Out of the Ancient Fells — Maggie Shaw

When composer Victoria Pearce hears the music of the fells while walking in Ennerdale, she embarks on an all-consuming project to write her first symphony. Wrestling with the notes and score is just the first of many hurdles Vicky must overcome if her first major opus is to be heard in public.This multi-faceted portrait of a young creative in England on the cusp of the 1980s is drawn through a collection of vignettes about the greatest influences in her life. The novel opens as inspiration first strikes and follows the creative process from the inception of the work in the Lake District to the challenge of getting the music performed.