1. Poppins Lane includes some difficult topics. How was that for you personally?
Writing about child sexual abuse was challenging for me in a few ways. First, I had to contend with some personal issues, which made the topic sensitive. I didn't want to expose anyone, so I was careful. Second, it was challenging to discuss the stories I had heard over the years as a licensed clinical social worker. I wanted to accurately express the anguish and pain these people had to live with their whole lives. It was essential to do it right.
2. What sort of research did you have to do for the book?
Some of you may be surprised by how social norms have changed regarding child sexual abuse over time. In Roman and Greek times sex with minors if not the norm, certainly wasn’t frowned upon… particularly with slaves. Emperor Tiberius had some especially horrible practices with children at his estate on Capri. It's important to consider that cultural norms in earlier periods were different. Children were married much younger, and often to older husbands. If the bride was underage, they may wait to consummate things once the girl was sexually able. We today consider a sexual act with a 13 year old as horrific, but it didn't have the same negative connotation then. They didn't necessarily consider it as sexual predation.
It was the Statute of Westminster the First 1275 (3 Edw 1) during the reign of Edward I that set the legal consent age at 12. Still, historians found records that adults in elite households in 15th- and 16th-century Europe sometimes treated young children as sexual playthings. According to a diary kept by the royal physician, members of the French royal court fondled Louis XIII (the future King of France) and ladies in waiting played sexual games with him.
Additionally, I learned a lot about the types of people who abuse children through my professional work and discussions with colleagues. Letters, diaries, memos, court records, depositions, and lawsuits provided information. Many victims have written memoirs. Here is the take-a-way. THERE IS NO TYPE! Also, sexual abusers are usually someone the victim knows.
3. How long did it take you to write it?
I am a storyteller who writes fiction. It took me over a year to finish this book. Every morning, I wrote for a few hours, and whenever I had a thought, idea, or new revelation, I would jot it down. I had two editors before submitting this work to the publisher. I wanted to craft a fictional story supported by extensive research so it would feel real and believable. I focused on family and community, and my novel follows this family for 35 years. Making the characters believable took a lot of time.
4. What can you tell us about the cover?
I took my first art lesson in 7th grade when I was 12 years old and have painted ever since. In Newburyport, Massachusetts, I saw a pink Victorian house on the corner of High and State Streets and wondered who lived there. We called it the "Pepto-Bismol" House because it was the exact pink color. Often, I would drive past this beautiful house. I decided that secrets could be hidden in a house like that; no one would suspect it. I wanted the cover to look pleasing, as if a perfectly normal family lived there, without hinting that anything was wrong. The idea was to make it look like nothing bad was happening in this pretty pink house, but eventually, the secrets revealed themselves. The cover is my oil painting.
5. Do you have a favorite character in the story?
My favorite character in the novel is Susan. She is the narrator of the book, the person who tells the story of what happened to her. She has to deal with the aftermath of the abuse, the torment of not speaking, the urges to do it herself. I think she is a gutsy and strong person, and I admire her courage.
The other favorite character was Lily, the mother. She took a bit of a beating in the story, having her husband leave her for the proverbial younger woman after devoting her life to helping the doctor. However, she was a resilient woman who partnered with Penny Long, went into business traveling Europe, and became rich and famous. I loved her spirit and her spunk. A modern woman right in my heart!
6. Can you tell us a little about your writing process
When I start to write a story, I do it every day. When I'm away from my desk and have a thought, I jot it down in my iPhone. I'm always thinking about the subject. Always reading newspapers, searching for books, exploring other ways to find information, the information I need. It's like having a baby; when I write a book, I’m developing my story, creating dialogue, and until it’s finished, I keep it close. I try to make it perfect but of course it never is and it’s almost impossible for me to say I’m done. At least one of the stories I’ve written had to go in the fridge for a while as I sorted things out in my mind.
7. Do you have any other projects planned?
I am already working on my next book. It is about a woman who grows up in a small town and makes choices that backfire on her. Still ironing out the plot.
8. Do you have any events planned?
My book launch is scheduled for December 2, 2025, at the Broken Sound Club in Boca Raton, Florida 33496. I anticipate about 75 attendees. Developing dates now for other events in South Florida and Massachusetts. Stay tuned!
My Website:
https://www.patriciarohner.com/
Meet me on You-tube:
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/66CHtBLoyyY
Find a copy of the book here
