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Inspired by Jane Austen
The setting for Tabitha Locke's Key to Happiness, is the historic and very elegant city of Bath, where Jane Austen lived from 801 to 1806, and where 'Persuasion' and 'Northanger Abbey' are partly set.
I didn't begin the book with Jane Austen in mind. When Tabitha came into being, I thought of having her live in Bath mainly because my daughter lived there for a year, and the city made a lasting impression on me. But the more I got to know Tabitha, the more I began to understand how perfect it was for her. She loves history and literature, and lives in the heart of town not far from the magnificent abbey, in an old building in Abbey Gardens – with its cobbled square and huge tree in the middle. Her grandfather owns a shop selling vintage keys, and the pair of them live in a flat above it, stuffed with Regency and other period furniture.
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So with Jane Austen's influence all around, Tabitha's character began to take shape...
Tabitha is an old soul in some respects, and she loves to wear tea dresses when she's working in the shop. She also wears a chatelaine, which is a chain or belt worn that the lady of the house in times gone by would have worn around the waist from which various keys would hang - god forbid if the servants were to get their hands on the valuables!
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The shop itself and the living quarters above it was a joy to write about, and so was Rhys! Whenever I thought about him Richard Madden came to mind. He's a handsome devil, isn't he!
Having spent some time in the city doing touristy things, I also wanted to share some of them with you in the book. The Roman Baths are particularly impressive as you can see below, and I love the abbey. I simply had to include a photo of the tree in the centre of Abbey Green, and Sally Lunn's Eating House. I cam heartily recommend the steak and mushroom trencher!
