'My Main Character' blog hop

Me, in the middle, with some friends in 1956

 Bernadette O’Dwyer,  www.secretwriter1.blogspot.com, one of my writing friends, has tagged me to take part in a blog hop about ‘My Main Character’ and I’m happy to take part because I think it will be good to concentrate the mind.

   1.What is the name of the main character? Is she real or fictious?

Oh, she’s real enough – but only in my head. She’s lived there for several years so I’ve got to know her pretty well. Her name’s Kathy Armstrong.

2.When and where is the story set?

It’s set in the mid-1950s in the small Lancashire mill town of Horwich. It’s a time of change, when post-war austerity is giving way to a growing affluence, with the Suez Crisis looming and the beginning of rock n’roll and Elvis Presley.

3.What should we know about her?

That she’s a well-brought up grammar-school girl, born in Cheshire, who comes to live in Horwich when her father gets a job as a draughtsman at Dehavilland Propellers Ltd. As the only child, she frequently comes into conflict with her over-protective parents. She works as a shorthand typist in the offices of the Bolton Evening News and loves the buzz of the place.

Popular conception of a Teddy boy!

4.What is the main conflict? What messes up her life?

She has several areas of conflict, but the main one is what she thinks of as her unwise attraction to Nick Roberts, a Teddy boy whom she’s known for several years, when she is courting John Talbot, who is good husband material. It is this situation that threatens to mess up her life.

5.What is Kathy’s goal in life?

She loves writing and her dearest wish is to become a reporter on the newspaper. But this brings her into conflict with John who sees it as a silly girlish dream.

Now it’s time to pass the baton on to Bella Osborne and Tora Williams, two writing friends from the Birmingham Chapter of the Romantic Novelists’ Association. Over to you ladies! Oops, nearly dropped it!