Derbyhaven resident David Evans has published his first novel, inspired by a childhood memory of hearing that his mother had died.

David, 68, who writes under the name Marion Prince, started writing ‘Women Cry Men Lie’ as a Covid lockdown project and it was published last month.

He describes it as a story centred around the sometimes unbreakable, and sometimes fragile, bonds of family love, the search for love, of murder, romance and suspense.

The blurb reads: ‘London 1938. In a world dominated by men, three Irish sisters, and the estranged daughter of an English aristocrat, must all fight to survive the lies, lust, and lascivious behaviour of the men who want to dominate them.’

David said: ‘During my life, I’ve made up stories and written poetry, but until now, keeping the former locked inside my head, and the latter, scribbled only on cards or letters, as tokens of love and affection.

‘But, then coronavirus came along, and together with countless others, I took the plunge.

‘But void of any creative writing experience, and with no family or friends with a writing background to turn to for advice, I did what I thought best in order to get started.

‘I visited my local library and took away a book by Stephen King, on how to write a novel.’

He explained the inspiration for the book came from an image that has occupied the depths of my mind since he was a 10-year-old child.

‘It lodged itself there on the day I stood, afraid, behind the front door, listening to a policeman inform my father that my mother had died,’ he said.

‘Whatever else I may go on to write and share, I’d like to believe that nothing else will give me greater personal satisfaction than having my mother’s image resurrected through the pages of my first published book.

‘And, should you decide to read it, I sincerely hope that when you reach the end, she fills your head with loving thoughts, the way she continues to fill mine.’

He told Island Life that writing the first draft was ‘a real labour of love’ that only took five months.

He described the editing process as a ‘real slog’ which took a lot longer ‘though worth every second when I got to see a copy of the finished novel’.

So much so in fact that it spurred David on to finish his next novel as well.

And David has recently finished the third book in a series of children’s picture books about the adventures of a Wandering Albatross called Al.

‘Family has been my inspiration,’ he explained. My mother, in “Women Cry Men Lie”, and my four grandchildren, in “The Adventures of Al The Wandering Albatross”.’

He added: ‘I hope to publish book one in the series in the near future, once I find a suitable illustrator to bring the stories to life. Maybe one of your readers?’

David lives with his wife Lorraine in Derbyhaven. They settled in the island earlier this year from South Africa. They also spent two years in the island from 2014.

His pen name is derived from the names of two small islands, lying midway from the coast of South Africa and the northern shores of Antarctica, in the Southern Indian Ocean, Marion and Prince Edward.

‘Inhospitable to the likes of you or me, but a sanctuary to mating birds, seals, and penguins,’ he said.

As well as being available now through all major retailers, online portals, signed copies of ‘Women Cry Men Lie’ will soon be available for purchase at Gas Light gift shop in Castletown.

Full details of the offer can be found on the Marion Prince website at www.marionpriceauthor.com