What is the date you began writing this memoir and the date when you completed the memoir? I began writing my memoir ‘An Innocent Girl’ in January 2010 and completed it June 2020. My husband and I were fostering teenage boys at the time so I fitted in writing when I was able.
Where did you do most of your writing for this memoir? And please describe in detail. I did most of my writing in a spare room where I kept my computer. I typed as much as I could and saved it to documents so I could continue writing again at the next opportunity.
What were your writing habits while writing this memoir- did you drink something as you wrote, listen to music, write in pen and paper, directly on laptop; specific time of day? I found the best time to write was early mornings, before anyone else was awake. It was the best time for me as after a good nights’ sleep my mind was sharper and gave me the ability to remember events better. I also benefitted from the peace and quiet at that time of day so my line of thought wasn’t interrupted. My favourite drink was diet coke while I wrote it seemed to keep me going.
Out of all the specific memories you write about in this memoir, which ONE MEMORY was the most emotional for you to write about? And can you share that specific excerpt with us here. The excerpt can be as short or as long as you prefer, and please provide page numbers as reference. The memory I found hardest to write was when the Matron of the Girl’s Home called me into her office to tell me my Mother had passed away. My heart sank – I gasped in dismay.
Chapter Thirty-Two (Pages 295 to 298)
“Sit down my dear” said Miss Wilkins, helping me over to the settee. “Do you want a cup of tea?” I felt weak and sank into the seat. Miss Wilkins sat next to me her arm around my shoulder.
“Yes please” I spluttered as my mouth went dry. She rang the bell to summons someone from the kitchen.
“Could you please get Christine a cup of tea?” she asked when Miss Cavell appeared. Miss Cavell nodded and looked sorry for me. I was so upset my mind was all over the place. Thoughts of the funeral raced through my head. I knew Aunty Alice and Uncle Will would be there which reassured me. I felt sick about losing my Mother. I felt it was so unfair, on her, on me … on all of us. I wished she’d never had a stroke and that all this hadn’t happened.
“Aunty Alice wants you to stay with her so you can go to the funeral together” Miss Wilkins told me next day. “You could wear you black skirt and cardigan” she added.
“Ashes to ashes, dust to dust … Tears streamed down my face as the vicar spoke. It was May 2 1963, a day I’ll never forget. I found the funeral traumatic and stood motionless between Aunty Alice and Uncle Will as I watched my Mother’s body being lowered into the ground. I was aware of Tim looking at me from the other side of the grave. Dad and Sam stood with him, looking sad.
“We’re going back to yours aren’t we Alice?” asked Mum’s cousin. Aunty Alice nodded.
“We won’t come back, Alice, we’ll go home” said Dad as we left.
I needed him to comfort me and felt abandoned by him. It seemed as if he, Tim and Sam had each other while I was on my own. Back at Aunty Alice’s I went to a bedroom and wept into the pillow the whole afternoon. I felt so alone, unable to have contact with Dad or Sam because of the situation. I felt they had closed ranks to protect Tim and I was left to fend for myself.
“We’ll always be here for you” said Aunty Alice, kissing me goodbye before I got a train back to Plymouth the following morning.
Click to order INNOCENT GIRL on Amazon
Can you describe the emotional process of writing about this ONE MEMORY? Writing this One Memory made me feel sad and drained me emotionally. It took me back to when I was sixteen standing at my Mother’s graveside watching her coffin lowered into the ground. I felt sick as the memory of my elder brother Tim standing the other side of the grave watching me came to mind. After the sexual abuse ordeal, he’d put me through I couldn’t bear being anywhere near him.
Were there any deletions from this excerpt that you can share with us? In the first draft of my book I write 160,000 words and knew it was too many. I reduced the word count doing my best not to lose any important elements of my story.
https://www.facebook.com/christine.temlett
