Claire Gartrell Writer

Hello Everyone! I hope you are well. After much thought and deliberation, I have regretfully come to the conclusion that because of the necessity and stress of relocating, I should postpone the release of "Lavinia's War". I will keep you posted on this page. I hope to be back soon to continue the process. In fact, there is very little to do except upload to Amazon, so I am hoping to complete in a month or so. I'm very sorry about the further delay!

Kind regards, Claire

Slight correction! By "out this month" I meant, of course, January 2024!

Season's Greetings, Everyone!

I just wanted to give you an update on "Lavinia's War." Firstly, I am so disappointed that it was not ready for you in time for Christmas! There was an outside chance that it could have been, but sadly, because of other demands, it was not to be. I am sorry.

Now, publishing a book (or writing a thesis) is an exacting process and everything has to be perfect. Every dot and comma has to be right, I'm sure you'll agree!
I noticed after interior formatting that there was a little more to do on the Word document, so I am working through it one last time. It should still be out this month, don't despair!
It will be worth it in the end! Hang in there, people and -

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

As I shared before, I have worked many extra hours lately in my nursing job, delaying the final work on the book!
"Lavinia's War" now looks set to be out in January. In the meantime, I will try to put up lots of interesting and exciting posts!

The interior formatting of "Lavinia's War" is coming along really well and it's looking good! Just like a book, in fact! I have been working on it every spare minute and only wish there were 25 hours in the day! Day jobs are annoying at a time like this!!

I've received 300 reactions to my posts in the past 30 days. Thanks for your support. 🙏🤗🎉

While we are waiting for the release of “Lavinia’s War”, (a matter of a few weeks) I thought you might be interested in a page from her diary dated 1941! This is the kind of archive material I worked with, which was fascinating!

Just to let you know that I haven't forgotten you! "Lavinia's War" has now been submitted for interior formatting! I can't promise anything but I'm really hoping that it might be out for Christmas!

I have named all the chapters in "Lavinia's War". I have tried to be as original as possible! Two chapter titles are quotes from a book and a poem. For example, the chapter about Lavinia travelling across Australia from west to east in 1942 is a quote from Dorothea Mackellar's poem "My Country" and is entitled "The Wide Brown Land." It is a wonderful poem and one of my favourites!

Hi everyone, it's me again! I thought I would tell you about what I did at Oxford in the 1980's and '90's. Those of you in the USA will know of Christian Science, a movement started by Mary Baker Eddy in Massachusetts in the late 19th century. As a child I attended the Sunday School in Tunbridge Wells (pictured below!) I found a supervisor, a fellow of All Soul's College, who specialised in the sociology of sects (he wrote a book called "Sects and Society"). Christian Science was one of the religions in which he was an expert. Seven years later I was awarded the D.Phil for a thesis entitled "Christian Science: An American Religion in Britain, 1895 -1940". I am hoping to publish this as a book eventually, as it is a fascinating subject.

Let me give you a taster from the book! Lavinia first meets George on the night of the swimming club dance:

"My first impressions mainly involved his directness - refreshing after the bumbling manner some of my male contemporaries went about their courtships. George went straight to the point in his pursuit, and I felt drawn to his unapologetic masculinity. How could one control a man like this?

"Yet, despite his lack of education beyond compulsory schooling, or culture, or perhaps because of these things, I felt attracted to him as someone deprived of air in the stifling social norms of the colony. He had much experience as a naval man and had brought with him into that dance hall some of the danger of the high seas and the strength and energy needed to survive that environment.
His voice emerged loud and booming, his manner uncompromising and as wide with largesse as the sails he had so often seen above. When we danced, I felt the hardness of his body and the control of his energy as he held me, perhaps a little too closely for a new acquaintance. But I dd not care. Quite unlike me, I shouted my phone number into his ear. Perhaps it was the champagne or the stingahs, or perhaps it was the beginnings of a love affair....."

It was my daughter and her husband who first looked through the many letters from Lavinia's fiance George and saw the potential in these archives. Up until about 2013, they were hidden in a suitcase. They and Lavinia's many other diaries and papers create a wonderful picture of a world now gone for good. In Lavinia's War I have tried to recreate her experiences as she lived through one of the most disastrous events of WW2 and the most significant for the allies. This story was too good to keep hidden and I knew it must be told. In a very short time you will all know this story too!

Hi All! I'm sorry things have been a little quiet lately! I and my team of editors are putting the finishing touches to the text. At this stage, I think I can safely say that " Lavinia's War" should be out in about a month. I the meantime, I will post frequently so that you will not be too bored with the waiting!

Hello Everyone! "Lavinia's War" is now in the last stages of proofreading, after which it will be submitted for interior formatting and finally, it will be ready for the publishing process.
It has been a long time in the making - begun in 2013 with reading Lavinia's true story through her letters and diaries until at last it will see the light of day. I'm sure you will agree it is worth the wait! Through this page, I will keep you posted on the progress of "Lavinia's War"!

Hello Everyone! Welcome to my new page. I'm very new to this but hope to add lots of posts soon!