Worrying is a deeply human trait. Because we can’t predict the future, we speculate as to how a scenario will play out, running through all of the “what if’s.” I don’t think that’s any more true than when we are deep in the wilderness, away from civilization. While these thoughts can be scary, they also make for great story ideas. This is how author Penny Haw came to write her novel, The Wilderness Between Us. Below is my interview with Haw about her book, writing inspirations, and process.
About the author and book
Penny Haw’s links (links open in a new tab)
Book Title: The Wilderness Between Us
Genre: Women’s fiction
The Wilderness Between Us book summary
Faye Mackenzie and her friend’s anorexic daughter, Clare, are thrown together when a flood separates them from their hiking group in the remote, mountainous Tsitsikamma region of South Africa. With Clare critically injured, Faye is compelled to overcome her self-doubt and fear of the wild to take care of the younger woman, who opens her heart to Faye.
As their new friendship takes the women on an unexpected journey of discovery, the rest of the group wrestles with the harrowing aftermath of their own near tragedy. When the hiking party is reunited, their number is reduced by one.
Juxtaposing physical and psychological intrigue, The Wilderness Between Us is a tale of two fragile women who unexpectedly find clarity, independence, and renewed purpose as they fight to survive. It is a vivid, moving story about family, friendship, adventure, and the healing power of nature and compassion.
Book excerpt
She was almost midway across the river when they heard it. The water grew louder. At first it seemed to roar, but then the thunderous rolling was accompanied by cracking and crashing sounds. Diane, head down as she concentrated on placing one foot ahead of the other, didn’t look up. The flood advanced like an ocean wave, surging to the shore with no sign of breaking. It swept with it debris from upstream, a weighty, tangled mass of branches, reeds and uprooted plants. Diane was oblivious and didn’t notice anything until it reached her.
The muddy water and saturated wreckage hit her hard, flinging her body around so that she was facing it. Branches walloped her as they sped by. The force against her body and the ropes made her convulse as if electrified. Diane screamed and clasped the rope with both hands, her back pinned against the thick cable. The water and its woody contents rose around her legs.
Geoffrey leapt backwards to avoid a waterborne tree, which—with its branches caught up in the rope—swung around towards him. Bruce, Helen and Bev looked on, aghast, from the bank.
“Oh, my God! Diane!” yelled Bev. “Hold on!”
On the other side of the river, Derek hung onto the rope, ignoring how it burned his hands. The rain came down in sheets and the river, already nudging the cuffs of his shorts, continued to rise. First, he felt numb. Why the hell hadn’t Di moved faster and got out of the way? Was she deaf? Surely she’d heard the wave approaching. Then he grew impatient. Why didn’t she get out of the river now? What was she doing, staying there like a trapped frog? Why didn’t she fight her way across?
Review excerpts
There are some books that demand to be written and from page one of The Wilderness Between Us, I recognized this ground-breaking novel as one of them. Penny Haw juxtaposes physical and psychological suspense in a riveting story, as we join the forest and its beautifully described flora and fauna in bearing witness to the transformation of the book’s fully drawn cast of human characters. Haw’s writing is crisp, unflinching, and ultimately a vehicle for opening the reader’s heart to difficult realities we cannot afford to ignore. In her deft hands, anorexia is portrayed as a mental illness and not a ‘human failing,’ and the often oppressive nature of marriage is dealt with as an opportunity for healing and liberation. As one character reflects on finding the truth about her relationship with her husband: How was it possible that putting the wilderness between them could bring such clarity? The book answers that question and so much more. Highly recommended. —JOYCE YARROW, author of Zahara and the Lost Books of Light and Sandstorm.
Penny Haw immerses us in the rugged wilderness on every level. I resonated with the landscape, as well as with the unfolding drama in the group of old friends. Haw’s charming writing and deep connection with nature are coupled with an understanding of how humans tick. She skillfully intertwines the challenging physical journey with the inner worlds of her characters. Many demons are faced, and Haw does not shy away from confronting them. The unlikely friendship that develops between two of the women is deftly handled. Haw nudges truths to the surface and brings the sometimes-chilling wilderness right into our hearts. —GAIL GILBRIDE, author of Under the African Sun
Talking Shop
What do you want readers to take away from your book?
Firstly, I’d like readers to be entertained by the writing, engaged by the characters and moved by the story. I don’t want to seem to be offering any lessons, but if Clare’s experience of anorexia and how ashamed she is by it provide deeper understanding of the potential effects of an eating disorder then I will be pleased.
I also like the idea of readers recognising the impact nature can have on people. Faye’s evolving connection to the wilderness and how nature, in a way, guides her to recognise what a strong woman she is reminds readers how important it can be to stay in touch with nature. If reading The Wilderness Between Us encourages just one person to head outdoors, hug or at least admire a tree, listen to the music of the river or lie on the grass and watch the clouds, I’ll be delighted.
Name a fact or detail about your story that readers will never know is there.
Faye’s encounter with the aardvark was inspired by my longing to meet one and my husband’s experience of doing so. While the animal is not listed as an endangered species, aardvark populations are diminishing because humans are destroying their habitats. One of the reasons they are not regularly seen is because they are nocturnal.
Remarkably, my husband chanced upon an aardvark while riding his motorbike in the veld (wilderness) one day. I extracted an exacting description of the animal from him so that I could include it my story but remain determinedly on the lookout for one myself.
What’s the best review/compliment that you’ve received about your book?
The standout compliment was the first professional praise I received about the manuscript after having received several rejections to it. While the members of my writing group had encouraged me with their opinions and expertise, I hadn’t received thorough feedback on The Wilderness Between Us from anyone in publishing until literary fiction author, Greg Fields—who is also a commissioning editor—read it and emailed me to say he believed it was, “an intense and significant piece of work” and “both powerful and accessible”. It took me several readings to accept he was being serious.
Greg’s remain the best compliments because they are what kept me working on the book and resulted in publication. I concede though another fellow author’s comment that The Wilderness Between Us should be added to the TBR lists of fans of Cheryl Strayed’s Wild also made my heart skip several beats.
What is a fun or strange source of inspiration that ended up in your book?
I named Derek for someone who, decades ago, was the cause of a great deal of anxiety and anger for me while I was establishing a business. I am not one who usually wastes time holding grudges but the level of stress this particular man created because of his falsehoods and incompetency is not forgotten. I guess it’s true that authors seek reprisal through their writing.
How long did it take to write your book from the day you got the idea to write it to the day you published it?
The idea for a story set in the Tsitsikamma came about seven years ago while I was hiking with friends there. One morning, one of the group awoke with a debilitating migraine and, just as Clare does in the book, insisted we went on while she stayed behind in the hut.
As we hiked, I imagined what could go wrong. Fortunately, for us, nothing did. At the time, I was working full time as a journalist and the idea of writing a book was still a fantasy. During lockdown in 2020, with my children’s book, Nicko, published and some literary fiction on submission, I decided to develop the idea.
The Wilderness Between Us took about three months to write and another twelve to be published. That’s pretty quick for a traditionally published book and was possible because I worked with an agile, competent publishing company, Köehler Books, which has been a wonderful experience on all fronts.
Who is on your Mt. Rushmore of great writers?
Jane Austen, Doris Lessing, Elizabeth Strout and Alice Walker.
How well do you handle criticism, either while writing, editing, or reviews? Do you ever use that criticism to change your story?
Criticism is hard to hear. I don’t know anyone who, despite what they might say, truly welcomes it. I think it helps that, having had a career as a journalist and writer, I have learned to listen to criticism and, hopefully, learn from it—in most instances.
That said, writing fiction is a relatively new experience for me and the subjectivity that comes with it can be difficult to manage. When I began writing fiction, I took every critique of my work to heart and was almost immediately ready to change and correct my writing and/or story accordingly. As time went on though, I realised there are as many opinions in this business as there are words in a thesaurus.
The key is to listen to the criticism, assess it, consider where it is coming from and then decide for yourself whether it’s worth introducing changes to your work. On occasion, I wish writing fiction was a more scientific endeavour but it’s not—and that’s the beauty of it. Knowing and accepting how subjective creative writing is doesn’t make getting criticism any easier but it does help put it in perspective.
What is the most fun part about writing? The most difficult?
Possibly because I’ve worked as a journalist and business writer for all my adult life and an author of fiction only recently, the most fun about writing fiction is the fiction part of it. It doesn’t seem like work to me; it’s play. I mean, how else can one describe creating imaginary characters and getting them to do imaginary things? Then, if I don’t like the way things are going, I can simply change them.
It’s enjoyable to make up characters, get to know them and find out what they do in situations I also make up. The most difficult part? Not being in absolute control of what happens to the work once it’s done. I find it difficult to accept that everyone isn’t as excited by my work as I am and that, to be published traditionally, means jumping through hoops, hopping over hurdles, being patient and accepting rejection. That doesn’t come easily to me but, I’m learning … I think.
“What If” Scenarios
If your book ever becomes a movie and you get final say over the cast, which actors would you hire to play your characters?
Emma Thompson as Faye because I believe she’d do an excellent job in portraying the understated turmoil Faye experiences in the early stages of the story and that she’d be brilliant at the comedy with the hogs and baboons.
Phoebe Dynevor (she plays Daphne in Bridgerton) would be great as Clare because she seems physically fragile but psychologically strong. Dennis Quaid would be great as Derek because he’d show the character’s flaws, which manifest in bullying, and Christian Bale as Geoffrey because he’d be the perfect deep, loyal and good looking gardener.
If you could have one person that you admire, living or dead, read your book, who would it be?
Elizabeth Strout—though I would also be terrified by the thought of her reading it.
If you could be in a writer’s group with up to four famous writers, who would they be?
This is difficult. There are so many and my choices change constantly. For the moment, I will settle for Ann Patchett, Lily King, Maggie O’Farrell and Anne Tyler.
Your book becomes a best seller. What do you do next?
Buy a little place in the country where it’s remote, quiet all the time and dark at night, move there with my husband and dogs, and write full time. There would be a forest nearby with a river running through it so that, on hot days, I could walk or run in the shade, and skinny-dip in the fresh water. Also, there would have to be fish in the river so that my son would visit frequently.
You have the means to hire a full time assistant to help you with your writing. What tasks do you give them to do?
I would ask them to suggest names for my characters, to proof each chapter as I finished it, file my research papers, keep notes of everyone I need to acknowledge for helping with the work and tidy my office. They could also distribute ARCs and do some of the public relations tasks that require attention. To be frank, I wouldn’t like to have an assistant hovering around me while I write but if I had a literary-inclined helper who was prepared to do all the menial things that go with writing, that would work.
You have final say over who reads the audio book version of your story. Who do you choose?
Bo Petersen. She is a South African actor, who now lives in the US. Her voice, narration and acting skills, and knowledge of South Africa would be perfect for the audio version of The Wilderness Between Us.
Just for Fun
Your trademark feature.
My wild and wiry red hair, which, I concede, is increasingly grey.
One year of your life you’d like to relive or do over.
I wouldn’t mind reliving the first year of my son’s life. I was naïve about motherhood and thought that I could continue to work as I had before he was born. I didn’t allow myself to enjoy having a baby as much as I could have and was pretty exhausted most of the time. If I had it over, I would be more mellow and mindful about having a newborn.
Your favorite childhood book or story.
I loved Mary O’Hara’s My Friend Flicka,, which I read again and again. A story about a horse and life on a farm? What more could a book-loving, animal crazy, farm girl want? I also read all of James Herriot’s books over and over again. Indeed, stories about animals and country life appealed a great deal to me. They still do!
One bucket list item you’ve completed and one that’s still on your list.
I camped with my family and friends along the Zambezi River at Mana Pools in Zimbabwe. It is one of the most beautiful spots in Africa and is an experience I will always treasure. Still on my list? A hiking holiday in the Scottish Highlands.
Favorite time of/part of your day.
I am a reluctant riser but, once I am up and have had a cup of coffee, I love watching the sun rise and listening to the sounds of the birds early in the day. I like cool and the quiet of the early morning and the sense of possibility that lies ahead.
A book that you recommend everyone reads.
Just one? The Grass Is Singing by Doris Lessing. It is set in Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and deals with racism, sexism and feminism in the 1940s. It’s not an easy book to read but is enormously powerful in its rawness.
Your favorite genre to read.
Contemporary and historical fiction. I enjoy reading books about people who, while on the face of it might seem ordinary, live interesting lives, face challenges like many of us do and evolve across the pages of the novel. Of course it’s exciting to follow plots with plenty of drama and action but for me, the magic is in the characters, the setting and the writing. These kinds of books are often described as ‘quiet fiction’ and yet to me, they speak the loudest and the clearest. Authors in this genre who I admire include Tayari Jones, Lily King, Wally Lamb, Ann Patchett, Sally Rooney Elizabeth Strout and Meg Wolitzer.
The activity you’re doing when you’re not writing.
Walking my dogs or going for a run. Given that I spend most of my days sitting at my desk, I enjoy being out and active when I am not writing. I live near the mountains and sea, which makes it easy to walk my three dogs or go for a run. It’s not only that I enjoy the exercise but it’s also important, I think, to be outside and enjoy the sights, smells and sounds of nature.
Buy it!
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Looking forward to this one. I love books with elements of the natural world and the connection between man and nature!
This book’s illustrious cover reminds me deeply of a poetry book I read centered around The Jaguars that Prowl Our Dreams. In that connection and my love of wilderness stories, The Wilderness Between Us Sounds like a powerful and poignant read!
Thank you for sharing. 🙂
This sounds like a great book!! Beautiful cover, too!
Fabulous cover