A St Albans author has released a novel based on her family history and the dangers faced by those emigrating from her native country.
Catherine Till decided to find out more about her family’s history during the COVID-19 lockdown, and began researching what it was like for them to live in and escape from Soviet-dominated Hungary.
After writing the first draft of her novel, Catherine started a prestigious creative writing course at City, University of London.
Speaking to STALBANSnews, Catherine said: “I was determined, and I didn’t want to wait years for someone to accept my manuscript. I had some knockbacks, and some editors didn’t even reply, so I found a printer and I self-published it.
“I wanted to write about my native country’s recent history. I knew I wouldn’t sell millions, but I know many people would be interested.”
The novel is entitled No Fence Made of Sausages, which Catherine explains is a common Hungarian saying that is similar to the English saying, ‘the streets are not paved in gold’.
The novel follows three generations of a Hungarian family from the start of the 20th century to the 2015 European migrant crisis, as they battle with their own challenges amid huge political upheavals.
She said: “It’s quite a dramatic story, a tale of emigration and homesickness, love and betrayal, addiction and wasted talent. The starting point was my family’s history, but after lots of research and writing, it absorbed other experiences.”
The book is available from all good bookshops.
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