Her Life as a Novel
by Penny Haw
Readers are fascinated by where authors get their ideas. With several events planned to celebrate publication of my fourth work of biographical historical fiction, The Woman and Her Stars, I’m anticipating the question, “How did you come up with the idea of writing about Caroline Herschel? Are you an astronomer?”
My answer? No, I’m not an astronomer. Neither am I a veterinary surgeon, which was how I answered similar questions when The Invincible Miss Cust was published in 2022. Nor am I a petrolhead/motoring enthusiast who was inspired to write about Bertha Benz in The Woman at the Wheel (2023). And indeed, I didn’t write about Mary Leakey in Follow Me to Africa (2025) because I’m an archaeologist or palaeoanthropologist. Astronomy, veterinary science, mechanical entrepreneurship, archaeology and palaeoanthropology are interesting, notable professions but I specialise in none of them. I’m an author and that’s it!
So, if it wasn’t my characters’ fields of interest that motivated me, what was it? It’s simple really; I was inspired by the individuals, their real lives, and what they overcame to realise their dreams. I was drawn to how Aleen, Bertha, Mary and Caroline recognised what lit fires within them and how they kindled the flames despite the odds and were spurred to action until they achieved their ambitions. It didn’t matter what their passions were; it mattered that the women were interested and interesting.
But the intrigue must be personal
However, it’s not enough for me to only be interested to want to write historical fiction about real people, I must also relate to them. If I’m going to spend months and months researching, writing and talking about a person, I must feel a strong connection to them.
Aleen Cust, the star of The Invincible Miss Cust, drew my attention because of her love for animals. I was raised on a farm, once imagined becoming a veterinary surgeon, and have always been surrounded by animals. Animals are family to me. When I came across Aleen, it was as if her story was the one I’d been preparing to write all along. Writing about a determined woman whose dream was centred on animals came naturally to me and I loved every moment of it.
Bertha Benz’s independent and adventurous spirit and entrepreneurial nature appealed to me. For many years, I worked as a journalist for business publications and Bertha’s grasp of commerce impressed me. I loved how curious she was about the developing world in the 1800s and was in awe of her intuition and insight. When I discovered how, in 1888, she drove the Benz Motorwagen on what would become known as “the first long distance test drive” with her teenage sons and without her husband Carl’s sanction, I was hooked. What an intrepid woman! The result was The Woman at the Wheel.
Follow Me to Africa is set primarily in Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania and it was a treat to write about my continent. I love Africa with its expansive landscape, endless skies, and magnificent flora and fauna. Add to this Mary Leakey’s fascination with the origins of early man, her love of animals and how she enjoyed living remotely on the edge of the Serengeti, and I was enthralled. As was the case with Aleen and Bertha, it seemed to me, had I been lucky enough to meet Mary, we might’ve been friends. I certainly would’ve been a fan.
The subject of my latest book, The Woman and Her Stars is Caroline Herschel, who became the world’s first salaried woman astronomer when King George III added her to his pay roll in 1787. Like Mary Leakey, Caroline became a distinguished scientist receiving little education in her youth and the patriarchal challenges of the times.
In fact, Caroline was destined to be a servant until her brother, William paid their mother to replace her, took her to England from Hanover, and first taught her music before they turned their attention to astronomy. For a long time, Caroline was plagued by fear and self-doubt and lived in William’s shadow. I was fascinated by her journey of self-discovery and empowerment, which is the focus of The Woman and Her Stars.
Finding stories within lives
Biographical historical fiction is not like a biography, which usually describes the facts of someone’s life. One of the joys of the genre is that allows the author to breathe life into historical figures, reimagining them as colourful, multifaceted individuals and highlighting the most interesting phases of their lives.
Just as any book needs tension, motives, stakes, emotions, vivid characters and a satisfying narrative arc to hook readers and keep them engaged, so does biographical historical fiction. One of the challenges in planning and writing biographical fiction about a historical character is distilling their lives, finding the nuggets and layers within their existence, and turning those moments into a thought-provoking tale.
While researching Caroline Herschel, I was particularly intrigued to find that she’d destroyed the journal entries and letters she’d written during the period William courted and married Mary Pitt. My research indicated Caroline’s initial dislike and mistrust of Mary compelled her to move away from the newly-weds.
However, when Caroline’s notes and letters were once again available, it emerged that she and Mary had somehow grown close, and Caroline was secure and independent. I was fascinated by what might’ve taken place to turn things around during this censored phase of Caroline’s life.
It was a turning point in her life, a crucial time in that it opened the way to Caroline’s embracing her role as an astronomer at a time when women were excluded from scientific circles. It was the moment that she owned her genius. The Woman and Her Stars includes my version of what could’ve happened during the period Caroline destroyed her writing and how this changed the way she saw herself.
Interesting characters in support roles
However, even tantalising mysteries and the most fascinating characters need to be surrounded by other interesting people to bring stories to life. Caroline’s brother, William is well-known as the charismatic, dedicated astronomer who was named King’s Astronomer to King George when he discovered Uranus. He also revolutionised the telescope and was responsible for several other astronomical discoveries in his lifetime. But Caroline’s other brother, Alex had a quieter, but equally important presence in her life, which I loved exploring in my story.
Her frenemy Lydia Hudson plays the role of cunning villain, while Mr. Corden is a kind, caring beau—or is he? Then, because I wrote it, The Woman and Her Stars also features animal characters. I hope you’ll love the dogs, Comet and Star and horses, Juno and Apollo as much as I do.
The thing that appeals to me most about writing biographical fiction is that it allows me to blend my fascination and admiration of real people with my imagination.
I hope my stories give historical characters emotional depth and that they are relatable because of their conversations, thoughts, relationships and complex personalities. Readers have told me how they hadn’t heard of Aleen, Bertha and Mary until they read my books. Hopefully, The Woman and Her Stars shines a similarly bright light on Caroline Herschel. It gives me great joy to think that I can introduce people to extraordinary women from history by writing fiction about them. Thank you!
Penny Haw
Penny Haw is a journalist turned novelist. Her books include The Invincible Miss Cust, The Woman at the Wheel, Follow Me to Africa, The Woman and Her Stars, The Wilderness Between Us, and Nicko, and The Woman and Her Stars. Penny won the Women’s Fiction Writers Association Star Award in 2022 and was the recipient of the Philida Literary Award for her ‘oeuvre of literary excellence’ in 2024. She lives in Hout Bay near Cape Town with her husband and three dogs, not one of whom obeys her commands.
https://www.facebook.com/penny.haw
https://www.instagram.com/pennyhaw/
https://www.threads.com/@pennyhaw
The Woman and Her Stars
She must find her own place amongst the stars.
Caroline Herschel has always lived in the shadows. Beholden to her wildly popular older brother, William, who rescued her from servitude, she’s worked hard to build a life for herself – one where she can go unnoticed and repay the debt she believes she owes him. But when her brother becomes obsessed with sweeping the stars, everything changes.
Newly appointed as the King’s Astronomer, William is rushed away from the bustling streets of Bath to the quiet countryside of Windsor. When Caroline makes a discovery that could send her right back to the people she was rescued from, she has no choice but to leave her carefully constructed life and follow her brother. Taking up the position as William’s assistant, Caroline resolves to learn everything she can about astronomy. But the more she understands, the more she falls in love with her telescope, and soon, she discovers that she might be good at the science, great, even, and that the stars could offer her the freedom she’s always secretly wanted. When it’s clear that Caroline is just as much the astronomer as her brother, she realizes she must break free from the life she has lived and find her own place in the night sky.
Based on the true story of Caroline Herschel, The Woman and Her Stars shines a light on a woman who was raised to believe she was worth nothing more than to serve others, but whose genius and resolve made her one of the world’s leading astronomers. An awe-inspiring story set within the societal boundaries of the Georgian era, it’s a hopeful journey of self-discovery, familial bonds, and passion.
Buy here:
https://www.amazon.com/Woman-Her-Stars-Novel/dp/1728295483
Category: On Writing
Subscribe
If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to receive more just like it.
