All my fiction and non –fiction and my life has been about breaking down stereotypes. March 6 is the launch of Sculpting the Elephant. At 11 am I’ll be talking on BBC Radio Oxford about the book and particularly about mixed relationships. I hope to mention a recent experience that moved me profoundly.
I took a comp copy of my novel to Caroline Henney in Antiques on High – Oxford. Caroline inspired one of the characters. Another dealer, Amanda Fore read the dedication – to anyone with a partner from a different country, religion, colour and reacted emotionally. She said, ‘You probably don’t know but my late husband was African/ American ‘and the stories poured out of her.
A CUSTOMER overheard and joined us. She said, ‘My husband is from Brazil he has American Indian ancestors.’ It was as if my novel had provided a safe space to share their experiences. It has led Katie Isbester (Claret Press ) and I to start a blog called #WeTwo for sharing inspirational stories. I’d love to hear from couples who have crossed artificial but often formidable barriers. Have you got one you would like to share? I hate stereotypes. The aim of my books fiction and non-fiction is to get people to see each other as individuals.
Let me start
#WeTwo
Sylvia met Indian mathematician Atam Vetta on the steps of the first Gurdwara in the UK in Smethwick in the West Midlands. He drove up riding a Vespa- she didn’t stand a chance!
Sylvia was born in Luton and Atam in in Warburton (India). At Partition Warburton was given to Pakistan so the child Atam became a refugee. He came to England via Delhi and Ethiopia.