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Coffee with Sarah Meyrick
Sarah Meyrick recently published her second novel, The Restless Wave. Set across three generations, the book emcompasses themes such as love, family, faith and history, with some of her inspiration coming from her own family history. We managed to find a quiet few minutes to catch up with Sarah and talk about all things book-related.
Tell us about your new book, The Restless Wave. What’s it about?
The Restless Wave is the story of three generations of one family: Edward, his daughter Hope and her daughter Nell. The plot centres on Nell’s discovery of some documents dating back to Edward’s time in the Second World War and, particularly, his time in Normandy. So I suppose it is, at one level, a family saga stretching over the course of a century. It’s also a war-time love story. An overarching theme is the eternal quest for home.
You published Knowing Anna with Marylebone House back in 2016. Did you find the writing process different for this new book?
I think my approach was similar. I did lots of thinking and planning before diving in but, once I was in the writing phase, I just wanted to steam ahead. Nevertheless, this book is more complex and involves a longer period of history, so there was lots more research to do. I wrote each character’s story in one go, and then chopped the three stories up and interwove them. The final editing was all about making sure the stitching worked and the narrative held together.
Your book is set over three generations. What is it about the interaction between family and friends of different ages that really inspires you?
I’m fascinated by the way that we pass things down families. Some are passed on deliberately or knowingly but others are never articulated. Of course, the values and ideals of each generation are often at odds because of wider societal changes. Like many men of his generation, Edward came back from the war and never talked about it. Yet his war-time experience clearly cast a shadow over family life. And the next generation obviously wanted something different out of life. I’m intrigued by the way we all work out our own path.
What discoveries did you make while researching your book?
I had become very interested in the Normandy Landings, but it wasn’t until I started researching D-Day that I discovered two family members had actually been there. My uncle on one side of the family served in the Sherwood Rangers, and my grandfather on the other side of the family was a naval doctor who treated British casualties on one of the beaches as they landed. I also found out quite by chance that chaplains were trained for the Landings in a tiny village about six miles from where I was living when I was writing the book. It felt as if the story were calling me.
A great number of books are set during the Second World War. Why do you think society is so fascinated by this period of history?
It’s interesting, isn’t it? A few years ago, it was all about the First World War, and now it’s the Second. I think it is partly because very few of those who served in the war are still alive. It’s 75 years this June since the D-Day Landings. Five years ago, I went to Normandy for the seventieth anniversary and travelled with a number of British and
American veterans. They were very elderly then – and I suspect few will make the journey this time around. For many of us, there’s a desire to capture their stories before
‘It felt as if the story were calling me’
the last surviving veterans die. The other point is that the war so clearly overshadowed the second half of the twentieth century and shaped everything that followed.
What do the next few months hold for you?
I moved house in January, so I’m putting a lot of energy into getting to know the area and meeting people in our new community. I’m also busy planning the next Bloxham Festival, which takes place in February 2020. Alongside that – and the day job – I’m trying to work on my next novel. I’ve done a lot of the planning, but it’s been hard to focus fully on a new project until The Restless Wave is safely launched. I’m hoping to have a good run at it over the summer.
Learn more about The Restless Wave here >>
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