Peterborough novelist set to release ‘heartfelt’ debut novel
July launch event at Waterstones will be ‘a dream come true’ for local author
A novelist from our region is gearing up to celebrate the publication of her debut novel.
Fiona Schneider, will mark the release of The Paris Affair with a free book launch event at Waterstones in Peterborough on Friday July 12.
“I am so looking forward to celebrating the book being out there in the world,” she enthused.
Described as a ‘breath-taking historical romance’, The Paris Affair is a dual-timeline novel set between 1940s Paris and Germany in 2002.
The story revolves around a young pianist, Julia, who discovers an old book of recipes, which she uses to recapture her old music mentor Christoph’s fading memories of the war - and the woman he loved and lost.
Intriguingly, each recipe revives a recollection from the past and brings Christoph and Julia closer to the truth of what happened when Sylvie disappeared all those years ago.
Local girl Fiona, who lives in Peterborough with her husband and three children, said she was inspired to write The Paris Affair after discovering an old recipe book in the attic of her husband’s childhood home.
“I was fascinated by the link between taste and memory,” she explained, “[and] I wanted to write a story about long-lost love and the importance of never giving up.”
Never giving up is a skill the talented wordsmith has mastered: The Paris Affair is her fourth stab at getting a novel published:
“I love writing, and always have done since I was a child, but until recently, UK publication had eluded me,” she said.
“I wasn’t sure if I had the time and strength to keep going with another novel, but the characters and story of The Paris Affair compelled me to continue.”
Fortunately, Fiona’s tale of romance and intrigue hit all the right notes with the editors at publishing giant, Penguin, who offered her a two-book publishing deal, which she described as “a dream come true.”
The Paris Affair, published by Penguin, goes on sale on July 4.