Dishonour
Dishonour tells the story of Laila Khan, a teenage girl who is forced into marriage to a cruel older man after her family finds out she’s been hanging about with Ray-Ray Thompson, the son of one of London’s number one gangster. It also has an intertwining story, a dark, sinister tale which was such fun to write. I hope readers find it as exciting to read as I found writing it.
Because of your own experiences, we understand you support certain charities - please can you expand on this for us?
Yes, I was in an abusive relationship for many years and only through the support of Solace women’s aid who are based in London, was I able to escape from it and rebuild my life. The work they and other charities do quite literally save lives but with government cuts, it’s very difficult for them to provide all the services needed to help women and children in the way they wish for. So I support them as much as possible and hopefully bring awareness to them and the horror of domestic and sexual violence against women and children. I also support NSPCC, which for a variety of reasons is very close to my heart.
You have been a keen writer since you were a child, so tell us about some of your earliest attempts.
I never attempted to write a novel. I always wrote to express my feelings and my desires. I was adopted when I was young and I use to write notes to my biological mum and hide them under rocks, hoping she would find them and know where I was. I use to also go to a top of a hill when I was about seven years old, and I’d send her notes in a paper air plane, asking her to come and see me. I’m now in touch and very close to her and I know for sure they never made it. Perhaps I need to brush up on my paper airplane making skills.
How did your writing help to keep you company?
I grew up in South Yorkshire in the 70’s and there was a lot of racism about. I had few friends and was at times very unhappy, so I wrote stories with me in them as the most popular girl in the class. Everyone wanting to be my friend. My writing often got me through tough times. Now, I have wonderful friends and family but there’s still a part of me that’s as happy and content to spend the evening with my characters as my real life buddies.
At what point did you realise you could make people laugh?
LOL, I think it’s more like I realised I couldn’t. I was the worst stand-up comedian in the world, but it was something I always wanted to do, so I just did it. I much prefer comedic acting, that’s one of my loves. Old school stuff like Victoria Wood, I think she’s genius.
Before taking your exams you were expelled, so why was this?
Oh, I got expelled for drugs. I hated school. I went to an archaic boarding school and I was delighted when the headmaster said I couldn’t be part of the school any longer. Though my parents certainly weren’t delighted but at the time I was a bit of a wild child and I just didn’t care, all I wanted was the freedom to start on the wonderful adventure of life.
Tell us about your first few months living on London.
I dossed on the streets because I had decided just to get up and go to London without a plan, without a home but it was in the mid 80’s and life in London was very different. Maybe I’m romanticising it but how I remember it there was a street culture, an underground scene of people who didn’t judge me, and accepted me for who I was and what I looked like. It was the first time that had ever happened in my life. Acceptance was a new concept.
What is next for you?
I’ve got many stories still to tell and hopefully I’ll be lucky enough to keep on writing and people will still want to read my work. Other than that, who knows......