Witness an historic tragedy through modern eyes in the fascinating new book by Medway author Susan Pope.
In her debut novel Lighter Than Air, a contemporary RAF war hero is transported back to 1930s Germany by hypnotic regression. He finds himself reliving the desperate efforts of an airship mechanic to smuggle his Jewish fiancée out of the country, which leads to him witnessing the horrific Hindenburg disaster in which 35 people were killed.
For Mrs Pope, the destruction of the German airship in 1937 has always been a source of fascination.
“My connection with the Hindenburg comes from my childhood,” she said. “The story was told to me by my great aunt Susan, who showed me an old newspaper cutting. I was only about seven, but it stuck in my mind.
“Throughout my life, whenever I have heard something about the Hindenburg or airships, I was there absorbing the details. It’s almost like it was meant to be that I should write about it.”
The former administrator had always entertained dreams of being a writer, but the opportunity did not arise until several years ago.
Mrs Pope, 64, spent about five years researching and writing her book, which was published in November.
“I didn’t write as a kid, no more than a lot of people,” she said. “You’re inspired by literature and the right teachers and it’s something that you feel you could do better when you’re older.
“There are thousands of people who feel like that. But life takes over, you have to earn a living and run a home. Most of us find we can’t fit it in and we push it away.
“But the desire to do it and the opportunity came when I was in my early 50s and I started writing for pleasure. It was always in the back of mind, thinking ‘could I sell it?’”
It took a further two years to edit the book and find a publisher, but now the mother-of-two hopes to achieve more than just literary success.
Having cared for her blind husband Mark, on a part-time basis for several years, Mrs Pope recently became his full-time carer.
Sales of the book will help to fund donations to the Special Trustees of Moorfields Eye Hospital in London.
Mr Pope, who has glaucoma, gradually lost his sight over the last few years and the hospital’s work is close to the couple’s hearts.
“Moorfield is the world-renowned centre for research and the teaching of eye surgeons,” Mrs Pope said. “Their work spreads to all hospitals both in this country and abroad.
There are very few eye surgeons in the world who have not spent some time at Moorfield, either as students, researchers or surgeons.
“The research I’m interested in is inherited eye diseases, which my husband has, and that’s where I specifically want my donations to be targeted.”
Lighter Than Air is published by Vanguard Press and priced at £9.99. For more information visit www.susan-pope.co.uk.
POSTED: 20/12/2008 16:00:00
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