Tag Archives: Channel Islands

Part 2: Why have I decided to publish my parents’ novella?

Here is the second part of the forward of JANUS ~ Gateway to Heaven on Earth

written by me, to explain why and how I have prepared the story for publication:

Enjoying a family holiday on Alderney

On holiday, especially when the sun is shining, with a balmy breeze and blue skies, ambling around the island, or taking frequent dips in the ocean, it is easy to imagine that Alderney is ‘Heaven on Earth,’ my parents’ original title. I have added the Roman God Janus to be consistent with my Riduna Series which follow chronologically. Janus is said to be the Gateway to Heaven on Earth. The Celts have the phrase A Thin Place, between this world and the next. Alderney feels like that.

Dad was frustrated that they had not added conversation to bring the characters to life and so, on picking up their story years later, when both were suffering from dementia, I thought it would be something we could work on together to aid their memory. Dad found it quite hard and then events, especially the pandemic, took over. However, now that my parents have passed away, I wanted to publish it as a tribute to them, but also to the island we love so much. My amendments have been with a light touch, in respect to my late Mum and Dad. I did carry out some extra research where I felt necessary, but otherwise it is in my parents’ words, with a few edits here and there, as if a gentle sea breeze has blown through it, rather than the hurricane of a major re-write. One major change was the focus on Harriet’s cousin Hannah, rather than Harriet herself, whose ‘story’ is told in Riduna.

Part 3 Cover reveal: Janus Gateway to Heaven on Earth by Patricia and Arthur Jackson COMING NEXT WEEK.

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Filed under Alderney, Channel Islands, Family History, History of Alderney

A Recent Trip to Alderney

Braye, Alderney

Following lock down I was determined to pay a visit to Alderney, the main setting for my Riduna series and birth place of Great Great Grandmother Harriet. (see family history post)

It was lovely to catch on with Paul Davies who used to run the Alderney Bookshop and became a dear friend following the book launch of Riduna in 2009, my debut novel.

Diana and Paul in 2009

Paul is now retired but we try to keep in touch and share happy memories of that period.

Then I had an appointment with a lady from Alderney Museum with whom I shared a wonderful and fruitful couple of hours, talking about my writing, projects in the pipeline, any research I need to do and projects in the future. I found the response to our conversation both heart warming and encouraging.

A special part of the trip, though, was wandering about this beautiful island once more. Little has changed. The weather last September was fantastic and the affect of lock down appears to have been relatively kind to its people, for which I am thankful.

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Filed under Alderney, Author Diana Jackson, Book Shops, Riduna

Diana Mary Jackson (1958) ~ Alderney

How the island of Alderney Stole my Heart

This is my final post on our family history, showing how Alderney has been indelibly imprinted upon my soul.

Since I have no children I am the end of the line on this part of our family tree, which is one reason why, even though married, I chose to write under my maiden name Jackson.

Born in 1958, my memories of family holidays growing up are delightful, either going west to Devon or Cornwall or over to the Channel Islands, first to Guernsey (once too early in my life to remember) then to Sark when I was ten and then three wonderful breaks on Alderney, three weeks at a time over Alderney Week when I was in my teens.

And so, here’s my life in photos, focussing mainly, but not exclusively, on trips to Alderney:

Diana and Mum (Patricia Jackson) 1958
Diana (10yrs), Dad (Arthur Jackson) and sister Christine 1968
Family rock-pooling on Alderney, Diana aged 13
Mum, Diana (aged 15 yrs) Christine and Grandma Green on Braye Beach Alderney
Diana (16yrs) and Christine
Diana celebrating her 50th at the Braye Beach Hotel Alderney (2008)
Diana with husband Roger celebrating the launch of her debut novel Riduna at the Braye Beach 2009

Corblets Bay, Alderney 2009
Mum and Dad at Arch Bay in 2010 when they joined us on their final trip to Alderney
Diana Jackson 2013 with the launch of MURDER, Now and Then
First holiday of freedom from Covid lock-down in the Greek island of Tinos in May 2022

We did return to Alderney in the autumn of 2022, hopefully one of many visits to come. I feel emotionally drawn to the island; I have a connection through time and family for nearly 200 years and the Alderney will always remain in my heart.

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Filed under Alderney, Author Diana Jackson, Channel Islands, Family History, Riduna