Today’s interview is with Penny Haw about her historical novel, The Invincible Miss Cust.
Bio:
Penny Haw worked as a journalist and columnist for more than three decades, writing for many leading South African newspapers and magazines before yielding to a lifelong yearning to create fiction. Her stories feature remarkable women, illustrate her love for nature and animals, and explore the interconnectedness of all living things. Her children’s book, Nicko was published in 2017. It was followed by a work of contemporary fiction, The Wilderness Between Us in 2021. Penny’s debut historical fiction, The Invincible Miss Cust (Sourcebooks) is based on the life of Britain and Ireland’s first woman veterinary surgeon, Aleen Cust. A second work of historical fiction will be published, also by Sourcebooks, in 2023. Penny lives in Hout Bay near Cape Town, South Africa with her husband and three dogs, all of whom are well-walked.
Welcome Penny. Please tell us about your current release.
The Invincible Miss Cust is based on the real life of Aleen Cust, who defied her family and society to become Britain and Ireland’s first woman veterinary surgeon. Aleen was born in Ireland in 1868 to an aristocratic English family. She decided at a young age that she wanted to work with animals. When she discovered what a veterinary surgeon did, she was determined to become one. Her family was appalled. It was the Victorian era and girls were barely educated. They were expected to marry, have children, and take care of the home. They didn’t go to university and follow professions. Women certainly didn’t work with beasts! Aleen, however, persevered, and finally found a veterinary college in Scotland to accept her. She was, it seemed, on her way to becoming a veterinary surgeon. What she didn’t know was that many of her greatest challenges lay ahead. The Invincible Miss Cust tells a story of ambition, determination, family, friendship, and passion. It’s a story that women of today will recognize, of battling patriarchy and an unequal society to realize one’s dream.
What inspired you to write this book?
I grew up on a farm and love animals as much as I enjoy storytelling and writing. As a child, I fantasized about being a veterinary surgeon so, after I’d finished my previous book—The Wilderness Between Us, recent recipient of the 2022 Women’s Fiction Writers Association (WFWA) Star Award—I thought I might set my next book in a veterinary practice with a strong woman protagonist. This led me to research the history of women veterinary surgeons, which was when I came across Aleen Cust. Her story is remarkable. I was drawn to Aleen’s determination and inspired by what she was prepared to do to live a life of purpose, the life she wanted. In so doing, she paved the way for other women. When I discovered that, aside from a short biography written by fellow woman veterinary surgeon, Connie Ford and published in 1990, no one had written extensively about Aleen, I couldn’t resist the project. I absolutely loved writing The Invincible Miss Cust and hope that readers will enjoy reading it too.
Excerpt from The Invincible Miss Cust:
During my first week there, I made calls with Mr. Spreull. We rode down the cobbled streets of Dundee and onto the country roads side-by-side. When the paths were clear and the fields wide, I longed to gallop, but with Mr. Spreull at my side, I never urged my horse faster than a canter, during which he kept up an endless stream of conversation. Mr. Spreull was an accomplished rider but not, it seemed initially, inclined toward speed and cross-country adventure.
Mr. Spreull’s clients made no attempts to disguise their surprise when I rode into their yards alongside him.
“Your daughter then, Mr. Spreull?”
“Out for a social ride, are you, Mr. Spreull?”
“The lass lost her way, then?”
He responded with the same firm introduction. “This is Miss Cust, trainee veterinary surgeon. She is here for the animals and will be working alongside me today. In fact, she will do the work, while I observe.”
The first two farmers we visited together tipped their hats in my direction and were congenial if, it seemed to me, only for Mr. Spreull’s sake. The third, Mr. Andrews, however, gave me a disbelieving glance and then ignored me, even as I sunk my arm into his cow, turned her calf, pulled him free of his mother and placed him in front of her to clean. All the while, Mr. Spreull leaned against a fence, nodding, and clicking his tongue.
“Well done,” he said, as we left the barn. “Mr. Andrews, will you bring Miss Cust some clean water to wash with, please?”
Mr. Andrews dropped the bucket at my feet, water splashing my already wet skirts. I glanced at Mr. Spreull. He narrowed his eyes but said nothing until we had ridden some distance from the farmyard.
“You are going to have to behave more like a veterinary surgeon and less like an English aristocrat if you are to succeed in this business, Miss Cust.”
I thought I had misheard him. “English aristocrat?”
“Yes. Well, of course, I know that is what you are, but it is unlikely to work in your favor in this business.”
“What do you mean, Mr. Spreull?”
“Mr. Andrews was disrespectful. He glared at me while you did the work and pulled his calf—which you did extremely well, I might add. He wanted me to stop you. I ignored him but you should not have.”
“What should I have said? Done?”
“That is not for me but for you to decide. This is a proud and honorable profession, Miss Cust. Veterinary surgeons are respected, as they should be. Regardless of their gender.” He looked at me, his eyebrows low and his gaze stern. “I am not proposing you respond with equal rudeness, but you need to work out how to convince clients you are as capable as I know you are. If you do not, they will not believe it.”
I saw his point, but not entirely. “How was my behavior that of an English aristocrat?”
“You pretended you did not notice his snub. You politely ignored it. He responded by practically throwing a bucket of water at you. What if I had not been there and you had needed Mr. Andrews to help you do something? It is crucial, Miss Cust, that our clients listen to us and do our bidding. You need to be more forceful. Assert your confidence. Do not expect deference. You will not always get it. Insist on it.”
As we rode back to town, I thought about what Mr. Spreull had said. I had, over the years, won the respect of my classmates. It took time but, seeing me as they did every day, I had essentially won them over. It was going to be more difficult among clients, who only saw me occasionally. I would have to work out how to quickly win them over.
What exciting story are you working on next?
I’ve written an additional work of historical fiction featuring another trailblazing woman whose genius and endeavors have gone relatively unnoticed until recently. It will also be published by Sourcebooks. We’ll reveal more about it shortly.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I’ve worked as a journalist and writer for more than thirty years. However, during the past five years, I’ve been writing fiction and now, with three books published and another on the way, I am an author. It’s been an enjoyable and rewarding transition.
Do you write full-time? If so, what’s your workday like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?
I write full-time. My career as a journalist has given me a pragmatic, disciplined approach to writing. I set myself deadlines and approach my writing like a job. It helps that I really love it, enjoy being in my office and love the creativity allowed by fiction.
What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I’m intrigued by how walking on the mountain with my dogs jiggles my creativity. Often, when I am working on something and then leave it to go walking, I’m surprised by thoughts and phrases that pop up in my head. The curious thing is that they arrive without me realizing that I was even thinking about the writing or the story. Of course, novelists and poets have long believed that walking and writing are somehow connected. More recently, their theory has been supported by science. A study conducted by researchers at Stanford University found that mental tasks that require imagination are better achieved while walking than while sitting. So, perhaps it’s not a quirk at all. It’s how we’re wired. However, it continues to catch me by surprise.
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
As I mentioned earlier, I dreamed about becoming a veterinary surgeon when I was a girl. I used to walk around the farm telling myself stories about the animals I’d save and adventures I’d have as Penny the Vet. In a way, it feels like I have come full circle by writing Aleen Cust’s story—particularly given that I wrote it in the first person. It’s as if Aleen’s story was the one I was preparing to tell when I was a child.
Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
Social media and other online platforms make it easier than ever for readers to engage with authors. If you enjoy a book, don’t hesitate to contact the author, and let them know. It’s so rewarding to hear from readers. Also, don’t forget to write reviews. Even the shortest reviews are greatly appreciated. Thank you!
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