This week’s Inheritance Books are from romance novelist Lin Treadgold.

Hi Lin, welcome to Inheritance Books. Please tell us a bit about yourself.

Thank you Rhoda for inviting me to your blog.  I write under my own name of Lin Treadgold and my genre is romance, I enjoy writing sagas. I am a member of both the Romantic Novelists’ Association and the Society of Authors.  I am into nature conservation issues, a birdwatcher, and also support the future of the orangutan in Borneo.

My first book Goodbye, Henrietta Street is due to be published on 1^st July 2013. It is the story of Pippa and Sven who meet on the Isles of Scilly in Cornwall, but how can they remain just good friends, will one kiss change everything?

Which book have you inherited from a generation above? Why is it special?

My book is not so much a family heirloom. Sadly, Mum never left me any books that were of value and she wasn’t a reader either.  However, I do have a favourite old book which is worth discussing and was probably handed down to the right person!  A number of years ago I was at a bird fair in the north east of England and found, for the princely sum of £10, a little book called Illustrated Sketches of  Natural History.  Inside the front cover is a message ‘Prize – William Richardson, High Lane Church Sunday School’ Dated January 19 1877. I love this book because it keeps as a poignant reminder of how the species of the natural world are declining so fast. For example there are illustrations of the extinct Tasmanian Tiger which existed in 1877. ‘It is not all choice to its diet but devours, when hungry, almost anything that comes in its way’ Another species worth noting is The Quagga’ an intermediate between a zebra and a horse from South Africa. The book says: The Quagga is a handsome, well formed animal, approaching to the horse in general outline and indeed it has been placed by some writers, among true horses. It’s an animal which associates together in large herds and they are much hunted by the natives.’ Sad to say the natives did eventually hunt the quagga to extinction. The illustrations are very basic, because at that time the only way you could draw an animal was to shoot it first or guess what it looked like. I find this book fascinating due to the naivety of the writer. Last week on TV I noted the Bactrian Camel, now  in steep decline.  Here is what the book says: The Bactrian Camels are found in considerable numbers and not so well adapted for long journeys where little or no water can be obtained. It cannot remain without water as the Arabian Camel does and was not designed by the Creator to live on so thirsty a soil’

I would also like to find out who William Richardson was. I am sure his family must still be around.

Wouldn’t it be interesting to find out how that book went from William Richardson to you. And, do you have any a book you’d leave to generations below? 

I have recently invested in a valuable collection of Charles Dickens leather bound volumes from 1886. They are in pristine condition and certainly worth passing down to the next generation. Of course, my own first novel is my legacy to my children. Mainly because of the reminders of how the wildlife used to be in 1986 to present dates.  The story encompasses a nature conservation theme as well.

Thank you for sharing your Inheritance Books Lin. All the best with your new book.

Lin’s first novel Goodbye Henrietta Street is published by Safkhet Publishing and is available now. If you want to find out more about Lin, you can find her on her blog and Facebook. If you’re interested in saving the habitat of Orangutans, you can find out more at Forests for Orangutans.