A Personal Note from Freya

Back in 1991, trying to figure out how my new computer worked, I found myself writing the opening of the sort of novel I wanted to read. The thrill of being able to write what I wanted – and then hiding it – was utterly liberating….hence the utter raunchiness of the opening paragraph! Of course, I couldn’t afford research trips so the locations features in Sally are those well known to me – London and also Mull, on Scotland’s west coast.

I was working in a coffee and tea shop at the time – and my colleagues were all ears to hear how this novel was progressing. The meal that Richard prepares Sally was suggested by Michele – an Italian with whom I worked at that time. This novel took four years to write. It was finally published in November 1996. I’ll never forget the shock and sublime thrill of seeing it on the shelf of a bookshop. I feel very fondly towards the characters – hence involving them in minor roles in Love Rules – just so I could see what they’d been up to in the intervening years!

What happened next to Sally

Sally, for those of you who have read Chloe, married the delectable Richard Stonehill on the shores of Loch Lomond one summer. In true Sally style, she decided not to wear pants under her frock. She gave them to Chloe to hide in her rucksack.The Stonehills had a belated honeymoon in Bali, as Richard was busy in his architecture practice working on a new restaurant project for Marco Pierre White.

Sally has been promoted at the Primary School, which is great for her bank account but means she has increased responsibilities and had to forego the annual trip to Paris. Jolly good thing too, I say because she got up to all sorts of mischief and very nearly came a cropper when she was last there.

Richard sold his bachelor pad in Notting Hill and Sally sold her tiny flat in Highgate. With property prices being utterly silly in London, they both made huge profits, which they ploughed into a very nice Victorian terrace house in Muswell Hill. It’s not highly convenient for Richard’s work but he bought a motorbike much to Sally’s protestations. She resolutely refuses to ride on the back of it, though secretly she’d quite like to as she’d like the excuse to buy a pair of leather trousers.

Sadly, Sally’s beloved Aunt Celia passed away but left the house on Mull to her precious niece. Sally and Richard will be spending the Millennium there with their friends Bob, Catherine and baby Victoria.