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| Livi Michael draws on her northern, working class roots to bring the Lancashire Witches back to life | Livi Michael draws on her northern, working class roots to bring the Lancashire Witches back to life |
| (21 days later) | |
| Livi Michael defines herself as a northern working class writer and keeps things as simple as that: | Livi Michael defines herself as a northern working class writer and keeps things as simple as that: |
| I write from a female working class perspective. My politics are driven from where I come from. It is an emotional bias that stays with you all your life. Politics is more than an intellectual position. Even though I live a respectable life, I recognise that class bias still exists in society and I cannot help but be on that side. | I write from a female working class perspective. My politics are driven from where I come from. It is an emotional bias that stays with you all your life. Politics is more than an intellectual position. Even though I live a respectable life, I recognise that class bias still exists in society and I cannot help but be on that side. |
Her first novel Under a Thin Moon, published when she was 32, was set in Ashton-under-Lyne, where she once lived. It is a story about Thatcherism and its effects on a young single mother who is living on a council estate, and about the limited options available to her. Its theme was described as 'northern realism' when it came out in 1992. That does not seem dated 20 later. | Her first novel Under a Thin Moon, published when she was 32, was set in Ashton-under-Lyne, where she once lived. It is a story about Thatcherism and its effects on a young single mother who is living on a council estate, and about the limited options available to her. Its theme was described as 'northern realism' when it came out in 1992. That does not seem dated 20 later. |
| Since Moon she has written four novels for adults and 12 for children. Her latest book is Malkin Child, commissioned by the Lancashire Literature Festival. They asked her to write a book for children based on the story of Jennet Device, the nine-year-old girl whose evidence in the notorious Pendle Witches trial of 1612 led to the hanging of her family and friends. Livi sees many parallels with her own life | Since Moon she has written four novels for adults and 12 for children. Her latest book is Malkin Child, commissioned by the Lancashire Literature Festival. They asked her to write a book for children based on the story of Jennet Device, the nine-year-old girl whose evidence in the notorious Pendle Witches trial of 1612 led to the hanging of her family and friends. Livi sees many parallels with her own life |
| The book made me ask questions about myself that I hadn't thought about…what do I think about witchcraft, not the New Age type, basically I didn't want to say it cannot/doesn't exist, I think that Jennet lived in so different a world, to live in it would demand different rules, a different language and different ways of seeing. | The book made me ask questions about myself that I hadn't thought about…what do I think about witchcraft, not the New Age type, basically I didn't want to say it cannot/doesn't exist, I think that Jennet lived in so different a world, to live in it would demand different rules, a different language and different ways of seeing. |
Life in the northwest has changed beyond all comparisons since 1612, but Livi still sees parallels with the way in which certain sectors of society are treated. | Life in the northwest has changed beyond all comparisons since 1612, but Livi still sees parallels with the way in which certain sectors of society are treated. |
| Jennet's family were very poor, Alison (her sister) had to go begging regularly, James (her brother) did go poaching, which was a criminal activity but it was their way of life. None of them could read or write. It is hard to know what position they had in the community, their mother was known as a witch but if they had any powers would they be that poor? | Jennet's family were very poor, Alison (her sister) had to go begging regularly, James (her brother) did go poaching, which was a criminal activity but it was their way of life. None of them could read or write. It is hard to know what position they had in the community, their mother was known as a witch but if they had any powers would they be that poor? |
| Livi was brought up by her grandmother in Collyhurst in Manchester. Her grandmother was born in 1900 and had a distinct Lancashire dialect. Livi says: | Livi was brought up by her grandmother in Collyhurst in Manchester. Her grandmother was born in 1900 and had a distinct Lancashire dialect. Livi says: |
| My gran used herbal remedies because she couldn't afford a doctor…but she wasn't going to be accused of being a witch, but 300 years previously she certainly could have been. | My gran used herbal remedies because she couldn't afford a doctor…but she wasn't going to be accused of being a witch, but 300 years previously she certainly could have been. |
Livi is fascinated by the 17th century because of the great social changes that took place over its 100 years. | Livi is fascinated by the 17th century because of the great social changes that took place over its 100 years. |
| Within 20 years of the Pendle Witch trials everything had changed. King James I had died and his son Charles I was more sympathetic to Roman Catholics; medicine had also progressed and could explain strange marks on people's bodies. It probably couldn't have happened at any other time in history but it was massively unfortunate for these people. It was a localised story but has wider ramifications for how we treat different groups in society and how we treat things not of our culture. | Within 20 years of the Pendle Witch trials everything had changed. King James I had died and his son Charles I was more sympathetic to Roman Catholics; medicine had also progressed and could explain strange marks on people's bodies. It probably couldn't have happened at any other time in history but it was massively unfortunate for these people. It was a localised story but has wider ramifications for how we treat different groups in society and how we treat things not of our culture. |
| Part of the proceeds of the book are going to a local charity called Stepping Stones who was set up to help children in Nigeria who are presently being accused of being witches. Stepping Stones started in Lancaster and is linked to the Literature Festival. It has four workers locally who link up with partners in Nigeria who intervene in cases where children are accused of witchcraft. They have helped to fund a school so that children at risk can be taken away from parents and educated. | Part of the proceeds of the book are going to a local charity called Stepping Stones who was set up to help children in Nigeria who are presently being accused of being witches. Stepping Stones started in Lancaster and is linked to the Literature Festival. It has four workers locally who link up with partners in Nigeria who intervene in cases where children are accused of witchcraft. They have helped to fund a school so that children at risk can be taken away from parents and educated. |
| The Nigerian workers have had death threats and Stepping Stones recognises the problems of walking into someone else's culture with a very different worldview. And, as with the Pendle Witches, Livi can see why witchcraft in 2012 can be seen as a remedy for communities that are remote and suffer from what seem to be inexplicable circumstances such as child deaths and famine. | The Nigerian workers have had death threats and Stepping Stones recognises the problems of walking into someone else's culture with a very different worldview. And, as with the Pendle Witches, Livi can see why witchcraft in 2012 can be seen as a remedy for communities that are remote and suffer from what seem to be inexplicable circumstances such as child deaths and famine. |
| People living in remote communities have a different world view. I do think that the world is bigger, stranger and more varied than we know. | People living in remote communities have a different world view. I do think that the world is bigger, stranger and more varied than we know. |
Malkin Child has also been chosen by Lancashire Libraries as its book for its Lancashire Reads project this year because of what the county council calls | Malkin Child has also been chosen by Lancashire Libraries as its book for its Lancashire Reads project this year because of what the county council calls |
| Livi's ability to bring the history and landscape of the region to life that led to us approaching her about this project. | Livi's ability to bring the history and landscape of the region to life that led to us approaching her about this project. |
Livi will be reading from Malkin Child at Lancaster Library on 20 October 2012. Further details are on the Literature Festival website here. | Livi will be reading from Malkin Child at Lancaster Library on 20 October 2012. Further details are on the Literature Festival website here. |
| You can read more from the Guardian Northerner about the Lancashire Witch trials and this year's celebrations here and here. | You can read more from the Guardian Northerner about the Lancashire Witch trials and this year's celebrations here and here. |
| Bernadette Hyland is a freelance writer and blogger. She is active in her trade union, Unite and volunteers at the Working Class Movement Library in Salford. | Bernadette Hyland is a freelance writer and blogger. She is active in her trade union, Unite and volunteers at the Working Class Movement Library in Salford. |
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