The tranquil, ancient setting of the Wye Valley always soothes me and encourages me to let my mind wander and have always felt at home there. I was in Tintern five years ago when I realised the need to connect with my dream to write. Indeed, William Wordsworth adored this spot, and his ballad, Lines Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey, captures the beauty of the setting we can still enjoy over two hundred years later.

These waters, rolling from their mountain-springs
With a soft inland murmur.—Once again
Do I behold these steep and lofty cliffs,
That on a wild secluded scene impress
Thoughts of more deep seclusion; and connect
The landscape with the quiet of the sky.

Tintern breathed life into the fictional setting of Delfryn in my work in progress, Loving You. Delfryn is a Welsh word for pretty view and the perfect place for my characters, Pearl and Jim, to seek sanctuary from the hustle and bustle of the town. Writing about Delfryn has also been a wonderful destination, particularly during lockdown.

Jim is a car mechanic who wants to be an artist and adores to visit his sister’s farm in Delfryn. Pearl is a seamstress who wants to sing. The landscape inspires Jim to paint and is also the romantic setting for him and Pearl. Alas, life in the country will not allow Pearl to fulfil her dream to become a singer.

Pearl and Jim fall in love but both want to follow their dreams. The novel is set in the seventies because I wanted to travel back in time to the decade I was born. Exploring the seventies was not as familiar as I thought it would be and the restrictive nature of society shocked me. During my research, I reflected on how my parents had very different opportunities to me and used this to add colour to my characters. Like Jim, my late father excelled at art but was from a working class, northern family and was expected to earn a living in a trade.

Despite their experiences, my parents always encouraged me to grab opportunities, pursue my dreams and celebrate creativity. I am also so grateful I can pinpoint the time and place where I chose to change the ‘what ifs’ into a destination. Ironically, I recently discovered that my ancestors hailed from Monmouthshire in the Middle Ages, so it feels as if I have gone full circle.

I will publish Loving You, a family saga, one day and discover whether Pearl and Jim will follow their dreams and their hearts. And the beauty of writing is you can provide the characters with opportunities, but they will still decide which paths they wish to take.

Contacts: 

Website:     http://jessiecahalin.com/

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