Keeper of unspoken words

Reader’ s Questions:

I already have received lots of nice emails commenting about “Keeper of unspoken words”. Thank you very much for that, I really appreciate this. At the same time, I received many individual questions about the book and its characters. I decided to answer those question here and accumulate the questions and I will add more question that arise.

1. How did Lou start to write and how did “Keeper of unspoken words” come together?

I have been writing my whole life, mostly short stories and my daily journal entrees. I have been reading since a young girl and I love what words and characters can do with our imagination. I have written my first book over twelve years ago and it was basically a novel based on my own story battling cancer and other issues growing up. I never have published this book and I doubt I ever will publish it, since it is way too personal. But at the time it helped me tremendously to overcome some deep issues in my life.

End of last year, also because of Corona and extra free time, I felt the urge again to start a new book. This book is still in the making and I expect it to be published in the autumn of 2021. While I am working on this book, a friend urged me to finally get my second book published. It took a while to get me convinced and once a title of the book was found, the rest fell really in place. In no time I found an editor and illustrator and people willing to help – like the time was finally right. Or maybe it was just me, finally being ready to share Marie and Louise’s story.

2. Are any of the characters real persons in Lou’s life? Or did any of the events really happen in Lou’s life? How did Lou come up with the story?

I think that every author takes some of their own experiences into their books. And certain events or situations from the book really happened in my own life. For example, I really use to travel for my job a lot, constantly attending customer visits and company conferences.  I am still in love with San Francisco after living there for so long and I love jogging. Louise and Marie’s favorite places in San Francisco are certainly my favorite places as well. But the main part of the story line originates actually from a coincidence: I was around elf years ago hold up in Chicago’s O’Hare airport on my way to San Francisco. Due to mechanical problems we had to wait over 4 hours to board the flight. During the time I met an older lady. I only remember her first name: Roberta. She was on her way to San Francisco as well, to move into her daughter’s house since she was suffering from a terminal illness. She had to give up her house and friends back in Chicago and had to start the last chapter of her life. We ended up sitting next to each other in the waiting area and she started to tell me a little bit of her life story and then she told me the story of her “Jean”. She has not seen that man in many years, lost contact but he really was the love of her life. The story really touched me and once in the plane and flying for more than four hours, I wrote down a narrative. Her story stayed with me and eventually I started to write down her anecdotes and the storyline came as I started it, probable filled with influences in my own life.

For example, the relationship between Louise and Marie was similar to a deep friendship and love that I experience with my grandmother and my best friend in San Francisco, both being the best advise givers you can asked for.  And the relationship of Jean and Luc was the relationship I witness by a close friend of mine.

3. Where did the advice come from that Louise gave Marie?

Like I explained already, I had strong women in my life that were always there for me, loved me and where I turned to if I needed advice, namely my Grandmother and my friend D. in San Francisco. Of course, I went through falling in love as well as separations and both really showed me what love really is.

4. Does Lou like lavender?

YES!! I love the fresh scent of lavender in soaps, shower gels, lotions, candles and I recently tried for the first time lavender cheese – delicious. The only think I don’t like is lavender ice-cream 😊

5. Is Lou busy with writing another book? And if, can she reveal anything about the story line? Does it have anything to do with “Keeper of unspoken words?” Similar topics?

“Keeper of unspoken words” was published during a time, as I am busy with completing a new book. The new book is totally different than “Keeper of unspoken words”.  The main theme is not love, although there is a little bit of it somewhere hidden in the words. The new story explores life’s possibilities and changes if one makes various choices with one given situation. The only thing about the story line that I am revealing is that the main character is a man and lots of international locations and for the rest you have to wait until the autumn.

6. Did Lou have a Jean or a Luc in her life?

Of course, I met Lucs and Jeans in my life, as did any woman I assume. But the story has nothing to do with those experiences but with the narrative of the old lady in the airport.

Release Date: 15.04.2021

Available here – just send me an email or fill out the contact form on this site.

Also available on Amazon.com and Amazon.de (European market)

Available now also at the local Bruna Bookshop in Vorden!

Price: 15,80 Euro excl. shipping (shipping cost per book: 4,60 Euro within Netherlands and 9,30 Euro Europe)

Email: Lou-J-Bakker@hotmail.com