The new historical novella by Joy Stonehouse, The Boy with Mussel Shell Eyes, is set in Regency period Filey on the Yorkshire coast.
‘My inspiration came from my love of the area, its rock pools, cliffs and fishing heritage; I thought such a setting would be perfect for a story. When I heard the folk singer, Eliza Carthy, perform ‘The Bonny Fisherboy’, I began to think about writing a romance, rather a change from my extended family farming sagas.'
Factual research has always been the foundation of Joy's fictional work, and the initial spurt can come from anywhere, as Joy explains:
‘As soon as I came across a footnote in an old Guide to Filey — just a snippet of information about a young man and an event — then I had a definite historical period in mind. From there the story of an unusual romance began to take shape and, in keeping with the unconventional tone, I decided to write it entirely as letters from a young woman on holiday.’
Back-blurb:
In the summer of 1819, 18 year-old Kate travels from Halifax with her prosperous, mill-owning father to spend a two-week holiday on the Yorkshire coast, ostensibly for his health.
At first, she hates Filey for its squalor and fishy smells, but then she meets a young fisherboy with amazing eyes the colour of mussel shells.
As she writes home to her friend, Sarah, describing daily events and conversations, she becomes obsessed with the boy. And everyone in the close-knit community notices.
The Boy With The Mussel Shell Eyes is available as a paperback and ebook from Amazon and selected bookshops. A launch and signing will be held on 16th June at Clutterbooks, Hornsea.
Joy's five-book series of family farming sagas based on the parish records of Reighton in the 1700s, is available in paperback and ebook from Amazon and various bookshops.
