by Jo Barnes | photo by Amanda Cribdon Photography –
Some people choose to be writers and pursue it as their career of choice. But according to Valerie Green, writing chose her.
This prolific local author has enjoyed putting pen to paper since she was a child and likes nothing more than to tell a good story as is evidenced by the dozens of books she has authored. “I was born with a pen in my hand,” shares Valerie. “With writing, I feel completely at home. I can’t imagine doing anything else.”
Valerie’s recent Providence, the first book in her trilogy The McBride Chronicles, published by Hancock House, available this summer, is inspired from childhood experiences. The book’s protagonist is Jane Hopkins, an orphan abandoned in an Oxfordshire village. Valerie first came across this name as a young girl.
“The idea has been brewing since I was nine,” says Valerie. “My uncle was downsizing and getting rid of books. He gave me a few, and one of them was inscribed inside with the name Jane Hopkins,” says Valerie. “I learned that she was my great-great-great grandmother. I kept the little book, and the name stayed with me.”
Jane, the character in Valerie’s book, is also inspired by people in Valerie’s life. “The story has been in my head and heart for years,” she says. “Jane is a combination of the strong women in my life.”
The fictional setting, featuring an old heritage house along the Gorge waterway in Victoria, reflects real life too. “From the age of nine to my teenage years, we lived in an 18th-century farmhouse,” says Valerie. “It was beautiful and also spooky.”
The book follows the parallel stories of Jane Hopkins and Gideon McBride, who separately travel from the United Kingdom to Canada where they later meet, marry and raise a family. In a case of art imitating life, Valerie herself left England and came to Canada where she met her husband.
As the trilogy covers a timeline from the 1850s to modern day, the dramatic backdrop of British Columbia’s history is extensive. All of this detail requires significant research. It is here that Valerie’s skill and interest shine. “Writing involves research, research, research, but I thrive on it!” she exclaims.
Storytelling is integral to Valerie’s life. She recalls writing her first story. “I was six years old, and a friend of the family typed up my little story,” she shares, adding with a laugh, “In my childhood mind, I thought it had been published!”
Valerie has a lifelong interest in English literature and history. Love of a good book is something she learned early on in life.
“My mom loved reading and encouraged me to read,” shares Valerie. “My grandpa loved to write and would often write letters to the editor.”
Her desire to pursue opportunities in storytelling prompted her to enroll at London’s Regent Institute of Journalism. Subsequently, she worked as a reporter, in a bookstore, and later at the War Office (MI5). After marrying, Valerie returned to Canada where she began working as a freelance writer and columnist for the Saanich News and Seaside Magazine.
Her recent foray into fiction writing is a significant departure for Valerie who, prior to this, penned dozens of historical non-fiction books about the Pacific Northwest including stories about crime, historic homes, social life in Victoria and early pioneers.
“I wanted to write a definitive B.C. novel,” says Valerie. “I researched all the facts, and I wanted to present them through the eyes of a family living during the times.”
While she thoroughly enjoys writing, there are challenges along the way. Her recent Providence is a good example.
“The challenge with this kind of writing is getting the facts correct. For example, if you are describing what a person is doing in the kitchen, you have to be careful of details,” adding with a grin: “There were no microwaves at that time!”
Over the years, Valerie has read and reviewed many books, all of which has proved valuable. “I do a lot of book reviews for BC Reviews,” says Valerie. “I see things that work and things that don’t work in books, and this is helpful to me in my writing.”
For Valerie, writing provides a way to learn about people and the world around her. “I like the feel of being a detective,” comments Valerie. “I like to find out tidbits about people, why they did certain things and also the traits that get carried on through generations.”
Valerie is now a grandmother herself, so there is another generation with whom to share her love of books. Storytelling captivated her early. As she puts it: “It’s all there is.” Her life and her writing are intertwined. For Valerie, that’s the perfect choice indeed.
