When Jane overheard a story on the radio about Barbary pirates raiding the Cornish coast near her home town, it sparked an idea for a historical novel. In spring 2005, she convinced a friend to accompany her to Tafraoute, Morocco, so she could research the story and learn more about the Berber perspective.
The area is famous for its rock climbing routes, and they soon met a group of other travellers. “They recommended a nearby restaurant,” says Jane. A local tribesman named Abdel opened the door to them. “I didn’t realise he was the chef but he had lots of charisma and we made a lot of eye contact.” Though he was busy working, Abdel noticed her immediately. “It was like an electric shock, for me,” he says.
