KG Gardner
asked
Jenny Twist:
I really enjoyed reading "Domingo's Angel". Now having read "About the Author" here on Goodreads, I have a sense that Angela's narrative might have come from your experience of being the newcomer in Spain. Are some of the characters and their stories, as well as the village's story as a whole, something you unearthed from your experience or from research? Thank you. Yours, Karen
Jenny Twist
Hello, KG
I'm so glad you enjoyed Domingo.
I would say that the book is based not so much on my own experience as a newcomer (we were pretty much welcomed with open arms and I already had my love of my life) but definitely on the experiences of my friends and neighbours. So, I suppose I'd have to say mainly research.
None of the characters are based on any one individual, although I do know a goatherd who fell in love with an English girl. The story of Salva the Baker is real but I changed his name. The other characters are amalgamations of people I know.
All the events to do with the war and the fascist regime really happened somewhere in Spain, although not necessarily in my own village.
I did a lot of text book research (this was before I discovered Google) and talked to a few survivors (most Spanish people are very reluctant to talk about the war).
Angela's reaction to discovering that the reason all the older women wore black was that they were all widows was pretty much my own. Prior to that I had imagined it was a kind of 'badge of honour' denoting status attained by old age.
I am still learning about the civil war and Franco's regime. There are more atrocities uncovered all the time.
Let me know if you'd like to follow up on this. I can recommend some books on the subject.
So nice to speak to you
Love
Jenny
x
I'm so glad you enjoyed Domingo.
I would say that the book is based not so much on my own experience as a newcomer (we were pretty much welcomed with open arms and I already had my love of my life) but definitely on the experiences of my friends and neighbours. So, I suppose I'd have to say mainly research.
None of the characters are based on any one individual, although I do know a goatherd who fell in love with an English girl. The story of Salva the Baker is real but I changed his name. The other characters are amalgamations of people I know.
All the events to do with the war and the fascist regime really happened somewhere in Spain, although not necessarily in my own village.
I did a lot of text book research (this was before I discovered Google) and talked to a few survivors (most Spanish people are very reluctant to talk about the war).
Angela's reaction to discovering that the reason all the older women wore black was that they were all widows was pretty much my own. Prior to that I had imagined it was a kind of 'badge of honour' denoting status attained by old age.
I am still learning about the civil war and Franco's regime. There are more atrocities uncovered all the time.
Let me know if you'd like to follow up on this. I can recommend some books on the subject.
So nice to speak to you
Love
Jenny
x
More Answered Questions
Jean Hill
asked
Jenny Twist:
hi jenny, sounds a bit like my life, 'moving to different city's. as my parents moving with my dad having to find work. i can say what i can remember was good times as a child. ' i now have moved homes too over the years, 'but now settled down. just me and my husband who as health problems ' he as copd. and just a waiting to have treatment on is back.( injection into his spine) have you read my book? country life.
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