editor@thestagsurrey.co.uk ARCHIVE

by Tom Goulding “To put it simply, it’s a story about first love,” she surmises, before adding, “It’s the story of all those feelings you once felt: vulnerability, the romantic naivety of youth, the irresponsible abandonment that’s so fresh and enjoyable. It’s about what would happen if all those past emotions were ever to emerge again.” Earlier this month Elizabeth Noble, international bestselling author of six novels, returned to her former home of Guildford to publicize The Way We Were – her latest book that addresses the Friends United phenomenon: an internet scandal that saw estranged couples leave their present, usually mundane relationships in pursuit of former happiness. Elizabeth likes to think she has expressed the 'human side' of those reunited couples, which were branded as self-centered home-wreckers by the sensationalist tabloid press. She argues that in reality it is “far more selfish to remain trapped unhappy or loveless marriage.” Despite her trans-Atlantic success, Elizabeth seems at ease surrounded by her loyal fan base in the intimate corner of Waterstones, greeting past friends and engaging her audience with personal anecdotes that helped build inspiration for the novel. It is a scene that explains her fondness for book clubs and why one of her first books, The Reading Group, appealed strongly to a smaller crowd, “I wrote that [The Reading Group] at the height of book club mania. I love to see that these very warm and sociable groups are still thriving nationwide here in the UK. What’s great is that the material doesn’t need to be particularly intellectual, as long as it brings people together.” On the other hand, her well-received novel Things I Want My Daughters To Know attracted an impressive international readership, which begs the question, what changed? “It’s difficult to generalize as to why that book appealed to a greater audience”, Elizabeth explains modestly, “For me it was deeply personal; it was the first book I’d written after moving to New York and I was missing my Mum terribly. We have a very close relationship, and I think a lot of people can connect with that. It’s definitely my most poignant book to date, because while not everyone has a daughter, no one is born without a mother. The idea of losing a parent is deeply tragic and I like to think I struck a chord with readers on that issue in particular.” Elizabeth may be unassuming of the influential effect an emotional rollercoaster ride like Daughters might have on her readers, but she is quick to praise her own literary idols for their impact on her writing. On her website she claims to have “loved every word someone like Armistead Maupin ever wrote”, a statement she was more than pleased to expand on. “Maupin’s novels have a very deep warmth to them that I think is reflected in all my own work. It’s great how he engages with different stories – the idea that everyone, no matter what age has a unique tale of their own to tell.”  Upon asking Elizabeth if that rule applies to everyone outside the realms of fiction she was optimistic but blunt. “I believe anyone, not just students at the University of Surrey, who were serious about considering professional writing as a career, are capable of doing so if they go about it the right way. Showing what you’ve written to friends on MySpace or Twitter for instance, is essential in building enough confidence to throw yourself in at the deep end, but be prepared for a lot of constructive criticism when you finally take the plunge. Stashing manuscripts away in a dusty drawer, returning to them once in a while to continuously re-edit your ideas is not only indecisive, but looks weak to a potential agent. You’ve got to take risks.” As she thanks her guests for coming to the Waterstones event, the ensuing  round of applause signals without a doubt that Elizabeth Noble’s risk-taking has most definitely pulled off.