I have always enjoyed setting myself challenges, each one a little more ambitious than the last. Writing a trilogy of novels proved to be one of the most demanding projects I have ever undertaken - certainly among the most difficult, but also among the most rewarding.
The idea began with a chance encounter during a family holiday in Spain. From that small spark, my imagination carried me on a remarkable journey. Characters appeared, relationships developed, mysteries unfolded, and plot twists emerged, often taking me by surprise as much as they will, I hope, surprise the reader.
As the father of three wonderful daughters, I have spent the last thirty years watching them grow from children into accomplished and independent women. Those experiences inevitably influenced the creation of Harmony Nader. We first meet Harmony as an eight-year-old girl and follow her journey into adulthood. Like many young people who face adversity early in life, she develops wisdom beyond her years, together with a resilience and determination that help shape her character.
By the time we reach Go, Harmony!, the final volume in the trilogy, Harmony has become a remarkable young woman - intelligent, courageous, beautiful, and resourceful. Yet the greatest challenges of her life still lie ahead. The story brings her success and happiness, but also danger, heartbreak, and ultimately love, as she faces a threat that could cost her everything.
As the trilogy evolved, I realised I was unconsciously writing what felt very much like a television series - perhaps inevitably after spending twenty years in the industry.
Harmony is surrounded by a rich cast of characters, each with their own hopes, flaws, and ambitions. Their individual stories intertwine as they are drawn together by loyalty, affection, and a shared determination to protect the person at the centre of it all.
I loved writing these books. I hope readers will come to know and care about the characters as much as I do, and that they will enjoy sharing Harmony's extraordinary journey from childhood to adulthood. It has been an adventure I have treasured - and one I am reluctant to leave behind.
Philip G Walsh
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