I am happy to be featuring Frances Ive's Finding Jo on the blog today and to welcome Frances to the blog for a great author guest post. Before we hear what Frances has to say on the theme of 'getting away from it all', here's a little about her novel which is set in the stunning Himalayas.
At breaking point Jo deserts her dysfunctional family and
possessive boyfriend, making an uncharacteristic escape to the Himalayas in a
bid for freedom and self-knowledge. The peace she finds there helps her to
unravel her turmoil, but unexpected challenges test her new-found equilibrium
to the limit.
Finding Jo focuses on relationships between families, lovers
and friends, and the resentment and long-held grievances that threaten to
destroy them. Jo’s quest for a deeper purpose in life acts as a catalyst to her
family, indicating that willingness to change and grow enables people to find
happiness.
Guest Post by Frances Ive
Getting away from it all
Getting away from it all sounds like a wonderful dream, an
illusion, escapism. When I was in my 20s
I always wanted to travel to foreign lands for protracted lengths of time. Not
because I was trying to get away from something, but because I had such a desire
to travel, to see the world, to have adventures and meet lots of people from
different countries. In those days of full employment I would often leave work
in the summer and take two to three months away in Europe, usually ending up on
a sun-soaked beach in Greece. I travelled through India and went to Australia
for a couple of years, and I now realise that it was my Indian experience which
influenced Finding Jo.
In those days it seemed to me that home was fairly boring
and everywhere else was exciting, but eventually I realised this was where my
family, friends and roots were. If you have children your roots become even
stronger and until they are grown up this need to get away is hopefully
quelled.
Life these days is more stressful than it was then, we live
at a fast pace and getting a job has become so much harder, possibly making
these dreams even more prevalent and more of a fantasy. Of course, there are
those who need to get away from dysfunctional families and decide that the only
answer is to go far away, as Jo did.
In Finding Jo, she said, ‘I’d felt trapped and unable to
deal with it. I couldn’t stand up to them. And I had this guy, a boyfriend,
who, well it went on for a few years. It wasn’t going anywhere, and I didn’t
feel I could get away from him.’
Jo couldn’t find a solution to the overly possessive
boyfriend and the toxic relationships within her original family. There were
things going on beneath the surface of her family that she didn’t know about,
let alone understand. Perhaps it was cowardly but she felt she had to go far
away to escape it all. This was not just a dream. As a single woman she was
free enough to make it a reality.
Even if she didn’t miss them, they certainly missed her more
than any of them would have realised. Her leaving acted as a catalyst for her
family and prompted two others to get away.
Her mother, in a long tedious marriage which went wrong years before,
seems to find that Jo’s departure lifts her spirits. If Jo can do it why not
Maggie? Beset by depression, but no
longer responsible for children, she takes a decision which surprises everyone
around her and leaves her husband truly shocked.
Getting away from people can bring about change – a change
is as good as a rest. It can give all those involved a chance to mull over
their relationships, to miss the person who has gone. It’s like having a new
start, and on return it is often possible to reset your life and the dynamics
with those around you. Relationships can
change.
Ultimately, it’s true to say that you don’t have to run away
to find that inner peace. In today’s world there is so much emphasis on
relaxation, mindfulness, meditation, sport and activity to enhance and ensure
positive mental health. Also, there are plenty of people who cannot possibly
get away. They can’t afford it, they have families who need them, and they
would see it as an indulgent luxury. For
everybody, it is important to try to find the peace inside ourselves and be
happy with our lot (provided it isn’t a toxic situation). Many of us put a lot of fruitless effort into
changing others to suit our own needs, but we can’t. All we can change is ourselves – how we
perceive, react and whether or not we accept people as they are.
Frances Ive
Finding Jo
Thanks so much for you thoughts, Frances.
About the Author
Frances Ive: A career as a journalist/PR led to health
writing for UK nationals newspapers and consumer magazines. Out of the blue I
was inspired to write a novel, Finding Jo, which has taken some years to come
to fruition, self-publishing in January 2021. I travelled a lot in my 20s and I
have drawn on my three months’ trip to India in Finding Jo.
You can follow Frances here: Twitter | Website | Facebook
Book link: Amazon UK | Amazon US
Thanks to Frances Ive and Rachel of Rachel's Random Resources for the guest post and a place on the tour.
Check out the rest of the tour!
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