The Lace Weaver is a work of fiction, but much of it is inspired by real events. Although I’ve tried to be as historically accurate as possible, I have taken the liberty of referring to the Klooga concentration camp, which was not actually established until September, 1943. I could also only find one reference to Narva being attacked intermittently by Russian bomber planes between 1941 and 1943, although in 1944 it was completely decimated by Soviet forces. The town was rebuilt after the war.
There is scant information about the Forest Brothers which has been translated into English; much of it is hearsay, or gleaned from stories passed down from generation to generation. Some books suggest that there was no formal hierarchy in the organisation, at least not in the initial stages, but this may just be another ‘fact’ passed onto the Soviet authorities in order to deflect unwanted attention from the group. The last Forest Brother came out of hiding in 1995, four years after Estonia finally regained independence. Over the course of my research, I read many books but some of them truly stood out and I would encourage you to read them if you’re interested in Eastern European history. They are: Estonian Life Stories, edited and translated by Tiina Kirss; Everything is Wonderful by Sigrid Rausing; Knitted Lace of Estonia: Techniques, Patterns and Traditions by Nancy Bush; Treasured Memories: Tales of Buried Belongings in Wartime Estonia by Mats Burström; Stalin’s Daughter by Rosemary Sullivan; Moscow 1941: A City and its People at War by Sir Rodric Braithwaite; Forest Brothers: the account of an Anti-Soviet Lithuanian Freedom Fighter 1944–1948 by Juozas Luksa.
There were many people who helped get this book over the line. First, thank you to Fiona McIntosh for recognising something in me that I did not realise was there and for allowing me to come to your classes. You are Wonder Woman. Thank you also to Lisa Chaplin for guiding me through the process of writing during the early stages when I really needed feedback, for teaching me how to torture my characters and how to write a great action scene. I appreciate your generosity and advice. Thank you to early readers Helen Selvey, Donna Cattana, Dasha Maiorova, Sarah Mendham, Liang Lim, Emma Woods and Mel Sargent for your encouragement and feedback. Thank you to Kate Forsyth, Natasha Lester and Tess Woods for sharing your writing wisdom with me. Grateful thanks to Ave Põlenik-Schweiger for her invaluable advice.
Thank you to the wonderful team at Simon & Schuster Australia; first and foremost, my very special publisher and editor, Roberta Ivers. Thank you for believing in this story. Thank you to Larissa Edwards, Fiona Henderson and Dan Ruffino for your enthusiastic support of this project and your infectious positivity. Kim Swivel, Claire De Medici and Vanessa Lanaway – your edits taught me so much and improved the manuscript beyond measure. Kirsty Noffke, the marketing team and the sales reps – thank you for your stellar efforts.
When I was researching this book, many people offered their time and knowledge to help me understand Baltic culture and Russian history. Thank you to Helle-Mall Risti, for showing me your ‘mystery shawl’ and sharing your memories of Estonia, and Maie Barrow from the Estonian Archives for translating the lullaby for me. Thank you Imants Viesis for telling me about your father, a real Latvian Forest Brother, and Ahti Arak, my Estonian guide, for smiling so tactfully even though you thought I was crazy to want to visit a rundown old factory on the edge of the Russian border. Thank you to the kind ladies of the Haapsalu knitting circle for showing me the ‘ring trick’ and demonstrating how shawls are made.
It would not be possible for me to write without the generous help and support of my family. Although I thank them last, in my heart they are always first. To my husband Michael, thank you for encouraging me to follow my dreams and for not complaining about spending our seventh wedding anniversary eating smoked fish in an Estonian retirement village. Thanks also to my wise and brilliant mum for minding my children and providing moral and mental support and my wonderful dad for cultivating my love of books and for travelling to the other side of the world with me on a hope and a prayer. Thank you to my husband’s parents for your constant encouragement. Lastly, thank you to my darling children, Lachlan and Lily, who were so disappointed to learn that I had not written Harry Potter or Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I’m sorry. I’ll do better next time. I love you both.
Fiona McIntosh Masterclasses
In the year 2000 Fiona McIntosh took a Writing Masterclass with author Bryce Courtenay and her life was irrevocably changed. A dozen years on, Bryce Courtenay asked Fiona – now a bestselling author in her own right – to continue his legacy in helping emerging writers find their place. And her life was irrevocably changed once again.
Since opening the doors to her Commercial Fiction Masterclass in early 2013 Fiona has helped writers from all over Australia take a step closer to their own publishing dreams, with more than a dozen graduates now holding publishing contracts or books in print, and eight graduates having signed with top five publishers.
Now publishers and writers alike are keen to be part of this valuable, practical week of no nonsense guidance into the world of commercial fiction. No gimmicks, no head in the clouds and no time for excuses, Fiona will just set you straight and propel you forward on your writing journey.
If you are serious about investing in yourself and taking your writing to another level, enquire today about the range of options open to you for both creative and/or professional development.
About the Author
Lauren Chater writes historical fiction with a particular focus on women’s stories. After working in the media sector for many years, she turned her passion for reading and research into a professional pursuit. In 2014, she was the successful recipient of the Fiona McIntosh Commercial Fiction Scholarship. In addition to writing fiction, Lauren established The Well Read Cookie, a blog which celebrates her love of baking and literature. The Lace Weaver is her first novel, and she is currently working on her second, Gulliver’s Wife. She lives in Sydney with her husband and two children.
Praise for The Lace Weaver