A couple of weeks ago, I read and reviewed Wishbones, a terrific contemporary novel that would appeal to teens and adults alike. Today, Virginia Macgregor, the author of this beautifully told novel, is here to answer a few questions.
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What are the top three reasons why readers should pick up Wishbones this summer?
Wishbones tells the story of Feather. Would you mind sharing a little about her? Also, if you could offer her any advice, what would you say?
- Readers will have a new friend in their lives, the loveable Feather Tucker, who will make them laugh and cry and hope.
- Through it’s set of quirky characters (including a charming goat), who grapple with some of modern life’s most challenging issues, readers will come to see the world a the world a little differently.
- Readers will get to know one of the quaintest, smallest, typically English villages in fiction – one where a great deal happens, despite its small size.
Feather is funny and charming and determined fourteen-year old. She loves her friends and family and is fiercely loyal. Maybe one piece of advice I’d give her is not to be too hard on herself: she takes on the world and tries to solve everyone’s problem and then blames herself when she can’t fix everything. It’s a character trait that’s both hugely admirable but which makes life tough for poor Feather.Wishbones tackles the topic of eating disorders. I know you talked about what inspired you to tackle this topic at the end of the novel, but for those who haven’t read the book, would you mind sharing what inspired you to write about this?
Wishbones has such a wide assortment of characters. Some of my favorites were Feather and Mrs Zas. Did you have a favorite out of the bunch?
- Several things. First, when I was seventeen, I suffered from an eating disorder: I was a high-achieving perfectionist in a girls’ school with a broken family and low body image – the stage was set! I lost a great deal of weight and suffered a number of health and mental issues as a result. Luckily, I got back on track and now II’m a healthy – even (after my two pregnancies!) a little chubby weight. Many are not so fortunate.
- I’ve also worked with teenage girls and boys in boarding schools for the last ten years and come to understand how psychological food can be – how both over and under eating often has emotional roots.
- I’m particularly interested in male anorexia, which is on the rise and often overlooked, which is why I explored the issue through the character of Clay. Through the character of Feather’s mother, who is chronically obese, I wanted to show that whether you are overweight or underweight, the issues are often similar – and rarely related simply to diet.
I’m a great animal lover so, of course, I have a soft spot for Houdini, the forever escaping goat! My main character, Feather, is obviously very close to my heart as I saw and wrote the story through her eyes. And yes, Mrs Zas is lots of fun: I believe that the friendship of strangers can be a great gift and comfort. I also like the vicar across the road who I imagined as a kind of Boo Radley figure, someone who is deeply misunderstood and who turns out to be lovely.In Wishbones Feather has a strong love for swimming. What made you choose that specific sport? Are you big into swimming?
I love swimming, though not competitively – I’m the least competitive person you can imagine! Since I’ve moved to America I’ve discovered lake swimming: paddling in the lakes of Maine and New Hampshire has become one of my greatest pleasures. That aside, however, I think that it’s important to give teenage characters particular passions and occupations through which we can come to know them better. Swimming, as you know, also ties in with the setting (the Lido) and with the plot, so it was important in that sense. Finally, a family friend called Emily is a brilliant butterfly stroke swimmer and she gave me lots of tips on how to write about that authentically.What was one of the most challenging aspects of writing Wishbones?
Whenever you write about important social issues, there’s the danger of stereotyping: I didn’t want Jo to simply be seen as overweight, I also wanted readers to see her as beautiful and fun and clever. Similarly, when I explore gender issues, I wanted to show how complex and tricky these can be to navigate for teenagers, how it’s never a case of black and white. For the sake of those readers struggling with these issues I wanted to treat them with sensitivity and integrity. I hope I got it right.What’s up next for you book wise? Is there anything else you would like to add?
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- I’m currently working on my second YA novel, As Far As The Stars about an American girl and an English boy who fall in love under tragic circumstances. I can’t wait to share it with my readers! I also write fiction for adults, which is very similar to my YA fiction, so if your readers like the sound of Wishbones, I’d encourage them to have a look at What Milo Saw, The Return of Norah Wells and Before I Was Yours too.
- On my website, wwww.virginiamacgregor.com, I write posts on my writing life, what inspires me and also post writing workshops for those interested in having a go at writing fiction themselves. You can subscribe to my newsletter and also get in touch. I love chatting to my readers.
- Thank you for the interview!
Feather Tucker has two wishes:
1)To get her mum healthy again
2) To win the Junior UK swimming championships
When Feather comes home on New Year’s Eve to find her mother – one of Britain’s most obese women- in a diabetic coma, she realises something has to be done to save her mum’s life. But when her Mum refuses to co-operate Feather realises that the problems run deeper than just her mum’s unhealthy appetite.
Over time, Feather’s mission to help her Mum becomes an investigation. With the help of friends old and new, and the hindrance of runaway pet goat Houdini, Feather’s starting to uncover when her mum’s life began to spiral out of control and why. But can Feather fix it in time for her mum to watch her swim to victory? And can she save her family for good?
About the Author:
Virginia Macgregor was brought up in Germany, France and England by a mother who never stopped telling stories. From the moment she was old enough to hold a pen, Virginia set about writing her own, often late into the night. She was named after two great women, Virginia Wade and Virginia Woolf, in the hope she would be a writer and a tennis star. She never did make it to Wimbledon but her dream of becoming a writer has come true.Virginia has written three novels for adults: What Milo Saw, The Return of Norah Wells and Before I Was Yours. Her fourth novel, Forgetting You, is coming out in spring 2018. Keep in touch with Virginia on Twitter (@virginiawrites), or via her website www.virginiamacgregor.com.
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Great interview. Never heard of this author but I'm curious about her books. Thanks for sharing. :)
ReplyDeleteSo glad you liked the interview - hope you enjoy #Wishbones.
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