We are very pleased to be giving away two copies of Vivienne Lingard’s book, ‘Mrs Forsythe’, to our GrownUps members.
All you need to do to enter the draw is be a GrownUps member, make sure you’re signed up to our newsletter and fill in your details near the bottom of the page!
About Mrs Forsythe
A thought-provoking novel from New Zealand author Vivienne Lingard explores the life of women of an earlier generation.
Marjorie Forsythe, reluctant wife and mother, has yearned for the time she can be on her own, and finally, the day has come. It is 1970s Wellington, and the city beckons her to explore a different life, where her options and choices are based on her talents and intellect rather than on societal norms. But will Marjorie’s brittleness with family and friends soften when she finally has, as Virginia Woolf says, ‘a room of one’s own’, and opportunities arise to be more than mere housewife or mother? Will she ever be able to give and receive the love she needs and others wish for?
Author Note
‘The genesis for this book began during our writing group’s monthly critique meeting when we were discussing women of our mothers’ generation and trying to visualise their interior lives, sharing the stories of women we knew. Some seemed happy to work in the home and raise families, often of significant size, but others were clearly let down by the promise that marriage signified, finding no opportunity to fulfil their own potential or pastimes. These stories highlighted how some of these women were unable to engage on a warm emotional level with their children. One member in the writing group, a strong advocate for the liberation of women, urged me to write about such a woman from earlier times. But, should I? Could I? I considered this for ages, until I finally plunged into the first draft and began shaping the character of Marjorie, a woman possessing a brilliant intellect but lacking the capacity to develop meaningful personal relationships.
The setting is vital to the ambience of any novel, and I chose Wellington city for mine, focusing on the places I knew from the 1970s. I literally had my protagonist walk the same paths I used to walk around the city centre – rather like the circuit Virginia Woolf took through Bloomsbury while writing Mrs Dalloway.
My own experience of Wellington helped shape the authenticity of my narrative, although I did delve into the city archives to clarify just what had happened when; whether it was the nature of public transport, national and local politics, sporting events, or music. I also needed to know where cinemas stood and what films were shown throughout the 1970s, as films and music are significant throughout.
More research was required in other areas as Marjorie was hell-bent on challenging herself, seeking validation for her untapped talents. This research included gaining knowledge of ballroom dance techniques, philosophy, photography and Māori language lessons. My own knowledge of classroom practices helped here too.
And when I moved Marjorie to Lyall Bay a little later in the narrative it was for a specific purpose; its close proximity to the coast and Wellington’s infamous weather. The unsettled nature of the environment is intended to reflect Marjorie’s volatile character and provide a metaphor for her behaviour – the Yin and Yang of Marjorie’s psyche.’
About the Author
Vivienne Lingard is an artist, illustrator and writer. Mrs Forsythe is her second novel.
She has previously published Pocket Money & other stories (2022), and the fictional memoir The (almost) True story of a Man called Jack (2020).
Originally from Silverstream, Hutt Valley, Vivienne now lives in Devonport, Auckland.
She worked as an illustrator and artist before entering university as a mature student. Soon after graduation she taught English in Japan, where her fiction writing began.
She has a BEd (Massey University), a Cambridge Certificate in ESOL (International House, Barcelona), a Masters in Creative Writing (University of Auckland), and was awarded a NZSA mentorship to complete the draft of another novel. She has also studied short story and travel writing at Massey University, and was selected to join a short story masterclass with writer and editor Tom Jenks in San Francisco.
Vivienne continues her art practice alongside her writing, and plans to combine the two skills. Her next book will be a graphic novel.
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Terms and conditions
- You must be a GrownUps member and receive our newsletter to be eligible to win.
- Competition closes on the 26th March 2025, winners will be notified via email by 27th March 2025.
- It is your responsibility to ensure you correctly enter a New Zealand postal address where the prize can be sent. GrownUps will not take responsibility for prizes sent to incorrect addresses.
- Winners are drawn at random by the GrownUps administration team.
- GrownUps employees and family are not eligible to enter.
- By entering the giveaway, you approve for GrownUps to use your name on social media as winner of the competition.
- One entry per household.
- Prize in non transferrable.
- You must reside in New Zealand – the prize can only be redeemed within New Zealand.
- You must be over 50 years of age to enter, please check your details are correct in your membership dashboard.
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