Former Fairfax Road, Teddington resident Louise Fein has talked to Teddington Nub News about the realisation of her 'dream' and her excitement as her debut novel called 'People Like Us' is about to be published all over the world and has already attracted rave reviews.

The book is about a perfect German child called Hetty who will do anything for her country. But Walter, the blond-haired, blue-eyed boy that saved her life, is a Jew. As they grow ever closer, Hetty begins to fight against her family, her country and herself.

Louise, a mum of three, whose mother still lives in Teddington, can still scarcely believe she is on the brink of becoming a published author.

She told Teddington Nub News:" I am utterly thrilled and like most other published authors, I have dreamt of this moment for literally almost all my life. Nothing will match up to those moments when I first acquired my agent and when I heard from editors who loved my book.

"I have come to terms with the change in my status from aspiring author to, soon-to-be-published author. I know another adjustment will need to be made to actual-published author.

"As wonderful as it is, being an author with a book out there in the world, you are no longer anonymous and must develop a thick skin and resilience perhaps not needed in the past."

Louise has had to postpone the official launch of the book, which was due this Thursday, (April 30th) until 6th August for the hardback version and next February for the paperback because of the pandemic but an audio and kindle version will be available from 7th May, and is already available for pre-order.

The book will be translated into eight other languages and published in the Netherlands, Greece, France, Russia, Romania, Portugal, Italy and Spain as well as in the USA and Canada where it will appear under the title, Daughter of the Reich.

SEE HERE FOR LAUNCH AND PRE-ORDER DETAILS

She explained: "I have always loved to write and as I grew into adulthood, I wrote stories, diaries and poetry. Writing was always just a hobby, as I needed to earn a living and I never once considered it could be a career.

"After I finished university, I took some time out to travel, qualified as a lawyer and worked in finance. Life became busy with a career, husband and three children and I had little time for writing.

"But the bug wouldn't leave me alone. I used the train journey home from work to scribble ideas, the beginnings of novels, stories and poems.

"One day came when I saw an advertisement for a master's degree in creative writing, aimed at writing a first novel at St. Mary's University in Strawberry Hill.

"I went home and told my husband with a sigh how much I would love to sign up for that course. Go for it, he said. By this time I was running my own consultancy business, and after realising he wasn't joking, I didn't hesitate.

"I'll give myself a year, I thought, certain I could get a novel written in that time, and then go back to my job.

"Of course, the year turned into a few, but the result was People Like Us and I've not looked back. I'm incredibly lucky in that I have a supportive spouse and am now able to write full time."

Louise's personal website, www.louisefein.com outlines the plot of the book, which is part of a two-book deal with her UK publisher, Head of Zeus, and was also pre-empted in the USA by prestigious publisher Harper-Collins. She is two-thirds through her second book, which will not be published until 2022.

Outlining the plot, her website says:

"As the dutiful daughter of a high-ranking Nazi officer, Hetty Heinrich is keen to play her part in the glorious new Thousand Year Reich. But she never imagines that all she believes and knows about her world will come into stark conflict when she encounters Walter, a friend from the past, who stirs dangerous feelings in her. Confused and conflicted, Hetty doesn't know whom she can trust and where she can turn to, especially when she discovers that someone has been watching her. Realising she is taking a huge risk - but unable to resist the intense attraction she has for Walter - she embarks on a secret love affair with him. Together, they dream about when the Nazi regime will be over and plan for their future. But as the rising tide of anti-Semitism threatens to engulf them,Hetty and Walter will be forced to take extreme measures."

Other respected authors have paid the following tributes:

"People Like Us is a reminder that - even in the darkest of times - the extraordinary power of love can light the way."

FIONA VALPY, BEST SELLING AUTHOR OF THE DRESSMAKER'S GIFT AND THE BEEKEEPER'S PROMISE

"I adored this book because not only is it beautifully written, it also tells a familiar story from a very unfamiliar perspective: that of a naïve German teenager caught up in the rise of Nazism... This is historical fiction at its absolute best."

LIZ TRENOW, BEST SELLING AUTHOR OF UNDER A WARTIME SKY AND THE FORGOTTEN SEAMSTRESS

"I couldn't believe it when I read that this is a debut, because it's so skilfully written. We feel Hetty's character development through the pages; the scene-setting and historical background are unobtrusive but utterly convincing. This is an important subject to write about but above all it is a powerful, unforgettable love story."

GILL PAUL, BEST SELLING AUTHOR OF THE SECRET WIFE

"Meticulously researched and beautifully written, Hetty and Walter's love story takes us deep into the heart of a nation on the brink of darkness. A terrifyingly real, utterly compelling and thought-provoking read."

NIKOLA SCOTT, BEST SELLING AUTHOR OF MY MOTHER'S SHADOW AND SUMMER OF SECRETS

Book launch details for May 7th at 8.30pm

How to pre-order on Amazon

Why I wrote this book

The experience of becoming a published author

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