Interviewing Lili Hayward

Helloooo!

I recently hugely enjoyed A Midwinter's Tail by Lili Hayward a tale of finding yourself and also saving a beautiful island from corporate greed. Oh and a magical cat! Perfect for a wintry read. I was delighted to have the chance to ask Lili a few questions about this book that I strongly recommend. 

How do you like to booktempt A Midwinter’s Tail? 

If you love stories with folklore, otherworldly tales told by the fire on dark, wintery nights, subtle magic, friendships, cats, storm-tossed islands, old cottages, and a strong sense of place all woven together – then this book might be for you!  

What drew you to this location? 

A few years ago, on holiday in Cornwall, I visited Helford and the river valleys that surround it, (like Du Maurier’s Frenchman’s Creek). We stayed in a cottage that stood completely on its own in a deep valley. The cottage itself was ancient, and there had been a dwelling in that spot for a thousand years. You could still see the stones of the old road that ran from the river to the mill, lost beneath layers of moss and ferns. It was utterly spell-binding and had such an otherworldly feeling to it, as if it stood outside of time. It became the inspiration for Enysyule, the house in my first book, The Cat of Yule Cottage. I read a lot of Cornish folklore while writing it and became fascinated by the language and history of Cornwall. So when I had to choose another location, I knew I wanted it to be somewhere equally rich in stories, with its own powerful character. The Isles of Scilly made a big impression on me when I visited, especially the island of Bryher – it’s definitely the inspiration for Morgelyn. 

A theme of the story is the battle for deciding your own future (be it Mina’s or the Island’s) was this a key to the Plot? 

A lot of the story revolves around history and memory: how we can be mistaken in our interpretation of the past and learn from it, using those lessons to build a better future. Also how our actions impact that future… Throughout the book, Davy’s stories spin a rich, surprising history of the island, full of magic but also messages of kindness, acceptance, community and responsibility to the land. So, to answer your question: yes!

This is a story made of stories mythic and personal history - how did the plotting of these elements work? 

A lot of folklore involves the personal, and a lot of personal history operates in a similar way to folklore… made up of stories we tell ourselves, time and time again. When Mina visits Morgelyn she finds her own personal history upended, and also creates new memories out of old ones. So the two are closely interwoven thematically as well as narratively. 

This story centres around a huge possibly magical no-talking cat in the form of Murr? How did you go about the challenge of making them work? 

Anyone who has lived with cats knows they are masters of communication; they’ve spent centuries developing a way to make themselves understood by humans, and definitely don’t need words to get their point across! Murr is no different in that sense; she has a strong personality which Mina comes to love and respect. As for Murr being magical: I’m sure a lot of people have been in the room when a cat looks up and meows at seemingly thin air… 

What else can we look forward to from you in the near future and where can we find out more? 

I also write under the name Laura Madeleine and am working on a historical novel set in Paris (with a Cornwall-set one somewhere down the pipeline). If you loved A Midwinter’s Tail, you’ll probably also love The Cat of Yule Cottage! You can find out more info on my website, and if you sign up to my newsletter, you can also read a free, festive short story: https://lauramadeleine.com/midwinter/ 

What great books have you read recently? 

I loved Dark Woods, Deep Water by Jelena Dunato!