We chat with Rebecca Southgate Williams

Rebecca Southgate Williams is the author of the recent paperback “The Passenger Manifest” that has been set on a train travelling from Totnes to London and the ensuing adventures therein. We thought we’d catch up and find out more…          Hi Rebecca, nice to meet you When did you start writing?

Hello! If you mean when did I start creative writing, then only 2 years ago at the ripe age of 55. My background is in modern languages and literature and my writing has been part of my working life, whether it has been writing short articles for newsletters, translating a document, or making a grant application.

I was at a point in my life where I suddenly had a little more time and a little more headspace to chance my arm at creative writing. The core concept for ‘The Passenger Manifest’ had been with me for a while, but I hadn’t previously had the capacity to devote myself to writing it. I am the sort of person who, when they start a project, can become a bit fixated on it, and so I needed to be in a position to start it and run with it without too much distraction. For as long as I can remember, I have been a lover of language and of how it can create so many different narratives and perspectives.  My love of both classical literature and modern psychological dramas led me to the idea of creating a modern-day odyssey to explore the landscapes we travel, both in body and mind.

I love trains! That is the short answer.

The longer answer is that what fascinates me about any sort of travel is the possibility of journeying awhile with someone and getting a glimpse into their world. Of course, you only generally see what the person wants you to see, and you only really present what you want to present. I also love a good old eavesdrop on conversations and imagining the lives of others. Basically, I’m a really nosey parker with a vivid imagination.

I lived in Totnes from the early 1990s until 2021, with a seven-year hiatus living abroad. My three children were all raised in Totnes.  In 2021, it was time for a change and I defected over the Tamar Bridge with my lovely Cornish husband and one of my sons. My other son and my daughter were already living in Bristol and Exeter.

Totnes will always have a special place in my heart and I actually feel as if I haven’t quite left. I stay in Totnes once a month for work and to visit my family and friends. My mum and stepfather live in Totnes and I have my own room. I revert to childhood when there and my mum even makes me a packed lunch for work! Good times!

As an aside, the book cover photography is by local photographer and good friend, Paul Dixon http://www.pauldixonpictures.co.uk/  It features Totnes railway station and the model is my daughter.

Read it at your peril!

         Do you see writing as a compulsion, an indulgence or a commercial operation?

Great question! An indulgence for me, for sure. If I had been compelled, I would have written earlier. If  I was trying to earn money, I certainly wouldn’t be writing a novel. I am not self-deluded and I make no claims to be a blockbuster novelist! I am fortunate to be at a stage in life where I can indulge my love of writing.

Buy the book! Or if you don’t want to splash the cash, borrow it from Totnes Library and find out for yourself. It is also free on Kindle Unlimited if you’re a subscriber.

No, I haven’t collaborated. I am not sure I would be very good at that. That said, I did have a number of friends, including a published author, read through for me to provide feedback and I love getting photos in from readers who are travelling with the book, especially when on trains and at train stations! – That’s kind of collaborating?

As my debut novel is set primarily in Devon, and the novel I am working on now is set in Cornwall, I would say quite a bit!  I was born in London and spent most of my formative years in Essex. I left in 1986 to study French and German at The University of Exeter and never returned to live in the South East. I have lived in Germany, Northern Ireland, Manchester and Cheltenham, but Totnes and Truro are definitely the places I feel most at home. My affection for Totnes is evident in ‘The Passenger Manifest’, I hope.

If you mean, with writing, the answer is that I am currently working on my second novel. It will be quite different from the first novel. Apart from that, I am giving nothing away.

The Passenger Manifest by Rebecca Southgate Williams is available at the EastGate Book shop or online here at this link.

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