What’s in a Title : Janus ~ Gateway to Heaven on Earth

Janus ~ Gateway to Heaven on Earth by Patricia and Arthur Jackson, was released last week.

MY PARENT’S RESEARCH INTO OUR FAMILY HISTORY

My parents began to write their novella at the same time as I was writing my debut novel Riduna. Having done a great deal of research into our family tree, they chose two main characters, who intrigued them. Harriet is Dad’s grandmother:

1. Harriet’s step-grandfather John Taylor is their main character, because they wanted to find out why a Scotsman ended up living on the island of Alderney in the guest house where my Dad’s grandmother was brought up.
2. Harry, Harriet’s father was born in London and so what journey brought him to the island too?

Thus, this story is part truth, part fiction, as my parents unravelled our family history, visiting London, Liverpool, Alderney, Guernsey and Southampton in their quest.

While my parents gathered their lengthy research I was researching my great grandmother Harrriet’s story. I was fascinated by all I discovered about the island of Alderney back in the Victorian era, at the time when the many forts were built around the island.