Author Interview – Paula Sheridan – Finding Penrose

On The Table Read Magazine, “the best entertainment eBook magazine UK“, Paula Sheridan shares the work that went into researching the life of Penrose, a black man who lived with her white grandmother in South Africa, for her new book, Finding Penrose.

 

Written by JJ Barnes

www.jjbarnes.co.uk

I interviewed Paula Sheridan about her life and career, what inspired her to write her new book, Finding Penrose, and the creative work that went into it.

Tell me a bit about who you are.

My name is Paula Sheridan, I am an award-winning entrepreneur and author.  I have won eight business awards, and I also won a sought-after film director course bursary from Screen South UK. I’m a mother to a son and to many little fur babies. I’m also an animal advocate and have rescued more paws than I can count.

As writer and producer for Finding Penrose, I’m so proud that Penrose’s heart-warming true story is a poignant reminder of the essence of humanity. My husband is my closest friend and my more reliable beta reader, which you’ll hear about in a moment.

When did you first WANT to write a book?

My creativity sparked early in life. I still remember when my mother, grandmother and Penrose, would read me adventure tales at bedtime, transporting me to magical worlds that ignited my imagination. Those cherished moments opened my eyes to the power of stories to inspire us and bring people together. Of course, I’d always try to bargain for just one more story before lights out!

As a child, I always looked forward to the times my parents would go out and leave my eldest sister to babysit me and my younger siblings. We’d turn over the claw-footed antique coffee table and position me, my brother and two sisters at each one of the legs. Hanging on for dear life, we would fly off to faraway lands for adventures vividly told from our active imaginations.  The folks never knew what caused all those scratches on the precious coffee table! (Sorry Mom!) But we sure had some wild fantasies over the years that became a bit too enthusiastic!

Whenever we went out as a family, my nose was wedged between the pages of classics like The Famous Five, Nancy Drew or The Hardy Boys and my folks had to take the book away from me to join in the family outing. Back then, I dreamed of writing my own stories.

When did you take a step to start writing?

At twenty I took a long-distance learning course for a creative writing. I remember the excitement of receiving the books and the daunting feeling of all the exercises and learning I had to do, just to tell my own stories. I promised Penrose I would write his story. Well, life got in the way on this one! Raising my son and emigrating to England, then finally starting my writing while lying on a blanket to watch my son play cricket gave me plenty of snatched ‘writing moments’ that developed slowly. Now when I think of it, the process was far too slow but life’s priority most often takes writers away from the creative urge yet it’s always there and we always go back to it.

How long did it take you to complete your first book from the first idea to release?

I was an entrepreneur businesswoman learning about creating a website and most importantly, how to promote that site and I pitched an idea to Wiley’s for my first book. They loved the idea, and Pimp My Site was published within a year of the pitch. My debut novel’s idea sparked when my husband and I were looking for a second home in Spain for early retirement. I looked at the rolling hills and valleys and my character for The Grotto’s Secret popped into my head. I saw her in this medieval setting in front of my eyes. I had been toying with a storyline which wasn’t working but when this character popped into my head, the pieces of the puzzle fell into place, and I weaved the modern story in with the medieval story to create The Grotto’s Secret. When published two years later, it won the People’s Book Prize.

How long did it take you to complete your latest book from the first idea to release?

Finding Penrose has been in my heart for 40 years because of my promise to Penrose to tell his story, but it was only two years ago that I started writing it, despite a few false starts over the years. A couple of years ago, my mom, from Cape Town, was holidaying with me and I asked her to tell me about how Penrose came to live with my gran. We spent long days strolling down memory lane and me writing reams of notes. When she went home, I started doing research and writing the story. 

Finally, my promise to Penrose was fulfilled! It took many rewrites because it was first written with all those recollections which wasn’t working as a memoir or true story – it was just a collection of anecdotes and didn’t have a dramatic narrative. So, I went back to the drawing board and replotted the story as “based on a true story” and spent time weaving fiction between the facts. That’s when the story really started taking shape and I realized the power of Penrose’s story.

Focusing on your latest release. What made you want to write Finding Penrose?

Apart from the plot and the story, I wanted to share Penrose’s incredible loyalty and love for our family. As a result of having no identity, Penrose’s daily life was filled with threats and uncertainty and the risks he faced living with a white family without the legal paperwork that was needed in those days. A man of colour in that domestic position was extraordinary in that era of South African history. Yet he seemed to rise above all that so effortlessly.

Beyond those challenges, the story is about the friendship he had with my grandmother, who he called Miss Ad. He helped to raise two generations and as my gran had eight sisters that’s a lot of kids! He treated everyone as equals. He influenced so many people for the better, not just in our extended family but all family friends as well.  His qualities endeared him to people. Finding Penrose is about his search for identity and the incredible sadness that he only received his identity papers a year before he passed. But the story is about the love he achieved in his life. Strangely enough, it’s the story within the story that is the power of Penrose’s story.

What were your biggest challenges with writing Finding Penrose?

Completing a deeply personal project, such as a true story, memoir, or fiction inspired by real events, is an incredibly rewarding experience. It required a significant emotional investment, as I had to delve into my own experiences, memories, and vulnerabilities, or those of others close to me. Then weave all those facts between a fictional story arc. However, the rewards that come from seeing such a project through to completion are profound and far-reaching.

Another Challenge was digging and delving into old documents, letters and maps to find the story elements that resonate the most. And finding information about Penrose’s past was the hardest because most of that information was lost when my grandmother passed away a decade or so after Penrose. At the time, I didn’t realize the importance of trying to keep any documents she may have had. 

Often, writers must grapple with the expectations and preconceptions readers bring to a story that is “based on true events.” There was additional pressure to strike a balance between authenticity and creativity. By infusing the narrative with my own imagination, I managed to create a story that not only illuminates the specific experiences of the people involved, but also speaks to the broader human condition. 

Ultimately, navigating the challenges of adapting a true story into fiction requires a combination of sensitivity, creativity, and a willingness to embrace the ambiguity that comes with blurring the lines between fact and imagination. By approaching the process with empathy, respect, and a commitment to emotional truth, I was able to craft Penrose’s story that honours the real-life experience.

One of the primary challenges in this process was determining which elements of the true story to keep, modify, or omit entirely. While certain key events and characters formed the backbone of the narrative, I had to decide which details to alter or invent for the story’s dramatic arc and themes. This can be a difficult balancing act, as I had to weigh the importance of factual accuracy against the demands of crafting a compelling and emotionally resonant story.

Another significant challenge is the responsibility I had to bear to the real people involved in the true story. While adapting their experiences, I was always aware of the impact their portrayal may have on Penrose and my grandmother and their loved ones. This requires a deep empathy and respect for the people whose lives are being represented, as well as an awareness of the potential consequences of fictionalizing their stories. As such, I am working closely with the film producers, who have been captivated by Penrose’s story and we are now developing the story to take it to the big screen. I’m on the production team to protect these much-loved characters. 

What was your research process for Finding Penrose?

Research started with the time my mother and I strolled down memory lane with Penrose’s anecdotes. When I started plotting and writing the story, I spent a lot of time researching the turbulent history of South Africa to ensure the dates all fitted. Another challenge not mentioned above, was to fit a man’s full lifetime into a novel and still ensure the pace is kept up. That was a really difficult part of writing this story. I had to ensure the story didn’t lag at any point, and that the time jumps were seamless and woven into the storyline with smooth transitions. Researching different parts of the time was constant as is always the case with a historical setting.

How did you plan the structure of Finding Penrose?

It started with endless questions to my mother and delving into her memory bank for answers to so many plot and story structure questions. As already mentioned, this became a collection of anecdotes which didn’t work and when I wrote the screenplay, the story beats fell into place. Writers struggling with a memoir or true story should write their novel as a screenplay first and then adapt that back to novel format. It really helps to shape the story and to tighten it to ensure it turns pages. I worked between both formats constantly, taking the story to novel and then script and then back to novel. It was satisfying to see the story taking shape this way. 

Did you get support with editing, and how much editing did Finding Penrose need?

Yes, the editing process for this story was probably much more than any of my other books. It was edited in the early drafts when it was very much just a collection of anecdotes. My husband is my primary beta reader and he, very kindly and sensitively, pointed out that this was a lovely story for family to read but it wouldn’t reach a wider audience in that state. That’s when I went back to rewrite the story beats and that’s also when all the challenges started overwhelming me. I really believed that Penrose’s story deserved, even demanded, to be shared with the world so I had to get it right. Another round of editing saw that next draft and then several more beta readers had their eyes on it. On top of that, the script went through several edits, plus a film producer’s critique. So, yes, this story has had more edits than any of my other books.

What is the first piece of writing advice you would give to anyone inspired to write a book?

Don’t give up! Learn as much as you can about the craft and art of writing to ensure your story is told in the best way possible. I have spent the past forty years learning about the craft of writing, since that very first creative writing book I received, and I never stop. It’s a love buried deep inside me that I can’t stop. I read writing guides to teach myself because creative writing is an art and like any piece of art, it needs nurturing to be perfected. 

Can you give me a hint about any further books you’re planning to write?

My beloved Freddie, who, out of my 7 cats is my most loving and tactile cat. He was diagnosed with Leukaemia on the Easter weekend and given a few weeks to live. To help me deal with this grief, and to ready myself for when he leaves us, I wanted to immortalize him in a book series. I have created a series where Freddie will live forever and take kids on adventures into historical events that have always intrigued humanity. 

In each book, Freddie will take different kids, aged about 10, on adventures where he shape-shifts into a human boy and then at the end of the adventure he goes back to being his normal temple cat self who only finds out in the first book that he is from immortal ancestry. Of course, it was fitting that I created him to be one of Cleopatra’s cats and he has Bastet and Mau ancestors to give the stories more depth and intrigue. So this book series is created from the depths of my soul and to ensure that a wonderfully loyal, loving cat with the most indomitable spirit lives on through time.

On top of that, I have two novels set in Occupied France that will be released later this year. And I’m working on a medieval series and a series set in South Africa during the diamond rush. So, there’s no time to waste, lots of stories to be told!

And, finally, are your proud of your accomplishment? Was it worth the effort?

If you mean my latest story, Finding Penrose, yes, I am very proud of it. I’ve explained to my family that the story is not exactly how they remember Penrose but that I have stayed true to his character and that of my gran. I’ve explained that the only way to get a truly emotional resonance in the story was to weave some fiction through the facts. They are very proud and very excited to read the story when it’s published. I’m also extremely proud that the story is captivating the hearts of celebrities and film producers. Everyone who comes into contact with the story is moved and touched by Penrose’s journey. That alone is all the reward I need for facing all the challenges mentioned above.

Pop all your book, website and social media links here so the readers can find you:

https://linktr.ee/paulawynne 

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