Today, we welcome the awesome Clare Dugmore to the blog to chat about the After The Rain anthology and the reasons she got involved with the fundraiser!
What inspired you to contribute to this fundraising anthology?
I’m a huge believer in charity and giving back where you can. I already donate to causes that are important to me, but I often feel like I want to do more. I feel privileged that I have a gift for writing and want to use that skill to give back to others if and when I can.
Can you tell us a bit about the story you've written for the anthology?
It’s about a young couple in their mid-twenties who’ve been together since they were 15. While growing up together, they both had big dreams for their futures -- him to be a rockstar and her to be an author. As their respective careers start to flourish, they both have major events at the same time, in different locations, thousands of miles away and can’t be there to support each other.
How did you come up with the idea for your story?
MUSIC! I’m obsessed with the band Maneskin and they have a beautiful song called Timezone, about the lead singer being on tour, and separated from his partner. From there, it was easy to be inspired by not only the lyrics, but also my own experience. I’ve never been in a long-distance relationship. I’ve been happily married for 20 years, but the times my partner has had to go away for work have been incredibly difficult.
How do you think fiction can impact social causes and fundraising efforts?
As I mentioned above, I feel privileged that I can write stories people want to read, so I definitely want to use that skill to ‘pay it forward’ by taking part in things like anthologies and fundraisers. I also think that fiction, as well as offering an excellent escape when readers need it, can be a brilliant tool for highlighting social issues and causes that people might not be aware of. I think all of my stories have an element of that to them.
What does the cause behind the fundraising mean to you personally?
I’ve been very fortunate that me and my partner have always had an amazing relationship. However, as the child of divorce, I know how certain things can affect people who have been abused and their families. I remember being about four or five and staying in a women’s shelter with my mom and sister around the time my mom separated from my dad. I don’t know the details of why we had to go to the shelter, but I’m grateful that resources were there for us. A few years later, when my mom was a single parent, I can remember going to a Christmas party hosted by The Salvation Army that supported low-income families. I vividly recall meeting Santa and being given lots of awesome gifts. These things might seem trivial now, looking back over 30 years later, but they had a HUGE impact on me as a child and ensured that even in difficult times, me and my sister had the best childhoods we could.
What are your future writing plans after this anthology is published?
On the theme of charity, June is Pride Month and I will be donating all money made from my LGBTQA+ novel and short story to Stonewall. After that, I have the first 25k of a new story released as part of a multi-author collection this coming November.
If you would like to support Hopefull Handbags, you can pre-order After The Rain here on ebook! Paperbacks will be available on release day, June 11th, and you will be able to read it through your Kindle Unlimited subscription!
You can find out more about the Write Here, Write Now Community here!
About Clare Dugmore
For Clare, reading and writing have always been an escape, and through their writing, they hope to offer an escape to others too.
Clare's ultimate goal is to create a community of like-minded creatives who come together to encourage, support,
and celebrate not only each other but also causes that are important to them.
Clare is a forty-something, married, parent of two. In their spare time, they enjoy binge-watching shows with their partner,
spending time with their two sons, playing video games, and crafting.
