Questions and Answers

In a comment appended to my last posting an anonymous contributor posed a few questions regarding the pair of brief extracts I have shared with you over the last couple of weeks.  As a couple of the issues brought up are in areas for which I could do with a little creative input I thought it best to reiterate the contributor's queries here, together with a little of my own input.  You'll see what I mean in a minute, when you read through.

“What's the book going to be called?

Just what hold does Gyrick have over Miss Anders?

Where's Alison’s aunt gone, why was school uniform the rule?

What are the social workers doing there and why do they insist on full school uniform, including blazer, tie and hat?

What's going to happen to Alison?”

At the moment I’m not yet sure exactly what this particular book is going to end up being called.  I am presently writing it under the working title of ‘Alison’, which mainly reflects that this is the name of the heroine.  But like the other characters portrayed ‘Alison’ is a temporary character name and is likely to be changed before publication, especially as it is perhaps too similar to the main heroine's name in my last publication - of which, before long, there will be a second part - and so may lead to confusion.  Similarly the other character names in the story are likely to change before publication, the only exceptions being the lawyer and ex-wartime RAF Hurricane 

pilot – Squadron Leader (Retired).. Stamford Gyrick MBE – and the girl’s aunt’s housekeeper - Mrs McAlistaire.  (and perhaps Miss Anders, the lawyer's legal secretary, should I decide to pursue and expand upon that angle further).

The sharp eyed among you will have spotted that the good lawyer's name and title has changed already.  The RT. HON. Alistair Gyrick has now become Squadron Leader (Retired) Stamford Gyrick MBE.  

So I guess what I'm saying is:  as far as the title goes I am open to suggestions - similarly with the main character name.  Any suggestions?

As for what hold Gyrick has over Miss Anders:  I, myself, am not absolutely certain at present (just as I am uncertain as to whether to expand on the relationship at all or just leave it floating in the reader's imagination).  Once again: what do you think?  Any ideas, inspirations, scenarios?  

“Where's Alison’s aunt gone, why was school uniform the rule?”  I can't answer the first part without giving too much away and as for the second - just one of the woman's disciplinarian foibles and part of her old-fashioned views on what makes for a suitable disciplinary regime for a girl in her late teens.

As for the social workers:  A similar consideration reigns, in that to explain more would give too much away - suffice it to say there is a twist in the tale involved.

“What's going to happen to Alison?”  What indeed?  Perhaps I am not sure myself - then again; I think I've just glimpsed a blue flashing light between the slats of the aluminium Venetian blinds … and I can definitely hear the intermittent ringing of an electric bell coming up the street below, sounding like a cross between a bicycle bell and a ringing phone, it's shifting pitch giving the impression that it is moving, coming closer, slowing to a halt….