The Voices We Carry – Who Gets to Tell the Story?

Ever start a book and feel instantly pulled into someone’s world? That voice in your head becomes your guide, your friend, your confidante. As a writer, choosing whose voice tells the story isn’t just about plot—it’s about truth.

In Wherever You Will Go, Essie’s voice roots us in the 1940s—a time of upheaval, hope, and hard decisions. Her narrative, told in first person, gives us a wide lens on her journey. As a dual narrative novel, the other voice you hear is that of the third-person narrator, who lets us into the world of Essie's husband who has gone missing and whom she has come to 1940s London to find.

But, in Book 2, it’s her daughter Alice who’s asking to be heard. And Alice? She’s not waiting in the wings. She’s bold, contemporary, and wants to speak for herself—in first person. Again, this is a dual narrative novel and you will have to wait until later in the year to find out more about it!

Switching points of view lets me explore how the past echoes into the present. What does Alice know about Essie’s youth? What remains a mystery? And what secrets still shape the choices they both make?

Writing multiple perspectives is like weaving a tapestry. One thread reveals a memory, another a secret, another a lie. But together, they form something richer. And for readers, it gives you a front-row seat to every heartache and discovery.

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