An award-winning author with emotional links to the island is appealing for help to research her new novel.

Shirley Mann is currently working on the fourth book in her series of wartime romance sagas and she intends to set the book in one of the internment camps on the Isle of Man.

She is asking if people with any memories of the Rushen internment camp in particular would get in touch and share their memories with her.

The former journalist and filmmaker-turned romantic author said that she wants to make her story as authentic and as true to the times as possible and would like to be able to draw on real-life memories.

’I am desperate for personal stories about what life was like in the Rushen internment camp,’ said Shirley.

’I am very aware that there aren’t many people left now with first-hand experience of life during the second world war, but hopefully there maybe some who was there who would like to share their stories with me, or even if anyone has relatives who may remember, although.

’I’m trying to find out what it was like to be behind the wire and to mix with all those different people who were interned there.

’I hope to find out the personal stories that will bring my stories to life and make it real.’

Shirley is currently developing the characters for the as-yet un-named book and is to make her heroine a member of the police force.

’That was one of the unusual things that the war threw up, as women weren’t really allowed to become policemen before the war.

’I am also working on the idea of having the hero figure in the book an injured RAF pilot who returns to the island and becomes a lifeboatman.

’I would love to speak to people who know about the lifeboats and the RNLI during that time.

’That is an idea I have formed since coming here, as the connection with the island and the sea is so huge.’

Shirley has previously released two books, with her first, Lily’s War, based on the real life of her parents, who eventually came to live in Castletown.

Her mother was a WAAF wireless operator, and her father was a soldier in the Eighth Army, who saw action in many of the key battlefields.

Both have since died and are buried at Malew Church.

’The Isle of Man has such a special place in my heart, as it’s the place where their own story ended.’

Her second book, ’Bobby’s War’, based around an ATA pilot, recently won the Romantic Saga Novel of 2021 award. Her third, ’Hannah’s War’, will be released during October.

Shirley can be contacted via email at [email protected] or through shirleymannauthor.home.blog