Synopsis – Troubled Times for Tilly
A gripping saga of courage, resilience and fractured dreams, set in Victorian London.
Life on the river has never been easy for Tilly and Sam, but through hard work and determination, they’ve built a home filled with love. Joey, Tilly’s eldest son, has lived between two worlds—cherished as her child but granted privileges, denied to her other children, through his wealthy birth father’s family. It’s a fine balance that has always held… until an incident at a glittering Celebration Ball shatters the fragile harmony.
Tilly fears the consequences, especially when her spirited, headstrong daughter Martha is involved. Martha has ideas of her own. How will she fare when she faces Joey’s entitled friends and their easy lives?
Disaster strikes Sam’s business, shaking the family’s foundation. Tilly’s worst fears come to life when Joey’s affluent relatives start making plans to reclaim him. Tilly is torn between fighting for her son and respecting his dreams.
As old wounds reopen and new temptations arise, Tilly must summon all her strength to keep her family together. But will love and loyalty be enough, or will the promise of wealth and comfort lure her children away forever?
A Powerful follow-up to The Water Gypsy. Perfect for fans of Anna Jacobs and Dilly Court
Author Bio
Kay Seeley is a talented storyteller and bestselling author. Her short stories have been published in women’s magazines and short-listed in competitions. Her novels had been finalists in The Wishing Shelf Book Awards. She lives in London and loves its history. Her stories are well researched and beautifully written with compelling characters where love triumphs over adversity. Kay writes stories that will capture your heart and leave you wanting more. Often heart-wrenching but always satisfyingly uplifting, her books are perfect for fans of Anna Jacobs, Lesley Pearse and Josephine Cox.
Kay is a Member of The Alliance of Indie Authors and The Society of Women Writers and Journalists.
All her novels are available for Kindle, in paperback, audio and in Large Print
Social Media Links –
Webpage: https://kayseeleyauthor.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kayseeley.writer/
Twitter/X: https://x.com/KaySeeley1
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kayseeley6
Author Q&A
Tell us about Troubled Times for Tilly and what inspired you to write it?
Troubled times for Tilly is the second Water Gypsy book. I wrote it as I wanted to know what happened to the characters after The Water Gypsy had finished. It’s always difficult leaving characters when you finish writing a book and lovely to get the chance to revisit them.
What drives your book, the plot or the characters?
Characters. I don’t plot so I depend on the characters to tell me their story.
You write historical fiction. What attracted you to this genre?
I’ve always been interested in history and how people lived in the past. Everyone today is descended from someone who lived in the Victorian era. I find their everyday lives fascinating and enjoy writing about them. People’s emotions don’t change, neither do family relationships, they’re eternal.
How much research do you do and how do you do it?
I do a lot of research because I enjoy it. I read a lot of books and visit the places where my books are set. As they are all set in London this isn’t difficult. For Troubled Times for Tilly I visited The Royal Naval College in Greenwich (part of which is now Greenwich University). I learned snippets of history which I was able to include in the book.
I love the cover of Troubled Times for tilly. Did you design it yourself?
Not entirely. I chose the photos and the colours and my lovely cover designer put it all together for me. I love all my covers.
What was your favourite book as a child?
Black Beauty by Anna Sewell. Loved it.
Do you have a favourite place to write?
I have an office where the serious work is done but, if it’s sunny enough, I often sit in the garden with a pen and pad and draft scenes for the novel which I type up the next morning.
