Writing friendship
As writers we often have an urge to pen something in particular and what I love about being an author is deciding what feels right at the time, when I’m faced with that totally blank page.
The Year That Changed Us is my 33rd book and when I sat down to plan the story I knew it was going to be a bit different. I had a compelling desire to write a book with female friendship at its core. And so began Lise and Emma’s story…
I chose to have part of The Year That Changed Us set in Bath and part in Paris, not only because I love both of these locations but because I wanted Lise and Emma to have physical distance between them at some point during the story. I wanted to show no matter the distance, friendships that come up against challenges which may feel insurmountable at the time, can still blossom again.
Friendship like love is something we all relate to. In this book I wanted to explore how friendships begin, how they change over time. I wanted to show how friends are on each other’s side and who are there for you no matter what. Good friends totally get you, you laugh together over things other people may not understand, you confide in each other, you’re there through good times and bad, they don’t take offence if you cancel plans and vice versa. Some friendships stay with you while others drift off but it doesn’t mean any were less valuable, just that people change, evolve.
Just like in romantic relationships, longevity isn’t a given when it comes to friendship, and over time friendships can be put to the test. That’s exactly what happens to Lise and Emma when they see their lives heading one way but end up on different paths. Lise and Emma have always understood one another – they know how the other one thinks, they can be themselves in each other’s company. But along the way they lose a bit of that despite their history. At times during the story it seems they’ll never work it out.
Lise and Emma have a lot to work through. The Year That Changed Us has romantic elements, secrets, family dynamics, and at its heart the power of female friendship which can shine through even after enduring the toughest of times.
You can pick up a copy of Helen’s brand new book here: https://mybook.to/yearchangedsocial