Author Suzie Tullett delves into the world of Mods with her first novel.
Going Underground is a story about the consequences of when the past refuses to let go and the present is more about mortgages than mopeds.
Tracey, about to have her first baby, finds out her husband, Jonathan, isn’t quite the man she thought him to be.
When an old friend dies, Jonathan disappears on the back of a scooter. Things rapidly decline and he is forced to face some demons before his adventure is over.
“It is a story about the consequences of adolescence hunting us down in adulthood,” said Suzie, who lives in Horton-in-Ribblesdale.
“Going Underground is both heart- warming and heart-warning.”
The action takes readers from the North of England to the South Coast, with a stop on the way to enjoy good music and beer.
The book was inspired by the author’s observations of the Mod scene, having been married to a Mod.
“It’s a fusion of comedy and tragedy that demonstrates how, very often, one stems from the other, with musical chapters that reflect what’s going either lyrically or in tone, as the protagonists’ stories progress,” said Suzie, who was born and brought up in Lancashire.
“I just hope everyone enjoys reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. There’s something for everyone.
“I also think in the future it would make an ideal film project. It’s a very visual read from start to finish and, in my view, would make for a great Brit-flick adaptation.”
After leaving school, Suzie undertook a variety of jobs, from office work to teaching in further education and from managing a training and advice centre to being an outreach worker for Women’s Aid.
“It’s fair to say my working life has given me the chance to get to know all kinds of people, from all kinds of backgrounds – a definite asset for anyone looking to write for a living,” said Suzie.
It was while working towards a BA (Hons) in Women’s Studies that she decided to take her writing aspirations more seriously. She gained an MA in television and radio scriptwriting and was chosen by the BBC for their New Writers’ Initiative, which led to an opportunity to develop ideas for the drama series, Doctors.
“Even so, this didn’t stop me continuing to dabble in the world of prose, a genre I, personally, feel more comfortable with,” said Suzie. “And testing the waters with a bit of poetry and a few short stories, I was lucky enough to garner a modicum of success through publication, allowing me the confidence to put a future in scriptwriting to one side, in favour of a career as a full-time novelist.”
Going Underground is published by Somerset-based Mirador Publishing and is available in all good book shops and on Amazon.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here