Rhys Bowen Reveals the Unseen Literary Titans That Forged Her Fierce Storytelling — Prepare to Meet the Characters Who Became Her Unbreakable Allies!

Ever wondered how the whirlwind of childhood stories, a pinch of imagination, and the echoes of history can blend into the making of a bestselling author? Well, pull up a chair, because at Woman’s World, where we devour books and live for every chapter, we’ve got a special treat for you. Our new guest essay series dives deep into the minds of beloved authors, exploring the roots of their storytelling magic—from their earliest adventures to the inspirations behind their latest novels. This week, we’re stepping into the enchanting world of Rhys Bowen, a powerhouse of historical fiction whose tales have whisked readers away to breathtaking places and gripping mysteries. She peels back the curtain on her WWII childhood in England and reveals just how those formative years and beloved books fueled her creative fire. Intrigued? You’re about to embark on a journey through memories, imagination, and the very beginnings of a writer’s life. LEARN MORE

Greetings, fellow bookworms! Here at Woman’s World, it’s no secret our staff is filled with book lovers. When we’re not reading books, we’re writing about books, talking about books or recommending books. But one of the best parts of our jobs is connecting with authors. Whether we’re interviewing a writer about a recent release, asking authors to share their TBR (to-be-read) list, doing exclusive book cover reveals or excerpting a preview from an upcoming novel, we are always loving what we do! Our latest bookish venture? Collaborating with beloved authors and inviting them to write for us! In WW’s guest essay series, authors will open up about everything from the inspiration behind their latest stories to their childhood, memorable travels and more! 

This week, we’re sharing an essay written by Rhys Bowen. The acclaimed author is known for her sweeping historical fiction books. She’s penned more than 60 novels—including bestsellers like The Paris Assignment, The Tuscan Child and The Rose Arbor. Here, Bowen shares what it was like growing up in England during WWII and how her childhood—and the stories she read—shaped her life as an author. Keep scrolling to read Bowen’s essay.

The beginnings of a writer: Imagination, stories, memories 

I probably had the perfect childhood for a future writer: lonely, isolated from other children, always somewhere else in my own imagination. I was born in the city of Bath, England, in the middle of WWII and my first years were in my grandmother’s house. 

It was a dangerous time to be born. There was a devastating bombing raid on Bath two months after I arrived. My mother worked as a schoolteacher and volunteer air raid warden, so was rarely at home and it was my grandmother who raised me. No other children. Not many toys. So I invented an imaginary family: The Gott family. There were four sisters—Gorna Gott, Leur Gott, Googoo Gott and Perambulator Gott. (Okay, so I didn’t know what real children were called.) The Gott family had to come shopping with us and have places set at the table with us.

I did have one human companion: my elderly great aunt who was almost blind. She had been a school teacher and could tell me endless stories from books she had read, ranging from fairy tales to Dickens. We also played games of pretend together, based on those stories. She would be the wicked witch and I Fairy Marigold. She was the wicked queen and I was the beautiful princess. The overstuffed armchair became my carriage, or the mountain I lived on. I realize now how much she inspired my love of story and imagination. Of course when I finally went to school and found myself among real children, I learned the hard way that one can’t always be the heroine in every story!

Early adventures and first favorite books

In wartime, there were no factories making toys so I had to amuse myself with what was around the house. I did love my stuffed animals (mostly homemade) and they became my companions on adventures. My favorites were my grandmother’s buttons. She kept a big button box and I turned buttons into families with the big button followed by six little pearly ones, schoolchildren sitting in rows in an imaginary school or hospital. For the latter I had match boxes where the chipped buttons lay and the big white buttons were doctors in their coats.

When my father returned from the Army we moved to a new part of the country, to a big house in the county of Kent, surrounded by an orchard, outside a village. Again, I had few playmates so I spent my days being someone else, building tree houses, pretending I was royalty or a girl in a circus. It was only natural that the first books that really hooked me were the Faraway Tree novels. Children went up a magic tree that led to many enchanted lands, some fun and some a little dangerous. I’d have loved a tree like that in my orchard, but none of our trees were anywhere near reaching the clouds. (I gather they are making a movie of those books now. I’ll be interested to see it!)

Then the first of The Chronicles of Narnia books was published when I was exactly the right age. I got one as a birthday present. Oh, how I loved those adventures, even though they were sad and scary at times. I did investigate a few old wardrobes but nothing happened apart from the smell of mothballs. 

As I got a little older, I found Enid Blyton’s The Famous Five novels about four children and a dog who had incredible adventures, always with a mystery twist. They went camping on islands, found smugglers and caught bad guys. I would have loved that, not only for the adventure but the camaraderie between that group. I was dying to have a group of friends to have adventures with. These books set the stage for a future career in mystery writing and being a lifelong fan of the genre.

These were the first books that resembled real life as opposed to fantasy and at the same time I discovered Blyton’s school stories: The Twins at Malory Towers, The Chalet School. Since I was attending an ordinary girls’ day school, a very strict and boring sort of school, I lapped up the adventures of those girls in boarding schools: the midnight feasts, the haunted towers. They seemed to have so much fun.

The one book that changed it all 

My big breakthrough in reading came when I was introduced to The Lord of the Rings in my mid-teens. Until then, reading was for escape and enjoyment. This was the first book that not only gripped me, but possessed me. When I wasn’t reading I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Here was a writer who had created a whole believable world. I was with those characters every step of the way. They mattered to me. They felt like close friends—so much so that when Gandalf fell into the abyss, I threw the book across the room and wouldn’t pick it up again for several months. Then I was glad I did. I can’t remember exactly at what stage my love of pretending and of reading turned into thoughts of writing down my own stories. I used to keep my little brother occupied during long car trips by telling him fantastic stories full of dragons or dangerous crocodiles and poisonous snakes but I never wrote them down. But by my later school years, I was writing short stories. I remember a famous novelist came to our school to speak and I was one of two girls invited to have tea with her, so obviously my teachers saw some spark in me that I didn’t know existed at that point.

Amazing stories mean amazing adventures 

In recent years, I realized I have always loved books with great stories that take me somewhere. I’ve been to Narnia and Middle Earth as well as to real places I know I can never visit in person: Tibet, the Amazon…I’ve been a passionate traveler my whole life, and when I’m not traveling, I like to travel vicariously. Setting is really important in all my books. I have to visit in person before I write to get an authentic feel of a place—all those tiny details that make a reader feel she is there. All the places I write about are cities I know well, then revisit to check on details. My historical fiction books have recently taken me to Tuscany, Venice, Paris, the south of France. (You’ll notice I don’t set my books in boring or depressing places. I want to live somewhere beautiful in my mind as I write.)

This was one of the reasons I so enjoyed writing my latest book, Mrs. Endicott’s Splendid Adventure. The heroine is betrayed by her husband, steals his Bentley and sets off with two women friends for a new life in the South of France. How I loved taking myself to that little fishing village every day I was writing that book, enjoying the sights, sounds and smells of life there.

As for what’s next: Scotland? Lake Como? Switzerland? The world is full of so many enchantments and I so enjoy sharing them with my readers.

Rhys Bowen’s latest novel, Mrs Endicott’s Splendid Adventure, is on sale now! Pick up your copy here.