Rachael Thomas

I like to relax watching television programs I have recorded and in the summer of 2015 one such program was Joanna Lumley's Trans-Siberian Railway Journey. It was while watching her in Russia that the idea for A Child Claimed by Gold began to form.I was completely captivated by the part of the journey which saw her travelling through Russia. A country I have never been to although I have always had a yearning to see the beautifully-coloured domes of Red Square.So how did this program spark of ideas for A Child Claimed by Gold? The first part that captivated me was when Joanna met a Russian Oligarch's son and the second was a visit to a ballet school where young dancers from all around the world studied. These two scenes fired up my imagination.It was Nikolai who arrived in my mind first. Tall, handsome and doing anything to avoid the dark secrets of his family's past from escaping. A past that had haunted him so much, he no longer lived in his childhood home in Russia, but had made a new and very successful life in New York.Soon after, Emma arrived on the scene, a photographer desperate for a big break in her career and the chance to visit Russia, where her younger sister was studying ballet. The Petrushov family were telling all to World in Photographs and her images in this publication could launch her career.The remainder of the story came from Nikolai and Emma themselves as they met, resisted the instant attraction and both wrestled with their past. But you'll have to read the book to find out what happened!I really enjoy travelling around the world from the comfort of my sofa, with my golden retriever curled up next to me and a cup of coffee in hand. At the moment such viewing is taking me to the amazing Yellowstone National Park. I wonder where I will go next and what ideas will be sparked?Rachaelxx