt safe when I could see her in the night sky. I’ve always talked to her through my bedroom window. Always told her my dreams, my wishes. Maybe it’s the romantic in me, or maybe the Romani. Heck it might even be the Cancerian. But the Moon has always held a special place in my heart. That song from Fievel Goes West, “Out there somewhere,” has always held a special significance for me. As if I would one day find that special someone who was thinking of me too.
In creating The Lunegosse Tales, that was one of the main themes that I wanted to convey. A family in search of a long lost family member. A child in search of who she was. The Search for Lana, the first book in the trilogy is a play on words. One that I hope comes through when readers have read the book. The dual nature of searching for the one we’ve had to give up and finding the family we never knew. But I hope that I’ve also created an emphasis in the books on the fact that family isn’t just blood. The ties that bind a family together are love.
I’ve changed so much since I began writing The Lunegosse Tales. I’ve grown and matured, and I think that’s enabled her to grow and mature as well. Although the time it’s taken her to grow and mature has been considerably less than the time it’s taken me when you look at the time span of the books. The world we live in now is a very different place from nineteen years ago as well. The Twin Towers have fallen, the UK is in the middle of this awful Brexit mess, Trump is president of the United States. On a personal level, I’ve lost my mum, my uncle, created a whole new life and family for myself, and become a disabled rights and LGBTQ activist.
But one thing that hasn’t changed in all that time, is the need for stories. The need for creativity. My desire to write and to give people something to read. I’ve had that for as long as I can remember. And whilst I’m always going to remember Lunegosse and her friends and family with fondness. I’m going into the next chapter of my writing with enthusiasm. Who knows where Bibliothecam Angelus (my next book) will take me? I’m sure it will be just as much fun as The Lunegosse Tales and The Stolen Generation have been.
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