Interview: Ben Robinson

Ben Robinson’s debut novel Finding Charlotte digs into his own family history, tracing the life of his great‑grandmother across the upheavals of both World Wars. Drawing on more than a hundred letters and photographs, he pieces together a story of love, loss and Northern resilience that spans Yorkshire, Europe and far beyond.

Isabel Johnson speaks to Ben to find out more…

First off – congratulations! Huge things happening – how are you feeling about your novel’s release in June?
Thank you! It feels like such an achievement. I’d say I’m excited but that is probably an understatement. Finding Charlotte has been so long in the making that it’s almost weird that it won’t just be mine anymore; I’m thrilled that people will get to read this story that I’ve been in awe of for so long. 

Can you explain to NARC. readers what Finding Charlotte is about? 
Absolutely! Finding Charlotte tracks the life of my great-grandmother, Charlotte Smith, through both the World Wars. Charlotte kept an archive of letters, telegrams, and photographs from WW2 when her husband was a prisoner of war. It was these documents that built the basis of the book. It began as a book that traced her story over the first half of the 20th century, but swiftly it became about so much more than just Charlotte. People in every corner of her life seemed to have their own story to tell, and so in the end these were weaved together to tell the tale of so many more people too!

What inspired you to start writing this story about your great grandmother? 
I’ve always loved writing, and been captivated by history. So the two of them kind of worked hand in hand with this. Family history was something I was obsessed with as a teenager, and I’d spend evenings sitting in front of the computer trawling records for interesting stories. But as with anything, once you enter the world of work you lose time for hobbies. So I kind of just had to bite the bullet one day and sit down to write this. I’m not sure what made me want to write the book in that very moment, but I think it was a mix of feeling ready to tell the story and the messaging feeling prevalent in the world we live in.

It sounds like the novel is heavily inspired by the people and places close to you – have these things always had a huge impact on your work? 
I think so. I’m so proud of being from the North, and now living in the Northeast. Sharing stories from these regions is one of my main goals with this book, and all the other writing and research I undertake. Particularly with history, I feel like the small cities, towns, and hamlets of the north get forgotten, but there are so many stories to tell from up here. It’s the same with people too. This book was inspired by family history, and it was these people who made me who I am, therefore telling their stories feels so important in everything I do with this book – and going forward. 

Finding Charlotte is a unique blend of fact and fiction – what was it like piecing the two together?
Surprisingly fun! Mixing the two allowed for me to use my love of history with building a story. It was the gaps in documentation that made it exciting because this is where I had to do deeper research or come up with plot ideas for what may have happened. 

How long have you been working on this novel, and have you always seen yourself writing one? 
It’s a complex answer, because the documents first came into my world just over a decade ago, but for as fascinated as I was by them, there was very little I could do as a teenager. I used a few of them over the years to write short stories and scripts, though these were just for fun. Over these years I thought that maybe one day it could be compiled into a book, but that always felt like too big of a commitment. 

In Summer of 2024 I sat down and realised it was time to do something. If not now, when? This was my main thought. Even when I began writing, I wasn’t sure if I’d finish the book, and publish it. But sharing this story with the world feels like the right thing to do. 

What’s an important message readers should take from your novel? 
I think that we live in a world where we’re perhaps seeing history repeat itself in some ways. This book is set in a time where hatred was particularly prevalent, and I’d argue that we’re seeing it on the rise in the UK and across the globe again. So, I think it’s important that people read this and understand that what came before cannot happen again. 

On a lighter note, I’d love people to connect with their own family histories too. There are so many forgotten and hidden stories on sites like Ancestry that are absent from the historical record. It would be great if we can remember those lives and stories of everyday people. 

What has been the most exciting part about the experience of writing and sharing this book? 
I’ve loved speaking to people throughout the process of sharing this book. In fact, a week or so ago I had a photoshoot for a history magazine and the photographer was astounded by the documents we had. He also told me that his own grandfather had been a Prisoner of War in the hands of the Japanese. It proves that we are all part of the same history, and that our stories all resonate with one another. 

Writing the book was a fantastic experience, but the rollout and research for it has allowed me to connect with so many people and stories – I’ve loved every second. 

What’s the first thing you’ll do on June 12th when the book’s out? 
Is it bad to say I’m going to treat myself to a glass of fizz? I’ve read this book enough times that I think I’ll leave the reading to others once it’s out!

Finding Charlotte is out on Friday 12th June in Waterstones and available here.