by Kate Hardy, author of Good Girl or Gold Digger? (Harlequin Presents Extra, May 2010)
Ever since I was a tiny child, I’ve always enjoyed the glitter of the funfair. When I was very small, apparently I used to drive my parents insane with polite requests to go on the roundabout in the park – again and again and again. (Apparently I liked driving the bus. We even have cine film of it – this was about 1969. I got my comeuppance when I had my own children: they had a thing about funfairs, too, and even now if given the choice my littlest will always plump for the beach that has the funfair and beg to go on the roller-coaster.)
I particularly like the old-fashioned rides – the ones driven by steam, with old-fashioned organs. In my part of the world, any new UK fairground rides were tested out at the King’s Lynn Mart (a 14-day fair that’s held around Valentine’s Day), and many of the old gallopers still in existence (such as the one below) were made by Frederick Savage in Norfolk.
This all had absolutely nothing to do with the book I was intending to write, set in Venice. Except Daisy Bell walked into my head, wearing purple Doc Martens, and told me that she wanted her story told. Uh, OK. Then she told me that she was the manager of a steam fairground museum and was a qualified mechanic. (Uh-oh. How was I going to sell that one to my ed?) Oh, and she had a thing about songs from musicals.
I really, really tried to resist. But then Felix walked in, all gorgeous and sexy (from his very, VERY posh and glamorous London flat), and he informed me that he needed to rescue my heroine, so could I please just give in and write their story? Like, now?
No, because I was working on a book set in Venice. I wasn’t planning to do an ‘opposites attract’ story any time soon, so they’d have to wait their turn.
They didn’t want to wait, so they sent in the heavy mob: Titan. (Titan is Daisy’s cat; when she’s busy being a mechanic and someone walks in to the workshop, he smacks her head with his paw to get her attention. And he smacked me about a bit… OK, I’ll come clean. That’s based on my spaniel: when Byron wants to get my attention while I’m sprawled on the floor with a good book, he nudges me. If I don’t respond then he’ll pat me on the top of the head with his paw and lick my ear. He does the same with my husband when he’s reading the paper. The kids think it’s hilarious. And I couldn’t resist borrowing it!)
What was an author to do? I gave in and shelved Venice.
It meant reading up about fairgrounds and then doing some location research, aka visiting our local fairground museums and riding on an antique gondola (the one below – this only runs two rides a day at weekends, so I was very privileged to go on it). I was also forced to eat donuts and ice cream (aka researching the food sold at fairgrounds – isn’t that the best excuse ever?). And I had to paddle in the sea. Because the book happens to be set in an area which owes rather a lot to this place… (These are some of the beach huts at Southwold in Suffolk, which are very posh and cost a fortune – and I mean just a beach hut, not somewhere to stay. One in need of repair was on the market recently for £40,000 (about $60,000 – and if you don’t believe me, check out the BBC news story at http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/suffolk/hi/people_and_places/nature/newsid_8457000/8457946.stm!)
Do you have happy childhood memories of funfairs? What’s your favourite kind of ride?
Hi Kate!
As a kid I LOVED going to Canada’s Wonderland – http://www.canadaswonderland.com/
…actually, I still do! Though you won’t get me on the new rollercoaster, Behemoth. I’ve been on every other rollercoaster they have, but that one looks terrifying!
But I was crazy for carousels when I was little. They have an old-fashioned one like your pictures that hardly ever has a line up — and it was one of the few rides my mom could ride with me (either I was on the kiddie rides, or when I graduated to the scary ones she was too afraid
). Then there was the infamous trip where I ONLY wanted to ride the carousel…and mom, bless her heart, let me–
13 times.
She still talks about it to this day!
~Amy
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Amy, your mum sounds a real sweetheart
)
As for the Behemoth – no way. Absolutely no way. My husband would do it (and so would my littlest) but that looks way too scary for me!
The third pic down is known as a ‘gondola’ ride – it goes very slowly BUT because the dips up and down are quite steep, and the way gondola car itself is shaped, you honestly feel as if you’re going to fall out at any moment. And because it’s a vintage ride there are no safety barriers. I was imagining what it must’ve felt like, 100 years ago, to ride on it – when hardly anyone had even seen a car. Must’ve been amazing.
Kate, first off I loved your book, Daisy was feisty and funny and nobody’s fool and Felix was HAWT!! But I also loved all the quirky details about fairgrounds and Daisy’s museum and now I know where it is in real life I’m gonna have to go visit it LOL.
I love funfairs, especially the old fashioned kind with helter-skelters and carousels and coconut shies. That said I don’t do rollercoasters or waltzers anymore but my teenage son loves them so I can have a lot of fun watching him get throw about! They used to have an old steamfair every year near where my mum lives now in Wiltshire with traction engines and hay rides as well as all those rickety rollercoasters that looked as if they were about to fall apart any minute. We used to get given a few quid and spend the whole day tearing around like mad things trying to eat as much candy-floss as we could, getting sunburnt and then riding all the fast rides and usually being sick… Ah thems were the days.
Hi Kate
OMG, fairgrounds! Ooooh Candy Floss and Brandy Snaps!!!
Brought up in a Cathedral City with “cobbled square”, which fronted the “Eyes” leading to Cathedral, Bishop’s Palace and the grand Town Hall, many charters existed to do with rights of travelling fairs and minstrels to perform at certain times of the year along with rights of market stall holders every Saturday. Hence, when the fair came to town, boy did the town square come alive, and by going on the Big Wheel (as it was called) one could see the town by night. It was great. But, the big thing was going on the dodgems. Wow! And, because I came from a military family, there was always someone good for the shooting gallery in our midst: prizes galore!
Re loud characters screaming in the wings! Yep, been there recently so can commiserate with you on that score. Quite happily proceeding with last four chapters of a contemporary novel, so characters from a historical kept riding on stage making their presence known and noisy with it. But hey, better characters yelling “get on with it” than none in sight at all
Shall definitely get hold of copy of Lady Mechanic and Felix getting it on!
best
F
Kate, I adore those carousels, but for my kiddies when they were young. As far back as I can remember I always went for the fast rides! The Zipper, the Wild Mouse, the Cha-Cha. Anything that shook me up and made me scream and laugh. About 3 years ago I went on a Scooby-Doo Spooky Rollercoaster at Dreamworld on the Gold Coast and I vowed **never again**. Why do we love those hairy-scary thrills so much when we’re younger and turn into shivering chickens later on? Maybe I should try the carousels now? They certainly are beautiful!!
Looking forward to reading your latest!!!!!
Robbie
Kate – I absolutely LOVED this story!!! I loved Daisy and Felix’s story and found the slightly unusual (for MH) setting a delight to read!!! The setting was an extra character that in my opinion didn’t at all detract from the love story. Thanks for another fantastic read.
Kate – I also loved Daisy and Felix’s story
The different location enhanced the story, you did a fab job!
BTW – I went to Disneyland as an adult and had a ball – I enjoyed the rides more than the kids around me….must be the little girl inside of me
I love the sound of this one! Can’t wait to get my hands on it, Kate.
As for fairgrounds–loved ‘em when I was a kid, the show people, the sights and sounds, the highly suspect food, the smell of grass crushed underfoot, and as an adult loved any excuse to take my daughter to the Show or Dreamworld.
Though I’m afraid I’ve never been as adventurous as that daring Robbie Grady!
Carousels? Oh, yeah. Always adored them, (including the soundtrack from the movie) but I’ve always been a giddy girl, and a sedate old ferris wheel is the limit to how much whizzing, whirling and shaking I can take without throwing up!
I love the original idea in **Good Girl or Gold Digger** with its reference to a history that’s quite precious in the events of humankind. Brilliant Kate!
INcidentally, what do people DO in those beach huts? This is quite an unknown concept here in Australia.
anna
Anna, what do people DO in beach huts?? (sorry, my brain has gone off on a tangent now…)
Kate, what wonderful sounding characters! Clearly, I need to read this. You had me at purple Doc Martens.
And I’m a big kid when it comes to Disneyland, I have to say. It’s only 20hrs away!!
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Heidi – thank you! And that steamfair sounds great fun.
Ah, yes, candyfloss, donuts and ice cream…
Robbie – my littlest has been a scary-ride freak since she was really tiny. Aged three, she begged to go on the roller coaster. She can wrap her dad round her little finger, so he took her. I was expecting tears. Result: big, beaming grin. ‘Can we do it again? Now, please?’
As you say, funny how we do the scary stuff when we’re younger and then get wussier with age!
Rachel – thank you!
I loved writing this one. You just can’t beat a fairground at night, with lights everywhere and music…
Joanne – thank you! And it’s lovely to still have the child within so you could enjoy the magic. (I guess, as an adult, you also might have more patience with the queues!)
Anna – thank you – and with you on the soundtracks! (I did, ahem, borrow a few in the book – Daisy sings them. And then there’s the wedding…)
As for what people do in beach huts – you and Maisey are cracking me up, there! I think they change into their swimming things and it’s a place to store a picnic/make a cup of tea/just sit and watch the sea when it’s raining.
Course, being Presents authors, you two are imagining other things, aren’t you?
Maisey – ONLY 20 hours?? Blimey.
Thinking about here to Disneyland Paris – that’d be two hours from here to London, half an hour across London, say an hour for passport control, two hours to Paris, and then maybe half an hour from the Gare du Nord… That’s practically a day trip!
No. Bad Kate. We’ve just been to Venice and we’re off to Sorrento in July to see Pompeii (aka research trip for a book), and maybe Paris in October half term (ditto and also daughter’s 10th birthday – she wants to do it in style). More would be greedy!
I have lovely happy excited memories of the travelling fairground shows that used to hit the big country towns once a year. Everything was so magical and mysterious and we always went at night, and my grandma and her friend came too. I swear they rounded up as many grandchildren between them as they could, just so they could go on all the rides too.
And then the dolls – tiny plastic betty boops encircled by miles and miles of multicoloured taffeta and stuck on a stick. Very good for brushing against people’s necks on the ghost ride. Not that we ever did because of course we did not. I’m just sayin…
My favourite ride of the moment? The one that shoots you up, straight up, in a cage, and you freefall back down on a bungi cord. As long as I’m not the one on it.
Looking forward to meeting Daisy and Felix and Titan
Hi Kate. I read this one, and absolutely loved it, it was a great story, and the setting was so atmostpheric and different. Bravo!
Kelly – I bet you’re right about your grandma and her friend. (Just as my children’s godmothers are always up for going to the cinema…!)
And I have a very clear picture of the grin on your face as you didn’t let anything brush against the neck of the person in front of you
DH liked the one with a loop-the-loop in the middle. I just watched. No WAY was I going on that!
Sally – thank you! Glad you enjoyed it. ‘Different’ settings can be such fun to write. (And I can hardly wait for my Venetian palazzo… I *loved* Venice.)
Kate,
Have to get my hands on your newest!
As for rides, I used to love the roller coaster and the mouse rides. Now I can’t go on them anymore. It is a mixture of fear and my stomach. I am not a huge fan of heights and therefore am not very keen on ferris wheels when they stop and you are at the top waiting for it to start moving again. LOL
Carousels were always great!
Kate, California is a long state.
And it’s closer to me than Disneyworld or Euro Disney. 
Francine – so sorry, missed your post earlier! Your childhood fairground memories are fantastic and brought back some of mine – when the fair used to be held at the Cattle Market in Norwich (now the site of a shopping mall). My favourites there were also the dodgems.
They were nothing like the fairs of yesteryear, though – some of the research I’ve done for my local history books has brought up some incredible detail. Back in the 19th century, there used to be special cookies (known as Fairground Buttons). And as it’s a rainy bank holiday today, I have a feeling my littlest might like a baking session!
Good luck with your contemporary and your historical
Lidia – hope you enjoy it!
Know what you mean about heights. It’s the pause that’s the killer! A couple of years ago we had a cable car ride – not that long – but it paused halfway up so people could get off. DH and I were absolutely rigid in the corners of our car and the kids were trying to work out why we weren’t moving and why we were hanging on to the cable car for dear life!
Having said that, I do fancy going on the London Eye (but that’s constantly moving and looks rather sturdier than a ferris wheel).
Maisey – think that’s brought it home to me just how tiny England is
My memories are mostly of the fair at Agar’s Plough in Eton, yearning for candy floss and then wishing I hadn’t. And a thick lip on a dodgem car. And the swing boats that you had to share with a friend and both pull until one of you chickened out because you’d gone so high. And fabulous, fabulous gallopers.
I know. It always shocks me. England could fit in Oregon. And we have less people. Totally crazy.