Progress of New Victorian Novella

At last, my new Victorian novella, Pride and Progress, is now published! This began life as a short story which was shortlisted in a national competition. One of my writing friends loved the heroine, Emily, so much that I decided it needed to be a longer story. However, life, procrastination, other writing and a house move got in the way of progress until I finally finished it.


Set in the 1870s, the railways play a big part in the story as I absolutely love steam trains. Although many of the British railway lines had been built by the end of the 1840s, some more remote areas had to wait until the 1860s/70s to be connected. Many people were against such progress at first and that gave me the conflict between the heroine and the Scottish station master, Arthur.

Steam train at Bo'ness
The husband and I have been on most of the steam trains in North Wales, as well as the West Highland Way and Aviemore in Scotland. Since our move, we've finally been for a journey on the one at Bo'ness which is not too far from us so we'll be going again later this month with granddaughter. My lovely father-in-law was a station master and we were delighted to find the actual ticket office from one of the stations he worked at is the one they brought to the preserved line at Bo'ness! In homage to him, I've used his first name for my hero.

So, although this is a sweet, feel-good novella and a quick read, it's one that is close to my heart and I'm just glad to see it finished at last.

Short blurb for Pride and Progress

Miss Emily Morton is content with her village life as a teacher in the north east of England in the 1870s, until the new railway arrives along with the handsome Scottish station master, Arthur Muir.
Emily detests the railways, while it is Arthur's passion.
Each is challenged by the other but will pride allow for progress?
It's now available on Amazon UK and Amazon US and worldwide