The new book from Sophie Jenkins A Random Act of Kindness is out now!
It only takes a moment, to change a life for ever…
Fern is too busy making sure other people feel good about themselves to give much thought to her own happiness. But somehow, without her noticing, life has run away from her.
Suddenly, Fern realises her vintage clothes business is struggling, and the casual relationship she’d always thought she was happy in doesn’t look so appealing.
But sometimes, karma really does come through. And when Fern goes out of her way to help 85-year-old Dinah, little does she realise their new friendship will change her life.
Dinah may have troubles in her past, but she’s lived and loved to the full. Can Dinah show Fern that even the smallest acts of kindness can make the world a better place?
It only takes a moment, to change a life for ever…
Fern is too busy making sure other people feel good about themselves to give much thought to her own happiness. But somehow, without her noticing, life has run away from her.
Suddenly, Fern realises her vintage clothes business is struggling, and the casual relationship she’d always thought she was happy in doesn’t look so appealing.
But sometimes, karma really does come through. And when Fern goes out of her way to help 85-year-old Dinah, little does she realise their new friendship will change her life.
Dinah may have troubles in her past, but she’s lived and loved to the full. Can Dinah show Fern that even the smallest acts of kindness can make the world a better place?
MEDIA REVIEWS
'Absolutely and completely adorable, this all embracing story will break, mend, and fill hearts with warmth, humour and love' LOVEREADING
`A warm, beautiful read ... tender and inspiring' Goodreads Reviewer
`A truly delightful story about love, friendship and figuring out what matters the most. It wraps itself around you like a warm, comforting blanket and it made me chuckle, a little emotional at times but in the end, pretty happy' Goodreads Reviewer
`I wholeheartedly recommend this book to other readers. I can't wait to see what comes next from this fantastic author. 5* out of 5*' The Ginger Book Geek
`An enchanting, thought-provoking read which left me with a massive smile on my face' The Writing Garnet
`Oh boy did this novel warm my heart from the top of my head to the tips of my toes ... a different kind of love story and will definitely make you think about life, love, friendship, and what really matters in this world' Goodreads reviewer
`Endowed with one of the perfect endings, this uplifting book will make you happy irrespective of whether you forgot the feeling or not' Goodreads reviewer
Amazon Reviews
Grass monster
4.0 out of 5 starsKindness
5 July 2019
Format: Kindle Edition
The Blurb :
Fern is too busy making sure other people feel good about themselves to give much thought to her own happiness. But somehow, without her noticing, life has run away from her.
Suddenly, Fern realises her vintage clothes business is struggling, and the casual relationship she’d always thought she was happy in doesn’t look so appealing.
But sometimes, karma really does come through. And when Fern goes out of her way to help 85-year-old Dinah, little does she realise their new friendship will change her life.
Dinah may have troubles in her past, but she’s lived and loved to the full. Can Dinah show Fern that even the smallest acts of kindness can make the world a better place?
My Thoughts :
We meet Fern Banks, when she loses her job as a personal shopper in a department store, she sets about running a vintage clothes stall in London’s Camden Market.
One day she meets and helps Dinah, who is an old Jewish lady in her 80s. Things take a turn and life is about to change for both of them. Can one small act of kindness change the path of life we are on?!.
Although clothing and fashion is not my thing, I found this to be a very interesting story and I liked how each chapter was started with a description of a fashion garment, a nice little touch to the overall story.
There are some great descriptions, and visualisations of the clothes being sold and worn, along with a little romance and friendships.
I loved the market setting and getting to know the supporting characters.
I am looking forward to Sophie Jenkins next release.
Kirsty
5.0 out of 5 starsLovely Book!
4 July 2019
Format: Kindle Edition
I really enjoyed this book, lighthearted but not too lighthearted, the story held me well and i liked the characters, especially the interactions with the fabulous Dinah and her husband. It was written wonderfully and I would certainly enjoy reading more from Sophie Jenkins.
Format: Kindle Edition
A real feel good book. Every chapter begins with the description of an outfit and Fern lives her life thinking about clothes and what would suit people. It made me want to go out shopping. Although, admittedly to the High Street rather than vintage stores.
Portybelle
5.0 out of 5 starsA gorgeous, uplifting tale about friendship and finding your true fit
24 June 2019
Format: Paperback
A Random Act of Kindness is a book I absolutely loved. Random acts of kindness are peppered throughout the book. We see through many characters the ripple effect of random acts of kindness. Fern's kind acts and the acts of others really did have life-changing consequences for so many of the characters. It was sometimes quite emotional reading about what had happened in their lives, especially Dinah and Moss's story, and the way elderly widower Kim felt able to come of his shell and be his true self, encouraged by people you might have expected to be so understanding.
This is such a gorgeous and uplifting tale about friendship, following your dreams and finding your true fit. And can I just say that I would love one of David's chopping boards. Trust me when I tell you that it would be a most romantic gift to get. For some people anyway! A Random Act of Kindness is a warm-hearted story, beautifully told and I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a feel-good read.
Margaretdw
5.0 out of 5 starsImaginative plot with great characters
13 June 2019
Format: Paperback
Fiona lives in North London in a small flat that belongs to her parents who said that she could stay there until she got on her feet and saved enough to get her own place. Never happened. Her mother, a former model, is beautiful and has no hesitation in letting Fiona know what a disappointment she is to her. Her father, newly retired is kinder but not by very much. Such is Fiona’s timid nature that she has failed to let them know that she has lost her job as a personal shopper in a department store and has set up a vintage clothing store in Camden Lock. Clothes are Fiona’s forte; that and her intuitive flair that her design background, and her instincts with her customers.
Add to the mix David who runs a neighbouring stall, his girlfriend Gigi (a school friend of Fiona), Dinah and Moss an elderly German couple, another group of elderly people and a dealer who helps Fiona source her vintage clothes.
I absolutely loved this book. Each chapter was prefaced with a description of a garment and the legendary designers, Chanel, Dior, Norman Hartnell, Biba, et al. The range was all encompassing and I had pleasure in picturing them, particularly the 50’s and 60’s. I thought this was an imaginative plot, well-developed (if somewhat predictable) and I loved the characters. One bit in particular (relating to lipstick – trying to avoid a spoiler here) made me cry.
I also loved Fiona. A sensitive soul who worried when somebody called her shallow even though she was kindness herself to others. A nice, easy read but actually much, much more than that. Perhaps I could call it a little treasure of a find. Read it, enjoy it. I did.
Thank you to the author, publishers and NetGalley for providing an ARC via my Kindle in return for an honest review.
One person found this helpful
Claire140
4.0 out of 5 starsEasy-reading and light-hearted with really interesting and quirky side characters
13 June 2019
Format: Kindle Edition
This was an easy reading, quite light-hearted story about Fern and her vintage clothing business, but with a couple of quite eccentric side characters that really lifted the story.
Fern used to work for a department store but got sacked when a delighted customer wrote a glowing review for a sale she made, but unfortunately it was for a dress that she'd sold from her own vintage clothes collection outside of work. So she then decided to set up her own business with a market stall at Camden Market.
Fern currently lives in her parents flat (her Father used to stay in it during the week when he was working) and is struggling to make ends meet. Her parents were a bit odd really, even though they let her use the flat they were a bit distant and her Mother especially was a right pain, a very selfish sort of woman, nothing was ever good enough for her and she felt as though Fern was a disappointment to her, especially as she used to be a model in her youth. She really looked down her nose at Fern's market stall and her life choices in general.
I actually preferred a couple of the side characters more than the main ones I must admit. Fern's inspiration to start her vintage clothes business was a very stylish woman she'd bumped into a while ago, Dinah. She had also recently bumped into her again and actually got to know her and her husband Moss, a tailor. The other great side character was Kim, an elderly guy who was the one who actually got her sacked (unbeknownst to him), when buying a dress for his wife (supposedly). But his wife had just died and he was spreading his wings and not hiding his true personality anymore.
There is also a slow burning romance with another stall holder, and he was nice enough but just a bit... boring I suppose.
This book is most definitely all about vintage fashion so there are lots of clothes descriptions, especially at the beginning of each chapter, but Fern's whole life revolved around what she was wearing so I suppose it was hardly surprising. All in all a pleasant, easy read, but with the side characters being much more interesting than the main character!
Susan Hampson
TOP 1000 REVIEWER
5.0 out of 5 starsA joy to read
13 June 2019
Format: Kindle Edition
This is a lively fun and want to be there read that just made me all fuzzy inside. Fern is like the typical girl next door but with a style of her own. Fern loves vintage clothes and finding not just that perfect look for herself but for others too. So after not so much losing her job as being asked to leave her personal assistant position in a classy store, she sets up a stall on the market.
Now, this is not something that her ex-model mother approves of. To say that their relationship is strained just doesn’t quite match the coldness her mother puts out to Fern. Image is everything to Fern’s mother and Fern isn’t living up to her standards.
This story is made up of quirky, weird and wonderful characters that jump off the pages. I loved Dinah, classy, confident and full of mischief, at 85 it should be compulsory. She has the most wonderful stories and married to a charming man. What a tremendous story they have.
I found myself looking forward to each new chapter, that wasn’t a chapter but a ‘lot’ consisting of descriptions of vintage clothes, each making the whole thing very visual. A super idea, so very classy. Then I soon found myself giggling away at what was to come, next, with the brilliant customers that swiftly became friends. Fern’s love life definitely had its dips but the high lights were just divine.
This is Fern’s time to blossom or wilt and what a journey it is. Beautifully written I simply didn’t want this story to come to an end. A pure joy to read!
I wish to thank NetGalley for an e-copy of this book which I have reviewed honestly
BananaTricky
4.0 out of 5 starsFashion and charm, low on romance
14 June 2019
Format: Kindle Edition
Three and a half stars.
Fern has a stall selling vintage clothes at Camden Market in London, having lost her job as a personal shopper for a large department store. She has always had a love of fashion, probably because her mother Annabel is a former model.
A random act of kindness to a stranger introduces Fern to: Kim; a pensioner buying a dress for his wife; Dinah, an 89 year old woman with an amazing haute couture wardrobe; and David. Told through sales blurb for different vintage clothes we see Fern find romance, friendship and a career.
For anyone who loves fashion the talk of Westwood, Biba, Chanel, Lagerfield et al is divine but it's also mixed up with Top Shop bargain finds and repurposing. Fern is a genius at seeing what people want from clothes, how they want clothes to make them feel, from a job interview outfit, to a mother-of-the-bride ensemble to a prom dress - she helps each of her customers feel better about themselves.
This is a feel good, fashion-forward, sweet romance, but TBH the romance is all about the clothes and our 'hero' is more of an afterthought.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Swindon mum
5.0 out of 5 starsA feel good book
13 June 2019
Format: Paperback
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon books for a review copy of this book.
I loved this feel good book (and was sad to see that some other reviewers hadn’t).
Fern and the other characters meet a number of challenges from their friends and family, and wear a variety of vintage outfits.
The overwhelming message I received from Sophie Jenkins was that is important to do something you really enjoy for a job and that being kind to others can help you in the future.
In this era of social media, kindness often seems to be missing - reading this book does give you hope that it may return.
Definitely worth a read and a 5 star book for me
Claire Thake
4.0 out of 5 starsFab read
14 June 2019
Format: Kindle Edition
This was such a sweet book to read!
Firstly, this story is about Fern, who loves vintage clothes, so after losing her job she decides to set up a market stall selling you guessed it....vintage clothing. The clothes were described beautifully and the whole way through this book you could easily visualise the whole settings.
Fern was a great character, who was completely obsessed and her life revolved around fashion. A good chunk of this book is about fashion in fact. Then you have Dinah, who was just such a great character, full of life, and a big inspiration to Fern.
Overall this was a good read, perfect for a light-hearted, beach read
Maddy
4.0 out of 5 starsReally enjoyed it
13 June 2019
Format: Paperback
Fern has a knack of knowing exactly what will suit different people to wear, and unfortunately this gets her fired from her job as a personal shopper. She decides to start a vintage clothes stall in Camden market, and then a chain of events start that will change her life. She meets the stylish Dinah who at 85 is still madly in love with her husband, knows how to dress and has been through more than Fern can comprehend. When Fern stops to do Dinah a favour, her life changes forever.
I really enjoyed this book. I loved the descriptions of the clothes, although I know nothing about them, and it was a lovely feel-good story. Just what I needed.
A. Rogers
4.0 out of 5 starsPleasant read
13 June 2019
Format: Paperback
This is a pleasant enough story with very interesting characters, in fact a quite typical story of everyday folk 'dressed up' in quite an original manner. The backbone of the plot is vintage fashion, and it was lovely to revisit past decades via clothing descriptions.
The point must have been lost on me but the auction lot descriptions at the beginning of each chapter added nothing so far as I could see.
Tea and Cake for the Soul
5.0 out of 5 starsHighly recommended
13 June 2019
Format: Paperback
I absolutely loved this book. In fact, I'm quite reluctant to start reading a new book in case it doesn't shape up. I love books with relationships that span across generations and this didn't disappoint. This story has everything - friendship, love, sadness, history and more. Totally recommend this even if it's not your normal genre.
Booklover BEV
5.0 out of 5 starsLoved it
15 June 2019
Format: Paperback
This book title suits the story, a truly feel good book that this author has captured been kind to others. Fern the main character is put to a lot of challengers along the way. I loved the vintage clothes business and can Dinah teach Fern the act of kindness of friendship. This is a heart warming story and so glad I got to read it
kayleigh whittle
4.0 out of 5 starsUplifting
13 June 2019
Format: Paperback
I really enjoyed this book. I'm not keen on fashion and some of the descriptions were a little lost on me. But that didn't matter. The whole story plot was easy to follow. It made me giggle a lot. There are some absolutely lovely characters.I thought it was very touching heartfelt and very uplifting. It has left a smile on my face.
Tara K
4.0 out of 5 starsHeartwarming
13 June 2019
Format: Kindle Edition
Such a lovely, heartwarming book. A fun, sweet read that gives you warm fuzzy feelings. It has a cast of adorable, quirky loveable characters and a plot that twists but pulls everything together at the end. A great read.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for the an honest opinion
Mrs C Newton
5.0 out of 5 starsEnjoyable
13 June 2019
Format: Kindle Edition
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it was well written and had a great story. The characters were wonderfully drawn and it was not the run of the mill boy meets girl story there was so much more to it. I will be recommending this book.
cas
5.0 out of 5 starsGood fun
14 June 2019
Format: Kindle Edition
A happy book. I loved the descriptions of the vintage clothes and the eccentric characters. It's somewhat predictable but very engaging and good fun.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC
Kindle Customer
4.0 out of 5 starsRomantic
13 June 2019
Format: Paperback
A lovely read romance wonderful story line & characters .Perfect summer read.
jane
4.0 out of 5 starsFun and light-hearted
13 June 2019
Format: Paperback
A sweet summer read for people who enjoy positivity and fashion; this won’t change the world but will keep you smiling for a while.
Spicewalker
TOP 500 REVIEWER
4.0 out of 5 starsA feel good summer story with a touch of Chanel
18 June 2019
Format: Kindle Edition
Fern is one of those people who really likes to help others. Not in the normal holding the door open kind of way, although she is that kind of person too, but in that she likes to help them find their inner happiness through the clothes that they wear. She has a gift for finding the perfect outfit to match her clients and for helping them to believe in themselves enough to give her recommendations a whirl. Her keenness to help others often comes at the expense of her own livelihood - giving out advice for free doesn't help pay the bills after all - but it also comes with a whole dose of warmth and good feeling that lifts those around her.
This book isn't just about fashion and a young women who runs a vintage clothes stall in Camden Market though. This is a book all about friendship and hope and having the belief to follow your dreams. Fired from her dream job (sort of dream job), Fern finds her life changed when she meets the stylish, effortlessly elegant and slightly quirky Dinah, not once but twice. It seems fated as on their second meeting she also gets an unexpected introduction to David, the man who is soon to become her next door neighbour, on the market pitch at least. It appears that Fern's one good deed could be about to cost her almost everything, but a misunderstanding soon turns to friendship and more.
I loved the mixture of characters in this book. First up there is Fern, our heroine of the hour and someone it is very easy to grow to like. I'll admit I know nothing about fashion and am as interested in vintage dresses and designers as I am Premiership football, which is to say not at all. To me clothes are the things you have to wear to prevent some very unfortunate scenes in public. Not that that always works anyway ... That said, what I did like and identify with in Fern was her big heart. The way in which she was so sure of others, so able to lift their spirits while all the time her own were being trampled by a doomed relationship, an overbearing and high achieving former fashion model mother, and a rather unfortunate incident involving her neighbours indoor sauna. Despite everything, she seldom gave up, giving more to others than she ever seemed to herself. Yes, you could label her a pushover, but she had a faultless generosity which really warmed the heart.
Dinah. Where to even begin. A larger than life character, one who challenges Fern in all the best ways and who brings a real life and spirit to the story. Eight five years young, and as obsessed with fashion and Fern, they make an unlikely and yet perfect pairing and there are so many moments which will make you chuckle when Dinah is around. She has a tragic history but is not defined by it and her seventy year relationship with her husband, Moss, is beautiful to see, if steeped with challenge at one point. Then there is Kim, an old man who comes to Fern for help to find his wife a dress and inadvertently costs her a job. Kim is hiding a secret of his own, one that both Fern and Dinah, and a couple of his wife's friends, help him to come to terms with and accept. His story is touching and believable and I really grew to like him too.
And then for eye candy, as there should always be eye candy in this kind of book, there is David, Fern's new market neighbour. David has left a high powered, high pressure job, to follow his dream, crafting wooden light boxes. He is tall, handsome, kind ... and already taken, sadly, by one of Fern's old high school friends, Gigi. That's okay as Fern is taken too, partners in a casual romance with a guy who perhaps doesn't understand her like he should, and there is one awfully embarrassing vacation involved that proves it. There is a clear chemistry between Fern and David, as well as moments where they seem to be at complete odds, but the author keeps the reader on tenterhooks as to whether the inevitable should and will happen. You know you want it, want to see Fern have a little happiness of her own, but can it really happen?
This book is a story of hope. Of friendship and family. Of how taking one small step can change your life. And most of all, how doing one small deed, one random act of kindness, can lead to some beautiful and enduring friendships and a wave of positivity that will extend well beyond the original good-doer. This is the perfect summer read with a blend of humour, romance and heart warming stories and it if doesn't leave you with a smile on your face, nothing will.
Rahk
5.0 out of 5 starsA great read
17 June 2019
Format: Kindle Edition
Great read.
The story of Fern. She runs a vintage clothes stall in a market and one day meets Dinah. She does her a good turn, and then Fern meets David. He ends up running the market stall next to hers and she thinks he is perfect - only problem is that they are both in relationships with other people.
From her one good deed on helping Dinah, Fern ends up with new friends and help with her business, changing her life in the process.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for a voluntary and honest review
TracieB
3.0 out of 5 starsEnjoyable read
16 June 2019
Format: Kindle Edition
A sweet easy holiday read.. good characters and thoroughly enjoyed hearing the details on the vintage clothes
Blog Tour
Gemma Harding – 13 June
· Claire Thake – 14 June
· Trish Hills (extract) – 15 June
· Bookmark That - 16 June
· Jo Barton – 17 June
· Frosty Poo – 18 June
· Bronagh (extract) – 19 June
· Bharti C – 20 June
· Jenni Scanlan – 21 June
· Jen Lucas – 22 June
· Stacy Walton – 24 June
· Sam Bates (extract) – 24 June
· Nicola (extract) – 25 June
· Tracey Gatland – 26 June
· Stephanie Harris – 27 June
· Catriona – 28 June
· Rhiana Reads – 29 June
· Sarah Broadhurst – 30 June
· Novel Kicks (extract) – 1 July
· Shanna Waters – 2 July
· Lainy Swainson – 3 July
· Compelling Reads – 4 July
· Selina – 5 July
· Mellanie – 6 July
· Suz & Jaydee – 7 July
· Julie B (review) – 8 July
· Michelle Russell – 9 July
· Philomena – 10 July
· Portobello Book Blog – 11 July
· Amanda Oughton (extract) – 12 July
· Kaisha (extract) – 13 July
· Claire Thake – 14 June
· Trish Hills (extract) – 15 June
· Bookmark That - 16 June
· Jo Barton – 17 June
· Frosty Poo – 18 June
· Bronagh (extract) – 19 June
· Bharti C – 20 June
· Jenni Scanlan – 21 June
· Jen Lucas – 22 June
· Stacy Walton – 24 June
· Sam Bates (extract) – 24 June
· Nicola (extract) – 25 June
· Tracey Gatland – 26 June
· Stephanie Harris – 27 June
· Catriona – 28 June
· Rhiana Reads – 29 June
· Sarah Broadhurst – 30 June
· Novel Kicks (extract) – 1 July
· Shanna Waters – 2 July
· Lainy Swainson – 3 July
· Compelling Reads – 4 July
· Selina – 5 July
· Mellanie – 6 July
· Suz & Jaydee – 7 July
· Julie B (review) – 8 July
· Michelle Russell – 9 July
· Philomena – 10 July
· Portobello Book Blog – 11 July
· Amanda Oughton (extract) – 12 July
· Kaisha (extract) – 13 July
FAQs about A Random Act of Kindness
Fern Banks has a talent for finding the perfect vintage garments for the customers who visit her stall in Camden Lock market. Her 1940s look catches the attention of Dinah Moss, a stylish but lonely woman in her eighties who was wearing scarlet lipstick, a turban and a Chanel suit that Fern instantly covets. For a moment, as their paths cross, a spark of mutual appreciation passes between them.
David Westbrook has a lighting stall next to Fern’s. He has given up a high-powered job to be a craftsman.
Dinah shows Fern her wardrobe of Haute Couture and Fern knows how much these garments are worth that auction. In her old age, Dinah is struggling to find meaning in her life. As Dinah spends time with Fern, her rigid insularity and fears for the future begin to ease and her narrow world expands.
As Fern’s lack of business acumen convinces her it’s time to find a proper job, the people she’s helped rally round to find a way of showing their appreciation.
Combining energy, knowledge and talent, they organise a fashion show and auction in Camden Lock in aid of refugees, a cause close to Dinah’s heart, and Fern decides to take up David’s offer to share her life with him and his dog. By extending their vision of the power of transformation, they have transformed their own lives too.
1. What is the significance of the random act of kindness in the novel?
The act itself, returning money that eighty-nine-year-old Dinah doesn’t realise she’s dropped, is nothing to Fern - it’s basically something that anyone would do. But to Dinah, whose life with her elderly husband is a financial struggle, it is a big deal and when she sees the opportunity of returning the favour the act of kindness leads to unexpected changes in Fern’s life.
We tend to form friendships with contemporaries, from school to university to work and then as parents. Intergenerational friendships, on the other hand, are often forged through mutual interests and Fern and Dinah are united by a passion for style. When Fern has a crisis of confidence, Dinah’s take on the difference between how you look and how you feel comes from a personal experience way back in her past and it gives her arguments an authority that couldn’t have come from anyone else. Characters are people above all, and Kim and Dinah, both in their eighties, enjoy themselves hugely and have a lot to give. Their friendship is enriching. But they also learn from Fern. Kim has kept what he sees as a shameful secret all his married life; he’s been wearing his wife’s clothes. After her death, he reveals it, and he finds Fern, amongst others, is kind and accepting. Gradually he realises that this is the way his wife might’ve thought, as well, but he didn’t give her the chance to share that aspect of his life with her.
Fern is riddled with self-doubt. She is intimidated by her beautiful, ex-model mother, and the man she fancies is dating a girl who bullied her at school. Her clothes are her shield, her comfort, an ego boost. She gets her confidence from what she wears and how she looks, and she wants to share this power with others. Initially, she collects pieces for her customers that will make them look good until she realises that the power of the perfect fit also applies to friendships and the search for love. One thing she’s sure about is the potential for style to change a person. Fern is all about reinvention through fashion.
Dinah is emotionally invested in her vast collection of Haute Couture. She has kept all the outfits that her husband Moss has bought for her throughout their long marriage because she sees them as proof of his love for her.
David has had problems of his own in the past, and he goes through a breakup during the time that Fern is getting to know him, so on paper they don’t seem to be a likely match. The biggest test for Fern is his reaction when she tells him, a dog lover, that she’s scared of dogs. Instead of being faced with the usual dog lover’s incredulity, he takes her fears seriously and this gives her the confidence to do something about it. Their friendship is on a slow burn. Above all, they get each other.
When Fern is accused of being trivial, Dinah, who is guilty of the same obsession with style, counters that with an experience from her own life. She was a teenager in Bergen-Belsen in nineteen forty-five. The camp was liberated by Allied troops in April, but the conditions were so shocking that people continue to die. The British soldiers and doctors in charge of the clean-up were waiting for medicine, food, clothes, disinfectant.
To the officers’ initial annoyance, what arrived in the camp at the end of April was a large quantity of red lipsticks. But their annoyance turned to astonishment. It soon became clear that this was an ‘act of genius, of sheer unalloyed brilliance’. Women were lying down with nothing to cover them, but with scarlet lips. Girls were walking around, just a blanket over their shoulders, but with scarlet lips. On the post-mortem table a dead woman was still clutching her lipstick in her hand. Dinah says the lipstick did more for them than food or medicine. It made them individuals again. It gave them back their humanity.
Dinah points out that Fern is right. It is important to us, what we wear. It is a form of reinvention, of transformation. It can also be an act of generosity. It’s not just about how things make us look, but how they make us feel. And that we can pass that gift on is the basis of the story.
Fern Banks has a talent for finding the perfect vintage garments for the customers who visit her stall in Camden Lock market. Her 1940s look catches the attention of Dinah Moss, a stylish but lonely woman in her eighties who was wearing scarlet lipstick, a turban and a Chanel suit that Fern instantly covets. For a moment, as their paths cross, a spark of mutual appreciation passes between them.
David Westbrook has a lighting stall next to Fern’s. He has given up a high-powered job to be a craftsman.
Dinah shows Fern her wardrobe of Haute Couture and Fern knows how much these garments are worth that auction. In her old age, Dinah is struggling to find meaning in her life. As Dinah spends time with Fern, her rigid insularity and fears for the future begin to ease and her narrow world expands.
As Fern’s lack of business acumen convinces her it’s time to find a proper job, the people she’s helped rally round to find a way of showing their appreciation.
Combining energy, knowledge and talent, they organise a fashion show and auction in Camden Lock in aid of refugees, a cause close to Dinah’s heart, and Fern decides to take up David’s offer to share her life with him and his dog. By extending their vision of the power of transformation, they have transformed their own lives too.
1. What is the significance of the random act of kindness in the novel?
The act itself, returning money that eighty-nine-year-old Dinah doesn’t realise she’s dropped, is nothing to Fern - it’s basically something that anyone would do. But to Dinah, whose life with her elderly husband is a financial struggle, it is a big deal and when she sees the opportunity of returning the favour the act of kindness leads to unexpected changes in Fern’s life.
- The novel has been described as dealing with intergenerational friendships. Does age make a difference to character dynamics?
We tend to form friendships with contemporaries, from school to university to work and then as parents. Intergenerational friendships, on the other hand, are often forged through mutual interests and Fern and Dinah are united by a passion for style. When Fern has a crisis of confidence, Dinah’s take on the difference between how you look and how you feel comes from a personal experience way back in her past and it gives her arguments an authority that couldn’t have come from anyone else. Characters are people above all, and Kim and Dinah, both in their eighties, enjoy themselves hugely and have a lot to give. Their friendship is enriching. But they also learn from Fern. Kim has kept what he sees as a shameful secret all his married life; he’s been wearing his wife’s clothes. After her death, he reveals it, and he finds Fern, amongst others, is kind and accepting. Gradually he realises that this is the way his wife might’ve thought, as well, but he didn’t give her the chance to share that aspect of his life with her.
- Why is fashion so important to Fern and Dinah?
Fern is riddled with self-doubt. She is intimidated by her beautiful, ex-model mother, and the man she fancies is dating a girl who bullied her at school. Her clothes are her shield, her comfort, an ego boost. She gets her confidence from what she wears and how she looks, and she wants to share this power with others. Initially, she collects pieces for her customers that will make them look good until she realises that the power of the perfect fit also applies to friendships and the search for love. One thing she’s sure about is the potential for style to change a person. Fern is all about reinvention through fashion.
Dinah is emotionally invested in her vast collection of Haute Couture. She has kept all the outfits that her husband Moss has bought for her throughout their long marriage because she sees them as proof of his love for her.
- David Westwood seems a flawed hero and he and Fern have nothing in common. How does he figure in Fern’s search for the perfect fit?
David has had problems of his own in the past, and he goes through a breakup during the time that Fern is getting to know him, so on paper they don’t seem to be a likely match. The biggest test for Fern is his reaction when she tells him, a dog lover, that she’s scared of dogs. Instead of being faced with the usual dog lover’s incredulity, he takes her fears seriously and this gives her the confidence to do something about it. Their friendship is on a slow burn. Above all, they get each other.
- Two of the characters accuse Fern of being trivial because of her love of fashion. How does she come to terms with this?
When Fern is accused of being trivial, Dinah, who is guilty of the same obsession with style, counters that with an experience from her own life. She was a teenager in Bergen-Belsen in nineteen forty-five. The camp was liberated by Allied troops in April, but the conditions were so shocking that people continue to die. The British soldiers and doctors in charge of the clean-up were waiting for medicine, food, clothes, disinfectant.
To the officers’ initial annoyance, what arrived in the camp at the end of April was a large quantity of red lipsticks. But their annoyance turned to astonishment. It soon became clear that this was an ‘act of genius, of sheer unalloyed brilliance’. Women were lying down with nothing to cover them, but with scarlet lips. Girls were walking around, just a blanket over their shoulders, but with scarlet lips. On the post-mortem table a dead woman was still clutching her lipstick in her hand. Dinah says the lipstick did more for them than food or medicine. It made them individuals again. It gave them back their humanity.
Dinah points out that Fern is right. It is important to us, what we wear. It is a form of reinvention, of transformation. It can also be an act of generosity. It’s not just about how things make us look, but how they make us feel. And that we can pass that gift on is the basis of the story.
Sophie at Talk Radio for interview with Penny Smith on Sunday 23rd of June
Sophie at book launch at St Marks Church Primrose Hill
FAQs
Where did you get the idea for The Forgotten Guide to Happiness?
I liked the idea of a writer searching for a hero for her book, and of the hero failing to see himself as heroic. The hero's stepmother has dementia and looking after someone with dementia is a difficult task for all sorts of reasons, so in the end his and the heroine's actions are generous and understandable. I wanted to write about it with love and humour, rather than despair and fear. It took a while to get out of that frightened mindset but as a family we have kept upbeat and our mother, who was diagnosed in 2004 laughs a lot. Humour takes the sting out of fear.
What time of day do you write best?
In the mornings and late at night I write best because I'm relaxed and the words come easier. In the afternoon I'm more critical and it's a better time for me to edit.
Have you ever experienced writer's block?
Yes - I've often got completely stuck with a story and got to the stage where I can't move on with it. It's usually a problem with the plot. If the idea's not working sometimes I have to give up on it. I've got a lot of partial stories and different versions of things that I like bits of but found that they didn't work in the end and they never came to anything.
Which is the hardest part for you, writing or rewriting?
The hardest part for me is writing the first draft; there are so many options! Even if I begin with a synopsis, I never know what will work until I try it. Rewriting is lovely, though. I enjoy the process of trying to make something decent out of the material, and at the final stage, working on notes from the editor feels like going home. It becomes a lot less lonely.
What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
Write because you love it! That way, whether you realise your dreams or not, you will have spent your time doing what you enjoy.
Contact: sophie@sophiejenkinsuk
Where did you get the idea for The Forgotten Guide to Happiness?
I liked the idea of a writer searching for a hero for her book, and of the hero failing to see himself as heroic. The hero's stepmother has dementia and looking after someone with dementia is a difficult task for all sorts of reasons, so in the end his and the heroine's actions are generous and understandable. I wanted to write about it with love and humour, rather than despair and fear. It took a while to get out of that frightened mindset but as a family we have kept upbeat and our mother, who was diagnosed in 2004 laughs a lot. Humour takes the sting out of fear.
What time of day do you write best?
In the mornings and late at night I write best because I'm relaxed and the words come easier. In the afternoon I'm more critical and it's a better time for me to edit.
Have you ever experienced writer's block?
Yes - I've often got completely stuck with a story and got to the stage where I can't move on with it. It's usually a problem with the plot. If the idea's not working sometimes I have to give up on it. I've got a lot of partial stories and different versions of things that I like bits of but found that they didn't work in the end and they never came to anything.
Which is the hardest part for you, writing or rewriting?
The hardest part for me is writing the first draft; there are so many options! Even if I begin with a synopsis, I never know what will work until I try it. Rewriting is lovely, though. I enjoy the process of trying to make something decent out of the material, and at the final stage, working on notes from the editor feels like going home. It becomes a lot less lonely.
What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
Write because you love it! That way, whether you realise your dreams or not, you will have spent your time doing what you enjoy.
Contact: sophie@sophiejenkinsuk
Dementia fundraiser with Sophie Jenkins Waterstones, Staines August 14th 2018
An Evening with Sophie Jenkins Waterstones, York August 16th
UPCOMING APPEARANCES
Sophie on writers block
In the ‘Forgotten Guide to Happiness’, the jilted heroine Lana Green writes a depressing sequel to her first novel, a love story, and when she is forced to come up with a new idea she gets writer’s block.
The original idea was like a bigger take on Facebook posts; the first novel had all the stages of a romantic relationship, the happy photographs, the beautiful settings – and then the next thing you know, it’s all over except for the unanswerable question – what just happened? I liked the idea of seeing the romance from her point of view as opposed to the way her boyfriend sees it – to him, her fantasised version of him is difficult to live up to, whereas for her, portraying him in a idealised way was a sign of how much she loved him.
Because of this she loses all sense of focus when she comes to write the next book and she only becomes unblocked because of the influence of Nancy Ellis Hall, a feminist writer with dementia who fell in love with a younger man.
The character of Nancy is based on my mother who has always been a larger-than-life character and for a long time I wasn’t able to write even though I only saw her for one day a week as I live in London and she lived in Wales. But I thought about her all the time and it felt as if I didn’t have any room left in my head for being creative; in the scheme of things it really wasn’t a priority. Real-life sometimes doesn’t leave much room for anything else and that’s how it should be.
To help my creativity I went on a Commando Survival Course in Buckinghamshire in November, when the snow was on the ground. I creatively built a shelter but I was more focused on surviving the cold than writing.
Then I went to a Romantic Novelists’ meeting with friends and they were talking about when they write, and what they usually wear when they’re writing. It’s almost like a superstition, swapping writing tips, and I’m always on the lookout for brilliant ideas that might be helpful. One of my friends said she stays in bed and with her laptop and she doesn’t get up until she’s finished her thousand words target. That method was very appealing, until another friend told us she doesn’t start writing until she’s showered, dressed and put make-up on, because she says it’s only then that she feels ready to do a day’s work, and I got on board with that as well.
For Christmas, my sister came up with a solution. She gave me a Mint Velvet gift wrapped box and inside she had put dark grey tracksuit bottoms and a pale grey top and told me it was my new writing suit. Magical!
Wake up, shower, put on the writing suit and I’m good to go.
WHAT I REALLY THINK ABOUT WRITING GROUPS
In The Forgotten Guide to Happiness, Lana Green, the main character, becomes a tutor at a writing group, and it’s a situation that appeals to me because I know plenty about them. Writing groups are brilliant and wherever I’ve lived, I’ve made sure I belong to one.
But I’ve never taught a writing group. It’s my biggest nightmare and it was very easy to imagine what I’d be like if I had. The complete lack of authority, the wild optimism, the arguments… and when it all seems to be getting out of hand, looking hopefully up at the clock only to see that time has stopped.
Being a published writer is a weirdly exalted position and Lana feels she deserves some adulation from the students. You can’t believe your luck, that’s what it feels like, even though being a novelist involves hard work, long periods of time living in your own head, and a stubborn case of perseverance. But once you’ve got a book on a shelf you feel totally vindicated. So Lana sees herself as a guru who is going to nurture the creative powers of the students at the London Literary Society, but instead she finds herself with a lively bunch of writers who already know each other and have their own opinions about pretty much everything.
The unspoken hope of anyone who joins a writing group is that it will teach them how to be a writer. That’s different from learning how to write. Writing is easy; as Nancy says, its ‘Words, words, words!’ To be a writer you take long walks across the moors, use opium, get into bar brawls, all that stuff. There’s a romance to it.
That’s why the best groups are the ones that are a social club, the ones with a mix of the unpublished and those who’ve had articles and short stories published, and the ones that have published non-fiction; each person is a source of encouragement and gives us the conviction that if they can do it, we can do it – apart from the practical help, it makes publication psychologically more achievable.
I belong to three writers’ groups at the moment and they are all spin-off of larger groups that we once belonged to. We don’t have a tutor. We meet regularly to talk about what we are doing and to share market news, read each other’s work, discuss structure and editing and anything else that is bothering us. We are close, we’ve bonded. We know each other through our writing, and we’re aware of the origin of the recurring themes that are threaded through our stories.
So for Lana, even though she finds she’s not the revered tutor that she expected to be, the London Literary Society turns out to be something bigger than that; it’s a source of friendship, solidarity and support. She moves from a state of loneliness to becoming part of a community. That’s something to write about.
But I’ve never taught a writing group. It’s my biggest nightmare and it was very easy to imagine what I’d be like if I had. The complete lack of authority, the wild optimism, the arguments… and when it all seems to be getting out of hand, looking hopefully up at the clock only to see that time has stopped.
Being a published writer is a weirdly exalted position and Lana feels she deserves some adulation from the students. You can’t believe your luck, that’s what it feels like, even though being a novelist involves hard work, long periods of time living in your own head, and a stubborn case of perseverance. But once you’ve got a book on a shelf you feel totally vindicated. So Lana sees herself as a guru who is going to nurture the creative powers of the students at the London Literary Society, but instead she finds herself with a lively bunch of writers who already know each other and have their own opinions about pretty much everything.
The unspoken hope of anyone who joins a writing group is that it will teach them how to be a writer. That’s different from learning how to write. Writing is easy; as Nancy says, its ‘Words, words, words!’ To be a writer you take long walks across the moors, use opium, get into bar brawls, all that stuff. There’s a romance to it.
That’s why the best groups are the ones that are a social club, the ones with a mix of the unpublished and those who’ve had articles and short stories published, and the ones that have published non-fiction; each person is a source of encouragement and gives us the conviction that if they can do it, we can do it – apart from the practical help, it makes publication psychologically more achievable.
I belong to three writers’ groups at the moment and they are all spin-off of larger groups that we once belonged to. We don’t have a tutor. We meet regularly to talk about what we are doing and to share market news, read each other’s work, discuss structure and editing and anything else that is bothering us. We are close, we’ve bonded. We know each other through our writing, and we’re aware of the origin of the recurring themes that are threaded through our stories.
So for Lana, even though she finds she’s not the revered tutor that she expected to be, the London Literary Society turns out to be something bigger than that; it’s a source of friendship, solidarity and support. She moves from a state of loneliness to becoming part of a community. That’s something to write about.