AMA with author Suzanne Heywood - Thursday 1st June

[NicolaDMumsnet]

Hello,

We’re pleased to announce that author Suzanne Heywood will be doing an AMA tomorrow evening (Thursday 1st June) in the wake of her latest book Wavewalker.

More about the book:

Aged just seven, Suzanne Heywood set sail with her parents and brother on a three-year voyage around the world. What followed turned instead into a decade-long way of life, through storms, shipwrecks, reefs and isolation, with little formal schooling. No one else knew where they were most of the time and no state showed any interest in what was happening to the children.

Suzanne fought her parents, longing to return to England and to education and stability. This memoir covers her astonishing upbringing, a survival story of a child deprived of safety, friendships, schooling and occasionally drinking water... at seventeen Suzanne earned an interview at Oxford University and returned to the UK.

From the bestselling author of What Does Jeremy Think?, Wavewalker is the incredible true story of how the adventure of a lifetime became one child's worst nightmare - and how her determination to educate herself enabled her to escape.

The AMA will open for questions tomorrow evening at 5pm.

As always, please remember our guidelines - one question per user, follow-ups only if there’s time and most questions have been answered, and please keep it civil.

Suzanne has signed 50 copies of the book exclusively for Mumsnet users. You can purchase your signed copy here.

@ZombiesAreClammyDodgers thank you so much! I am not sure who the music is by either (it's always tricky finding music you can use for a video that you also like!).

If anyone else would like to see it, it is on

Hi, I loved your book.

I wondered if you’d read ‘Survive the Savage Sea’ about a similar voyage (?) Another brilliant read. Or, indeed, met Dougal in the past or his family?

The daughter there interestingly left the boat when she was able to do so. The fact they survived by killing turtles & catching rainwater, incredible.

I am a similar age & looking at my friends/my childhood , it’s incomprehensible through today’s lens. There’s a danger you can be too indulgent with your own children - mine had more books than the local library I think!

Thanks @Peverellshire . I am aware of the book but never met Dougal. It was the book my mother always cited to explain her fear of whales! I know of several other boats where the children managed to get away. Unfortunately because we left the UK when I was so young, and I had no contact with my family after we left, I had nowhere to go (and no passport or money). I am so glad you enjoyed the book - please leave a review if you get a chance! Suzanne

Will do, I think you said you remembered your Granny only by her handbag? Sad you missed out on a relationship here. I felt things may have been better balanced & positives really likely to outweigh negatives if 2 years max (?) 8 years was a lifetime at your age (?)

Thanks @Peverellshire . Yes I agree. Putting aside the shipwreck (!) I think the experience could have been positive if it had been only a year or so - or maybe if my father had sailed alone with crew and we had joined him at stops along the way. There are many ways of doing this if you are desperate to have an adventure that takes account of your children's legitimate needs/rights for an education, a social life and of course access to medical care etc.