Kent grandfather’s clock turned back for new book
Added: (Mon Jan 22 2024)
Pressbox (Press Release) -
Kent pensioner Paul Taylor has turned back the clock by more than two centuries to embark on his debut novel.
A Prisoner’s Love is a harrowing yet uplifting account of a teenage girl’s exile to Australia for her part in a theft.
Paul’s thrilling adventure relives the gruelling – and often lethal – journeys from English ports to the colonised new lands.
He explained: “A Prisoner’s Love begins with a brother and sister, Robert and Sarah, who are both convicted of stealing at the Old Bailey.
“Robert had climbed through an open window to look for food, and despite Sarah protesting about him going into the house, she was also arrested.
“While her brother is sentenced at the court to death by hanging, Sarah is sent to Australia to serve her prison sentence.”
Paul’s opening chapters are only the start of an incredible novel, where Sarah not only has to survive aboard the convict ship, but she has to adapt to life in a new world.
Set in the late 18th century, when the first of the 160,000 or so prisoners were exiled by British courts, A Prisoner’s Love is a story of courage and retribution.
From the first ships arriving in Botany Bay in 1788, a steady stream of convicts continued to arrive on Australian shores for close to 80 years.
And around one in seven of the arrivals were women.
While further tragedy and hardship awaited the majority of the prisoners, as Paul’s novel reveals there were some success stories.
The new author’s characterisation, vivid imagery and perfect pacing make for a gripping historical story that will have readers wanting more.
The grandfather added: “A Prisoner’s Love is entirely fictional although it is inspired by the true stories of convicts who were sent to a foreign land.
“Although Sarah is both frightened and alone, she adapts to her new life and eventually goes on to open an orphanage in Sydney.
“I asked several friends to read the drafts of the book and, thankfully, they all loved it.”
For more information visit Amazon and search for Paul Taylor, where the Kindle and paperback versions of A Prisoner’s Love are available.
Notes to the Editor
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