A STORY OF HOPE – WRITING ISABELLA’S VOYAGE
Isabella’s Voyage is a story of hope. This book started with an idea about a woman in the late 1800s, who decides to make a dangerous voyage; from England, across the world by ship to New Zealand. Drawn onwards by the call of hope and possibility of a life only dreamt of until now.
It is also partly inspired by the real-life story of explorer and botanist – Isabella Bird.
These elements united to form the inspiration and core of the story which Jemimah Wright tells; of Isabella Buckley. Her voyage, travelling miles across the oceans to these far-flung places. In tandem with her own personal journey – travelling across the boundaries of acceptability, propriety and expectation for a woman in her circumstances and of her time.
This book took 10 years to write from initial concept to publication. As a result, it is a book with an unmistakable depth which readers will recognise, and into which Jemimah has poured her own wisdom, personal experiences and unique perspective.
WRITING ISABELLA’S VOYAGE ~ JEMIMAH WRIGHT
Writing my first historical novel was definitely not plain-sailing… but it was extraordinary. In sharing its story, I hope it encourages you to press into the challenges you might be facing, and that it reminds you that there is such purpose in realising your dreams and ideas.
I thought writing a novel would be straightforward, perhaps even easy….after all, I am a journalist, I write stories for a living, and I have written four biographies. Surely, a novel couldn’t be so different?
Little did I know I was going to need something significant to keep me at it, as I wanted to throw in the towel many times.
To give you some background – people say write about what you love, and I love Hawaii. I went there when I was 18, fresh out of school, and only having experienced the chilly waters of the North Sea. I got to Honolulu and felt as if I had landed in paradise. I spent six months living there, during which I had many profound experiences, which added to my love of the islands.
HISTORICAL CONNECTION
I knew Hawaii and England have an historical connection. Hawaiian royalty sent their children to England to be educated, and Hawaiian King Kamehameha II and Queen Kamamalu travelled to London hoping to meet King George IV in 1824 to ask the King to protect the islands from the French, but they tragically both died of measles when they landed on British soil.
In my research of the connection between Hawaii and England, I came across a woman called Isabella Bird (who, incidentally, I found out recently was my third cousin, four times removed). She was a nineteenth century explorer, and travelled alone without a chaperone when it was very unusual for women to do so. I didn’t want to do another biography, but I thought I would use her life, her published letters, and the books written about her, as a guide. I wanted to write about hope, adventure and life changing when you least expect it. I bought her books, and started researching.
But then I woke up one day, and just thought, This is my first attempt at writing a novel, why am I trying to do historical fiction? I don’t know what England was like in Victorian times, I don’t know what Hawaii was like in the Nineteenth century.
I decided to shelve the idea, and write something from the present day, so I could write authentically about it. However, no new idea came. I told no one of my previous idea – of the woman travelling from England to Hawaii in the Nineteenth Century.
(It’s at this point I need to mention that throughout my life I’ve had a faith in God. This was part of my family life growing up and has remained integral to my experience since. So, that might explain the slightly odd set of circumstances that followed…)
AMAZING ENCOURAGEMENT
A few weeks later I met with some girlfriends. We would meet about three times a year, have a meal, talk about our shared faith and even pray for each other.
This time, as we prayed (which involved being quiet and focusing our thoughts on God) one friend, Alex, said, ‘Jemimah, I’ve had such a strange thought…’
(Remember, I had told no one of my novel writing desire and idea).
I said, ‘don’t worry, tell me!’
She said, ‘ok…well…I saw you writing a book, about Hawaii and England, about an Englishwoman who travels to Hawaii in the nineteenth century…’
I was astounded. I had told no one of my idea, and it was too coincidental that my friend had thought of the exact story I had given up on, while we were praying.
When I told Alex, she was amazed, her brain was telling her it was crazy! But it was a truly significant moment and an encouragement that has sustained me.
So I started the book, and as I said, I would have given up, had it not been for the encouragement of that moment. Now, ten years later my novel, Isabella’s Voyage has just been published by Instant Apostle and is already being enjoyed by many readers. I can’t wait for more people to read the book so they can experience Isabella’s Voyage too. This story is so close to my heart.
WHAT I’VE LEARNT
I’ve learnt many lessons about myself while writing the book, and it struck me that the gifts and abilities we have are for a purpose. This also means we have to do some hard work to get there. I learnt that just because something is hard to do, or not brilliant straight away, does not mean we should give up! And we may be fortunate to have significant moments along the way that encourage us. These can be ordinary occurrences, but sometimes they can be… extra-ordinary.
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