She speaks…
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I was recently chatting to a reader who told me he enjoyed my blogs and mentioned that he’d like to see a Guest Blog from Kathy as she is so intimately connected with my work. She was up for it but I did wonder whether I’d done the right thing in inviting her to write whatever she liked, along with her choice of photographs. As any who know her are aware, she can be pretty straight talking.
Without any further ado, over to Kathy…
Partying in Hong Kong. The world of Tom Kydd had yet to open up…
But let us begin at the beginning, when we first met.
I was a brand new educational psychologist rolling up for my first job, at a special centre for disturbed youngsters. I had an appointment with the head of the centre but as it happened he’d been urgently called away and I was told to wait in the staff room. I was a bit flustered as I’d driven over 200 miles from my home town, and had only recently passed my driving test (from a family, I hasten to add, where no-one drove a car…) In the staff room a dark-haired young man came up to me and asked if he could point me to the right room. I apparently curtly told him I knew exactly where I was supposed to be! Later I learned his name, Julian Stockwin; he was also a psychologist and had thought I was one of the hard-case female problem teenagers!
Not a good start. But over the coming months I began to think I had been a little too harsh in my dismissal… He obviously had a huge intellect, and wasn’t all that bad looking, either. And his wicked sense of humour was a plus as well.
Cutting our wedding cake
In the UK I had a number of interesting roles – running a customer service department, executive headhunting, and work in the retail sector. Julian, meanwhile, was developing specialist systems that would go on to be adopted by NATO.
However it was a very stressful environment for him and after the project was successfully completed I knew it was time to take stock. To this day I’m not quite sure why I suggested he try his hand at writing a book. The only ‘writing’ he’d done was business reports. Female intuition? Or perhaps my days as an editor had given me a sense of innate writing ability. Anyway, after initial resistance, we decided on a plan. He’d give up the computer systems design and take a half-time job lecturing while he applied himself to learning the craft of writing a book.
The topic came fairly quickly – for someone with salt coursing through his veins what else but the sea? And the great age of fighting sail had always been a draw for him. But where was the focus, the story? That was the challenge.
Travelling the world for Tom Kydd
I was still working full-time at this stage as we were under no illusions that Julian becoming a published writer could take a very long time.
When the manuscript of the first book, Kydd, was completed to our satisfaction we made a list of the top agents in the UK and decided we would work our way down, prepared for many rejections. However the god of debut authors was smiling on us and the agent Carole Blake (the very first agent we contacted) replied saying she was interested in possibly representing Julian.
But before that happened we had to visit Carole in her office to pass scrutiny. Carole takes on very few new clients and while she is warm and charming she is a very formidable presence. However something clicked. Carole soon had auctions going on both sides of the Atlantic, and was negotiating foreign language rights, audiobook rights etc.
It was a dizzy first year when Kydd came out and we travelled all over the UK for author talks, book signings, media events.
Julian resigned from his part-time teaching post and we decided to take the big gamble of my giving up the day job so that both of us could work full time on the Kydd Series.
My role encompasses editing, being a sounding board, administration, marketing and publicity initiatives, some research – in fact almost everything except the actual writing of the books. Julian calls me his ‘reality manager’ – the interface between his eighteenth century and the world outside.
We’ve travelled the globe with Tom Kydd and it’s also been great fun putting together Stockwin’s Maritime Miscellany with him and latterly an exciting new project, a stand-alone historical, The Silk Tree (which comes out in November). The Kydd series will continue, with a new book each year, but I’m delighted to see Julian’s maturing as a writer in tackling these other projects.
Team Stockwin!
As I look back on our life so far I celebrate what we have experienced together and look forward enthusiastically to whatever the future may bring.
Julian Stockwin 
i really enjoyed Kathy’s post. Being a confirmed romantic, I could very easily have seen myself living and working in the Far East particularly Hong Kong.
What a lovely story! It’s so good to read about a favourite authors background. Being, well having being, a Navy man myself for 32 years, I know that te woman behind the (naval) man is so important, and that is what you have been, Kathy to Julian, just like my Edith has been all those years. I’m a struggling writer myself, having published three books so far, but I’m hoping for a breakthrough at the moment and my E., as I call her, is a great supporter, just like you are for Julian. (Besides, you’re a good looking couple, the female part that is.) Tnaks for sharing your story! And that’s in the Dutch sense, not in the American Dr Phil way! Greetings!
Three cheers for Team Stockwin.
Good things come from Tasmania
Dear Julian, Great post from Kathy. What great adventures the two of you have had. While living in Germany I also worked on a NATO project for the new Tornado Fighter. Met many of my British friends during that time. Looking forward to reading “The Silk Tree”. Jim Dobie
This is a fabulous account of the Stockwin’s history. I have thoroughly enjoyed the Kydd series although I normally lose interest in multiple books by the same author. This has not been the case in the Kydd series and I always look forward to the next adventure. Thanks, Ed Hawie
Julian .. you can’t imagine how delightful this insight from Kathy struck one of your readers. You married up; no two ways about it. ;>)
It is wonderful to hear the spouse’s perspective. I love the series, and try to dole it out slowly so there’s always a few waiting in reserve. I am always fascinated by the historical and geographical backgrounds of the books, and look forward to getting back into the tempo of the language.
An extremely interesting article-keep them coming. I wish other authors were so interested in their readers!!! I’m about three-quarters through the series and enjoying it very much. I grew up with Hornblower and later in life discovered the outstanding Patrick O’Brian. I like how Julian has tackled the rise from Able Seaman to Naval Officer.
MJGW. Hampton.
I really enjoyed reading the above background, and it spoke volumes more of the family commitment to the writings on Kydd.
Looking forward to your next one, later this year.
Dave Marriott
BZ Great Team look forward to the next adventure of you both and of course Kydd.
Made my Monday. Thank goodness y’all found each other. Must’ve made your day, too ;^D
How delightful to read of your multifaceted journey together. No wonder Kydd is so well crafted!
Julian, you are one lucky sailor to have Kathy on the quarterdeck with you. Perhaps Kydd will find a likely soulmate just like her.
Finally! a Woman’s point of view! I really look forward to hearing more from you Kathy.
As the saying goes; Behind every great man….
You have the helm Kathy
What a team!! And what an interesting story!
My question is this : With all the places you’ve been around the world, how did you decide that KYDD would hail from Guildford?
We lived in Guildford at the time and it fitted with the story line…
excellent to hear from the missus. Thank you for helping your husband to enlighten us with his stories, sail on!
great post Kathy and a great story.
Thanks, Mike!