TuesdayTips106

Conversations With Their Creations
Author Jonathan Wilkins In Conversation With
Lady Pandora Ophelia Penelope Loveday
(Poppy)

Today's #TuesdayTip is another #ConversationsWithTheirCreations.
The premise is simple - an author conducts an interview with one of their characters. I leave it up to them how they wish to interpret that brief.
My guest author today is Jonathan Wilkins. A retired teacher, lapsed Waterstones bookseller and former basketball coach, he now takes notes for students with special needs at Leicester University.
He writes contemporary and historical crime thrillers.
Below, we meet the hero of his Poppy Knows Best series, set mostly in the 1920s, starting in 1917.

Could you introduce yourself?
It’s complicated I’m afraid. My mother always calls me Pandora, her family name. My father calls me Ophelia, which is his family name. My friends call me Poppy.
My full name is Lady Pandora Ophelia Penelope Loveday.
I live in Mountain Ash in Wales in Loveday Hall and at other times in Slough Square, London at Loveday House.
We first meet you in 1917?
Yes, I joined the VADs (that's the Voluntary Aid Detachment for our readers who aren't members of the British Empire) having lied about my age. My father or Dadda as I call him, worked at the War office and could have got me called back for being underage. He argued with mother about this a great deal. In the end it turns out he let me stay. Mother hated this and we were estranged for quite a while. It’s funny really as she was an active suffragette before the war. Even got arrested for assaulting a police officer!
Did she go to prison?
Much to her disgust, no. The policeman took her home to Dadda, he was really annoyed with her, but of course understood, he often commented on the issue in the House of Lords.
But he let you continue?
Yes, he knew it was something I had to do. Also I wanted to be closer to my brother Alfie who was fighting out there.
Did you ever see your brother?
Ironically no. We were never in the same area. It was difficult not seeing him. He is my best pal.
What did you do during the war?
I drove ambulances. Alfie had taught me to drive on tractors, so it was quite simple really and I knew how to maintain the engine so that went down well.
Was it an awful experience?
Yes and no. Taking the wounded to the Dressing Station was horrible. The screaming from the back of my ambulance, then the washing it out at the end of the day. Blood and all sorts in the back, it was quite revolting.
Was there anything good about it?
I met some lovely people. We stayed in an old barn, it was really cosy and waterproof thank goodness and I met the love of my life.
Can you tell us about him?
Well actually, I’m not sure. I fell in love with a woman. I know I oughtn’t, but it’s true.
How did this happen?
I was driving my ambulance past a bombed out dressing station and saw her in the mud. She was holding a Canadian soldier and was covered in blood and mud. I helped her out and took her to the barn.
Where she stayed?
Yes, amazingly with all the red tape we get sunk under she was allowed to stay and join our nurses. Her name is Elodie Proux. We have to keep or love secret so I’m not sure you should print this.
We can be discreet, don’t worry.
Especially as the Canadian soldier had tried to rape her and she thinks she killed him …

Jonathan Wilkins writes contemporary and historical crime thrillers.
His Poppy Knows Best series starts in 1917, with Poppy Flowers At The Front and he plans to move it through to 1968. The third in the series is Poppy Blossoms Amongst The Dead. 
He also writes a contemporary series based in Utrecht, following Detective Caes Heda and his daughter Truus. Utrecht Rain is available from Amazon, whilst Utrech Snow is available direct from his website www.jonathanwilkins.co.uk, along with all his books.
You can learn more about Jonathan and his writing by following him on Facebook, Twitter (@leicesterstorys) or Instagram (@jonwilkins55)