War took everything.
Love never had a chance.
Until now.
As an Australian Army nurse, Annie endures the brutalities of World War II in Singapore and New Guinea. Later, seeking a change, she accepts a job with a British diplomatic family in Berlin, only to find herself caught up in the upheaval of the Blockade. Through it all, and despite the support of friends, the death of a man she barely knew leaves a wound that refuses to heal, threatening her to a life without love.
Years later, Annie is still haunted by what she’d lost—and what might have been. Her days are quiet, but her memories are loud. When a dying man’s fear forces her to confront her own doubts, she forms an unexpected friendship that rekindles something she thought she’d lost: hope.
Annie’s Day is a powerful story of love, war, and the quiet courage to start again—even when it seems far too late.
Publication Date: November 18th, 2025
Publisher: Vine Leaves Press
Pages: 300
Genre: Historical Fiction / Women's Fiction
An interview with Apple Gidley
What inspired you to start writing?
I’d dabbled with short story and essay writing for years, and some of my various roles had required report writing, which I enjoyed. Way back in 2010, I was invited to give a key note speech at a Families in Global Transition (FIGT) conference in Houston, Texas. It seemed to be well received and people suggested I should write some of it down. Expat Life Slice by Slice was the result—a series of essays about the ups and downs of a transient life. That was it, I’d got the bug!
Next I wrote a novel along the same sort of lines which was dreadful, but I learnt a lot about the process of writing fiction. The manuscript is deep in a drawer but I might tug it out one day and have another look.
Then I found my hook for a historical novel. A little known worker rebellion in the Danish West Indies (now the US Virgin Islands). Fireburn, and the sequel Transfer, were the result of my fascination with the chequered history of the Caribbean.
And it’s just rolled on from there. Four more books published, and now I’m working on the next.
What was the hardest part about writing this book?
My mother was an Australian army nurse, and Annie’s Day mirrors her postings throughout the war. Like many of her generation, Mum did not speak much about the experience, but it was still difficult sometimes to get her out of my head. Annie’s Day, apart from some of the locations is fiction based around fact, and is not Mum’s story.
Some of the facts uncovered in the research were brutal, which is always hard to write. As a historical novelist, you don’t want to water things down, but neither do you want to curdle your reader’s stomachs.
Does one of the main characters hold a special place in your heart? If so, why?
That’s a very difficult question! All the characters take over one’s life as the story is being written—I think sometimes I converse more with them in my head, than I do in person with my long-suffering husband.
Annie, of course! She’s feisty, dislikes authority for authority’s sake, but is kind and funny. She loves deeply, and her female friendships are strong. When writing her, I loved that her voice completely took over, and sometimes the words she came out with made me want to shake my head, or laugh.
Auntie May came from my heart, and is undeniably based on a much-loved aunt. I have no idea whether she had a Turkish lover, but it wouldn’t have surprised me if she had!
Flo was another terrific character to write, as was Annie’s younger brother, Joe, who was a complex chap. Rupert Goodman was fun to write because he was a bit of a bastard. Samira, Verna, all of them. They all hold a special place in my heart, and became part of my life, which is probably why I invariably cry when I finish the writing a book.
If your book was to be made into a movie, who are the celebrities that would star in it?
Annie - Cate Blanchett, because I think she could still portray the young, and old Annie.
Ian (Annie’s father) - Sam O’Neill, because he can do curmudgeonly
Joe (Annie’s younger brother) - Ryan Kwanten, the Australian actor has the right look
Florence - Toni Collette because she is a brilliant character actress
Verna - Samara Weaving because we really only see Verna as a young woman
Bill - Luke Bracey, the right height, and look
David - Hugh Laurie, though he might be a bit old
What do you hope your readers take away from this book?
I’d like to think readers come away with a renewed sense of admiration and pride at what women from every, and in every, walk of life, achieved during the war years. Not to mention what so many are still going through in the various wars running in the world at the moment.
The resilience of women in the most horrendous situations is a constant source of inspiration, and I wonder sometimes if some are born with strength and hope tattooed into their hearts. I believe deeply in women supporting women, and I hope Annie’s Day shows just how strong the threads that bind us really are.
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Thank you so much for hosting Apple Gidley today, with such a fabulous chat about her writing and her new novel, Annie's Day.
ReplyDeleteTake care,
Cathie xx
The Coffee Pot Book Club