A CHAT WITH... Fiona Valpy

Celebrated for evocative historical detail and dramatic storytelling, Fiona Valpy transports readers to the stunning north of Scotland in her latest novel. Here, she reveals how the idea for the multigenerational story presented itself

- EMMA SHACKLOCK

Inspiration struck after I was travelling in the far north of Scotland and I came across the Russian Arctic Convoys Museum. I was astonished – it was a story that I’d known nothing about. Loch Ewe was the muster point for ships braving the Arctic seas and running the gauntlet of U-boats and air strikes. The idea of this peaceful, remote community becoming such a strategic focal point in the war was what inspired The Skylark’s Secret.

I believe we can learn such a lot from the past. I especially enjoy exploring the stories of ordinary people in extraordinary times – the truth is often stranger than fiction.