Secrets of the Water Meadow by Tasmanian writer Dawn Meredith

My newest book, Secrets of the Water Meadow, published by Forty South, is now available here: buy here

 

So, what is this story about?

I based this story upon my own experiences as a young girl, who moved to Norway, aged twelve. From Perth, Western Australia, to one of the coldest countries in Europe, it was a big change! And learning a new language was also a challenge. My younger sister and I lived with our family on a small island, in an old wooden house, facing the magnificent Romsdals fjord. It was like my favourite TV show of all time - 'Little House on the Prairie!

Secrets... is told by the younger sister, Freya, who is an adventurous but quite lonely girl in some ways. She has a best friend at school, but her family live and work on a dairy farm on a small island, so going to school means travelling by mini bus and ferry, twice a day. Freya lives in a stunningly beautiful place and spends a lot of time outdoors. One day, she meets a strange but beautiful creature she calls Lorelei, who becomes her secret friend.

Why does this story means so much to me?

Moving to a foreign country, meeting a whole new step family and becoming part of a different culture was a life changing thing for me. I absolutely love Norwegian culture and traditions! And it has influenced my work as an author of books for children, young adults and adults. Living at a time when there were no mobile phones, (and we didn't even own a television) meant we had to socialise in person, with our friends and cousins. We spent a lot of time outdoors and we loved every minute of it. I have such fantastic, happy memories of that childhood period. I've since been back to the island, and our old house, twice. The second time i took my eleven year old daughter with me and it was so special to be able to share the place I had talked so much about with her. She loved it and caught the magic!

So here is a little blurb about the story, which is actually printed on the back of the book:

All her life Freya has been told that the havfruer of the deep fjords are dark angels who lure children into the water and drown them. But Freya is certain that if she sings a havfrue to the shore, they can be friends. To her surprise and joy, it works! Meanwhile, in Freya’s family, secrets come to the surface and all the adults are upset. Freya’s sister Lisbet suddenly becomes angry and depressed holding in a secret of her own. And so Freya seeks comfort and advice from Lorelei, her havfrue friend, that no one else has seen. When her sister falls into the cold waters and is in danger of drowning, can Freya really trust this mysterious, oddly beautiful creature to help? Or will Lorelei choose the darker side of her nature?

Set in magnificent Norway, Secrets of the Water Meadow is an evocative, rich world where the senses are tingled and love is deep as the fjord itself. No matter what conflict simmers in the Askvold family, the ties are strong and the patience to persist in healing wins out. 

I do hope you enjoy reading my story! And I would love to hear your thoughts about it. Send me an email to this address - dawnmeredith1@gmail.com

Until the next book!

cheers, Dawn