Episode 107: Penny Haw, author of The Invincible Miss Cust

Yes With pleasure. The Invincible Miss Cust is the reimagined story. It's based on the true life story of Britain and Ireland's first woman veterinary surgeon, alien cast, she was born in Ireland in 1868, to an aristocratic English family. And from a very young age, she decided that she wanted to work with animals. And when she discovered what a veterinary surgeon was, and keeping in mind that bad knee surgery was quite new back then she decided that that was what she'd like to do. And her family was appalled because girls at that stage were barely educated. Even even wealthy girls were barely educated, and certainly they did not. They did not follow professions. So her family was completely and utterly against it. But Aleen held on to the dream. And so this story is all about how she overcame patriarchy, she managed to find her way into a Veterinary College in in Scotland. Her family essentially disowned her because they were so ashamed of her wanting to work with animals and seeking an education and wanting to essentially live a purposeful life. But she didn't falter. And she she followed her dream. So this is her story.

Ashley Hasty 1:34

This is your third book. Is that correct?

Penny Haw 1:37

That's correct. Yes.

Ashley Hasty 1:38

It's your first work of historical fiction. So I'm curious what drew you this time to write in the historical fiction genre.

Penny Haw 1:45

It was actually not the plan. When I had finished my second book, The Wilderness Between Us, which is contemporary fiction, I was thinking about what I'd write next. And I was speaking to my my daughter in law. And I said to her, I always wanted to be a veterinary surgeon. When I was a little girl, it was it was something that I wanted to do, and I absolutely love animals. And I thought that I'd love to set my next book in a veterinary practice. And she she said to me, well, because because I'm drawn to strong, interesting women. What about making your main print protagonist, a strong woman? So I thought that's a good idea. So I started to research when women became veterinary surgeons and I came across alien caste story. And I was, I was so taken in by the story. And I couldn't believe that nobody else had written historical fiction about it. There's a small biography that was written by a another veterinary surgeon, a woman, veterinary surgeon in Britain. But aside from that, nobody had told her story. And I just, I just fell for it. And so that's how I came to write historical fiction. I just couldn't not do it. It's just such an amazing story.

Ashley Hasty 2:58

It really is. Our love for animals is apparent in all three of your books. So tell us about your love of animals. Why was it important to eat your animals in your books?

Penny Haw 3:09

It's, as I said, I grew up on a farm my love of animals, but also my love of reading, and storytelling and writing. So it was these things sort of grew in parallel. I love animals. I feel like I have a just a normal way of interacting with them. I, I suppose just having had them around me all my life, I feel I can engage with them easily. I honestly I can't imagine my life without having animals. They just choose me. They, they ground me they, you know, they're just, I'm complicated. It's my greatest love is to write about them. I mean, when I get to a scene, even in the other books, with animals, it just kind of came naturally. I just love it.

Ashley Hasty 3:53

You have animals of your own?

Penny Haw 3:55

Yes. We have three dogs at the moment. Yeah.

Ashley Hasty 3:58

Ah dogs are my thing. You may have seen we're gonna see he's hiding now. But he just jumped up on the sofa.

Right? Yes, that's Huxley. Research is my favorite part of the writing process. So I always like to inquire about an author's research process. How did you go about researching alien quest?

Penny Haw 4:18

When I discovered that there was a biography written about it, it's out of print. It was published a very small run in the UK in 1990. And the author is no longer alive. I track down a copy of this little book that I was absolutely delighted to get. That was my first port of call. The biography is very much a very much a factual biography about primarily her difficulty with the Royal College of Veterinary surgeons who, when she was qualified as as a vet from college, wouldn't allow her to sit there professional exams. So essentially, even when she was qualified, they probably bid her from practicing that she found a way around that. So the book was was my starting point. And I'm very lucky that I've got a very close friend who's a he's an Irish, an Irishman, but has practiced veterinary science in Britain for the last 30 years or so he was able to help. He was my technical adviser. So he helped me with all the detailed stuff. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to travel but I have been to Britain and I have been to Ireland and I have reasonable feeling about the places. I also was able to one of the settings that Aleen spends a lot of time and is at her friends, the widdrington is home in Northumberland. And remarkably, it's called Newton Hall and it's been turned into a wedding venue, when can almost do compete tours of the place online, which was, which was a great find as well, I had to do that I did quite a lot of research into the veterinary college that she studied in, in Scotland, which it's no longer the same place. But there was a fair amount of information available. The research was actually just intriguing. I just went down one rabbit hole after the next

Ashley Hasty 6:12

Was there any facts or anecdote about Aleen's life or her life story that you wanted to include in the book, but couldn't figure out a way to fit it in or had to be cut for one reason or another?

Penny Haw 6:25

No, actually, there wasn't. I love that there was nothing cut. No, there was nothing, then they were completely unfounded. But they are there were some rumors about her and her relationship with with Willie Byrne. And I mean, I've I've investigated that one. But I they were really rumors and I just decided that they they didn't work for the book and there was just no reason to, to include them. But aside from that, no, they weren't there was nothing. I mean, it was honestly amazing as she went out when I was researching it, and I discovered that her best friend was Dorothy Widdrington, who was the daughter of major widdrington, who became her guardian. And Dorothy Widdrington. Married Sir Edward Grey, who was the British Foreign Secretary of State. I mean, he was the man who essentially decided that Britain would enter the First World War. And this was Aleen's, closest friends. So the story just kind of blossomed in front of me and Aleen's mother was the woman of the beige chamber to Queen Victoria, which was was one of the reasons why her mother was so appalled that she wanted to follow a profession because, you know, Victoria was was not a very enlightened queen. And she felt that that alien was bringing shame on the family. And that if Queen Victoria found out about it, even, as I said earlier, I was so surprised that no one else had written the story. And then as I began researching it, I was even more surprised. So it was really wonderful.

Ashley Hasty 7:58

I know, I think one of the most rewarding things about reading historical fiction is learning about real people in history that have been overlooked or forgotten. So this is like one of my favorite parts about reading historical fiction.

Penny Haw 8:11

Yeah, absolutely.

Ashley Hasty 8:12

Doyou think you will ever write the contemporary version that you were initially dreaming of a veterinary surgeon? Or do you think this satisfies that craving?

Penny Haw 8:23

I think the satisfies it great, in fact, more than satisfied it. Yeah, it also opened my eyes to how fabulous historical fiction is, I mean, it wasn't something that I had imagined myself writing, but now I'm completely and utterly inspired by it. And of course, going this route, I've began reading a lot more historical fiction, too. And it's just so I'm very happy with the accidental path that I took.

Ashley Hasty 8:49

This next question is always my favorite, because it inspires me the most and hopefully other authors out there and listening to keep working on our craft. So what advice do you have for authors, either those who are newly published or those like me who haven't yet got an agent or publishing contract? And what would you tell us?

Penny Haw 9:07

I would tell you to make a note somewhere about what it is that brings you joy in the writing process. And when things get hard, just go back to that and remember why you're doing it because I mean, we all know that it's hard and there are so many times when you think why am I doing this you know, and if you can just remember what it is that that made you started and where you want to go with it and what what the parts that bring you joy are and focus on those. I just can't imagine doing anything else. And I know that there are so many parts of the publication process that that are really tough.

Penny Haw

It's hard work, there's a lot of rejection. There's the insecurity at all points of the process of knowing where you're going to go with the book and how it's going to be accepted. I mean, whether it's an agent or an editor, or readers, I mean, it's every single, every single step comes with uncertainty. But if you can just remind yourself what it is that makes you want to do this and go back to that and try to focus on that, then it can get you through the harder parts.

Ashley Hasty

I love that. That's advice I have not heard before. A lot of the advice I've heard is, you know, be persistent. Keep going things like that. When really hard. There's always had the best book recommendations. So tell us a bit about your reading world. What books have you enjoyed lately,

Penny Haw

I've just finished and I made a note of it. She also didn't get the title wrong. For Those Who are Lost by Julia Bryan Thomas , which is a beautiful work of historical fiction set during the First World War, about taking children off the island of Guernsey and displaced families and what have you, I thought I thought that was really beautiful that it really touched me on many levels. And I've also just recently read Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus. What a delightful book. I mean, it's also historical fiction, maybe not as far back as the walls or the invincible miscast, but such a delightful story of take no for an answer. And a woman in science absolutely loved it. And then I'm currently reading A Very Typical Family by Sierra Godfrey, which is not historical fiction, but it's a it's an interesting story about siblings, the main character, essentially was responsible for her brother and sister ending up in in prison for a while and she is going back and for the first time in 15 years, trying to reconcile with her with her siblings. Sounds like it's a heavy story, but it's actually delightful. It's funny and it's and it's and it's a wonderful read. And the next one, I'm going to read is Madwoman by Louisa Treger. Yeah about Nelly Bly, which I'm really looking forward to I recently went to the book launch and I've got it on my pile of gotta get to this one soon.

Ashley Hasty

Oh, lovely is ready yet either. But she is on my list of people to interview for this season. Right? Yeah, have her to know how it is.

Penny Haw

I've loved her previous two books. I'm really looking forward to it.

Ashley Hasty

I also want to share how people can find you. What is your website? Where do you hang out on social media?

Penny Haw

I'm on Twitter, and I'm on Instagram and I'm on Facebook. I've tried to talk but I have to say I'm very confused but but um, there's as Penny Haw and I'd absolutely love to engage with with readers. I'm sure your other authors have said how, how wonderful it is to hear from from readers. You know, it's scary to put your work out there. And it's so nice to know that people even if even if you just have a comment or whatever, it's really so lovely. I love hearing from readers.

Ashley Hasty

Before we wrap up. Is there anything else you wanted to talk about that we haven't covered yet?

Penny Haw

I think we've covered everything. Ashley, thank you.

Ashley Hasty

Nice was such a pleasure chatting with you and I just adored this book.

Penny Haw

Thank you so much, Ashley.

women's fictionbookwritestoryfictionwomen writersbooksreadingbest women's fictionbest womens fiction

Ashley Hasty

Episode 107: Penny Haw, author of The Invincible Miss Cust

Find book club questions, food ideas, and Penny’s recipe for British scones with jam and cream at Book Club Bites!

Books Mentioned:

Connect with the author:

Transcript:

Episode 108: Noué Kirwan, author of Long Past Summer

Episode 106: Jeannée Sacken, award-winning author of Behind the Lens and Double Exposure