"In this wonderful new novel by Gay Walley, a
woman makes her own mystery in an English
village completely unlike her life in New
York....Walley, also a playwright, is a master
of erotic tension."
—Terese Svoboda, author of Roxy and Coco and The Long Swim
"There are people who do not settle in one place, but are like the nomadic tribes of the desert, who long for the Waw, the ultimate oasis, where they will finally be home."
So begins Jacqueline Gay Walley’s ninth novel, THE WAW (Etruscan Press | June), in which a woman leaves her New York life behind to follow the beautiful image of a small English town by the sea. Why? She does not quite know, and when asked gives inexplicably different answers as she ponders the town's magnetic pull and plots her complicated departure.
Once living in England, she finds herself in love and surrounded by remarkable people with whom she explores the gifts of solitude coupled with the gifts of community. Is this village the oasis she'd been roaming for her entire life?
Connecting with the beauty of the place and people through music, love, and dignity, this new nomad is stripped down to her essence as she seeks to find her true home.
In an interview, Walley discusses her research on the psychology of nomads – people who have moved throughout their lives for different reasons and have not been colonized. Much like her life, her characters face adversity, struggle to overcome, deal with vulnerability, and ultimately love, later in life.
THE WAW is truly the perfect summer (or any time!) read.
On today's show, Jacqueline shares:
- The meaning of "The Waw"
- How she and her characters found themselves,
- Her focus on renewal and resolution
- and more!
ABOUT
Jacqueline Gay Walley has published eight novels. She has written plays (shown in New York and London) and has released two films based on her books. Her film The Erotic Fire of the Unattainable was selected by six international film festivals and now plays on Amazon Prime.
Born in London and raised in Montreal, Jacqueline lives in New York. She coaches
writing, edits, and ghostwrites.
