Edinburgh based writer, Anne Hamilton has launched her second novel ‘Letters from Elena’ in front of a packed audience at The Edinburgh Bookshop.
Letters from Elena’ tells the story of April Zarney, who 30 years after the disappearance of her childhood friend, Elena, in 1974, travels to Cyprus to uncover the truth about what happened. The novel explores themes of family, identity and displacement through the eyes of both women’s experiences across three generations, and the narrative swings between 1974 and 2004, with the book written in two different voices.
Anne was interviewed at the launch by fellow Edinburgh novelist, Olga Wojtas. She told the audience she didn’t suffer from the ‘difficult second book’ malaise which often afflicts authors who labour through their next work following a successful debut. ‘Letters from Elena’ emerged as a work initially submitted for her PhD, so technically was her first novel. However she put it away in a draw as publishers, Legend Press wanted to publish her second novel ‘The Almost Truth’ first, which came out last year to great acclaim.
‘Letters from Elena’ evolved. All I knew at the start was that Elena had gone back to Cyprus and 30 years later April was going to go back and find her. I had a core running through the story, but bits got changed. I’m an editor as well and I came back to it after a while. Distance was the key. I was looking at it as someone else’s work. I could concentrate on the story not having to meet PhD criteria any more.’
The story fermented over many years of travel back and forth to Cyprus. ‘I got hooked and went lots of times with different people. I spent a lot of time there in 2004 and so much of the location and geography was as it was in 1974.’
In 1974 a military coup took place, orchestrated by Greek Cypriot nationalists. Cyprus then became divided; the north controlled by the Turks and the south, Greek Cypriot, a division which exists today.
Anne also read widely about the country, finding books by Lawrence Durrell and a fabulous eBay acquisition, a 1971 Travellers Guide to Cyprus, particularly helpful in researching the novel.
Much of the storytelling takes place via letters which Anne found useful as a structure and good way to articulate the voice of a child. ‘I literally just did it by thinking back. I wasn’t 10 in 1974, but I do remember what it was like. Letters are a great way to get the voice of a child through. It sounds like a 10-year old via letters. It was a way in. Also a child narrator aged 10 means you don’t have to get everything right!’ she said.
There is a crossover between her first and second novels she said, as both are fundamentally about relationships where family can mean not just blood relationships, but the development of friendships, and people you know, who become part of your network.
Anne Hamilton is an author, editor and creative writing tutor. Her first book, a travel memoir titled ‘A Blonde Bengali Wife’ (2010) was based on her experiences in Bangladesh, which inspired and still supports the charity Bhola’s Children. Her debut novel ‘The Almost Truth’ (Legend Press 2024) was the winner of the Irish Novel Fair. ‘Letters From Elena’ was longlisted for the Lucy Cavendish Prize.
‘Letters from Elena’ is published by Legend Press and is available from all good bookshops £9.99
