Interview with Louisa Treger, author of THE DRAGON LADY
Back in 2015, we featured Louisa Treger and her intriguing biographical novel about Dorothy Richardson, peer of Virginia Woolf.
Louisa’s second novel, THE DRAGON LADY is a fictionalised account of the life of Virginia Courtauld.
Opening with the shooting of Lady Virginia ‘Ginie’ Courtauld in her tranquil garden in 1950s Rhodesia, The Dragon Lady tells Ginie’s extraordinary story, so called for the exotic tattoo snaking up her leg. From the glamorous Italian Riviera before the Great War to the Art Deco glory of Eltham Palace in the thirties, and from the secluded Scottish Highlands to segregated Rhodesia in the fifties, the narrative spans enormous cultural and social change. Lady Virginia Courtauld was a boundary-breaking, colourful and unconventional person who rejected the submissive role women were expected to play.
Ostracised by society for being a foreign divorcée at the time of Edward VIII and Mrs Simpson, Ginie and her second husband ,Stephen Courtauld, leave the confines of post-war Britain to forge a new life in Rhodesia, only to find that being progressive liberals during segregation proves mortally dangerous. Many people had reason to dislike Ginie, but who had reason enough to pull the trigger?
Deeply evocative of time and place, The Dragon Lady subtly blends fact and fiction to paint the portrait of an extraordinary woman in an era of great social and cultural change.
We are delighted to share this interview with Louisa!
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Tell us about your beginning, where are you from?
I was born and raised in London, and I still live here.
How did your childhood impact the writer you’ve become?
My mother was often ill and wasn’t always able to be present. But she lavished me with books, perhaps as compensation. To quote Rebecca Solnit, ‘I disappeared into books when I was very young, disappeared into them like someone running into the woods.’
When did you decide you wanted to be a writer?
I’ve wanted to write ever since I can remember.
How has writing changed you as a person?
I don’t think it has, but getting published has given me the confidence to be myself. I am deeply attached to a small group of close friends, but at heart I’m an introvert, happiest at home with my dog and a good book.
What inspired you to write The Dragon Lady? How much research was involved?
The Dragon Lady began with a question from a friend. ‘Have you seen Zimbabwe’s secret Monet?’ The painting was allegedly hidden in the vaults of the National Gallery of Zimbabwe to keep it safe from Robert Mugabe, who was then President.
My mother was born in South Africa, so I have strong roots in that part of the world, and on a trip to Harare I managed to access a few of the ‘secret’ paintings. There was no Monet, but I did see works by Rembrandt and Durer, donated to the Gallery by Sir Stephen Courtauld and his wife, Virginia. My curiosity was well and truly piqued and I began to research them. The more I found out, the more I became convinced that theirs was a fascinating untold story.
Quite a lot of research was involved, including a trip to the Courtaulds’ house in Zimbabwe, where I slept in Virginia’s room and discovered a ghost on the property.
What would be your 6 word memoir?
Love, writing, wait on God’s time.
What is the best writing advice you’ve ever had, and the worst?
The best is ‘Nobody writes elegant first drafts; push on and get the story written without worrying about its merits. Good writing is rewriting.’
The worst is ‘Write what you know.’ That way lies the death of creativity,
What is your writing process like? Are you a pantser or a plotter?
Definitely a pantser. I start with the characters and the roughest of plot outlines in my head, and find the story as I write. I like the freedom and flexibility this brings.
Do you need a special place to write?
No. As a mother of three I can’t afford to be precious about my writing routine. The most uncongenial place I have ever written in was a café in Butlins Holiday Camp during the school holidays.
Are you part of a writing community or a writing group?
Yes, I belong to Women Writers , Women’s Books and The Prime Writers. A writer’s life is largely solitary and I have found the camaraderie and support of these groups incredibly sustaining.
What is your experience with social media as a writer? Do you find it distracts you or does it provide inspiration?
Social media can all too easily lead to a catastrophic collapse in concentration. On the plus side, I have met a fantastic community of writers and readers, some of who have become friends in real life.
Who are your favorite authors?
Margaret Atwood, Charlotte Bronte, Deborah Eisenberg, Alice Munro.
What are you reading currently?
Miss Boston and Miss Hargreaves by Rachel Malik. It’s sooo good.
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Louisa subsequently turned to literature, gaining a First Class degree and a PhD in English at University College London, where she focused on early twentieth century women’s writing.
Married with three children, she lives in London.
Follow Louisa on Twitter https://twitter.com/louisatreger
Find out more about her on her website http://louisatreger.com/
THE DRAGON LADY
In a period of civil unrest before the War of Liberation, a wealthy and influential couple leave Britain to make a new life in 1950s Rhodesia.
From the glamorous Italian Riviera in the roaring twenties to the Art Deco glory of Eltham Palace in the thirties, from the secluded Scottish Highlands to sultry, segregated Rhodesia in the fifties, The Dragon Lady tells the story of the extraordinary life of Lady Virginia Courtauld, so-called for the exotic tattoo snaking up her leg.
Ostracized by society for being a foreign divorcée at the time of Edward VIII and Mrs Simpson, Ginie and her second husband Stephen Courtauld leave the confines of post-war Britain to forge a new life in Rhodesia, only to find that being progressive liberals during segregation proves mortally dangerous.
Subtly blending fact and fiction, deeply evocative of time and place in an era of great social change and threaded throughout with intrigue, the novel keeps the reader guessing from the outset who shot the Dragon Lady and why.
UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dragon-Lady-Louisa-Treger/dp/1448217261
USA PAPERBACK
Category: Contemporary Women Writers, Interviews, On Writing
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