How you can star in a hit novel (and support torture victims at the same time)

Few of us have any idea what it must feel like to be so unsafe that we have to flee our native country. 40 years ago I immigrated to the UK from the USA, as a youthful adventure, not to seek asylum.

Mine seems a frivolous life choice compared to the survivors of torture who have had horrific experiences and sought refuge in the UK. Luckily with the help of the UK-based charity Freedom From Torture, they’re finding ways to process what has happened to them.

Freedom From Torture was founded almost 40 years ago to provide survivors of torture with legal, medical and psychological support to help them feel safer and stronger so they can build new lives in the UK. Thousands have passed through FFT’s doors, getting concrete help from doctors, lawyers and therapists. They’ve also taken part in activities from cooking and gardening to playing football and singing, all helping to rebuild their confidence.

I’ve supported the charity for many years, primarily through its literary festival, which returns this month, running November 7-21. This year’s theme is ‘Finding the Words,’ which speaks directly to the experience of survivors of torture who often lose their voices and are unable to speak about what has happened to them. Writing can help unlock their stories, and finding the words to express themselves can be a therapeutic release.

The 2024 festival kicks off with a popular, literary-inspired silent auction full of unique prizes and experiences, which can be bid for online from anywhere in the world. The most popular includes the chance to be immortalized as a named character in a novel by such luminaries as Robert Harris, Adele Parks, Ian Rankin and Ken Follett.

A performance at the Literary Festival 2022 at the London Library. Photo: Freedom from Torture

I’ve donated a named character too – the fourth time I’ve done so. It’s a challenge to be given a real name to work with, but I’ve managed to create characters out of Laura Devine (a circus slack-rope dancer), Dody Bienenstock (a Gold Rush-era landlady) and Keith Bain (a Scottish bellringer).

I’m currently working on a novel set in a Northumberland village in 1826, and the lucky winner may find their name used as one of the villagers responding to a real murder that took place nearby and has never been solved.

Running alongside the auction is the Grand Bookmark Raffle. Here entrants are guaranteed to win a signed book along with an original bookmark hand-made by the authors themselves, including Andrew O’Hagan, Stephen Fry, David Nicholls, Kate Mosse and Alan Hollinghurst.

A few tickets also remain for the literary evening at London Library on Thursday 21 November. Hosted by comedian and actor Miles Jupp, there will be special live readings from authors and poets, including Julian Barnes, Brian Bilston, Victoria Hislop and Margaret Busby.

But the most inspiring and heart-wrenching performances are always from members of the UK’s longest-running refugee writing group, Write to Life. They will be reading the words they have found to describe their lived reality.

Bring tissues – I always cry when I hear their stories of pain and resilience. They remind all of us of how powerful and healing words can be.

Tracy Chevalier is the award-winning author of 11 novels, including the international bestseller Girl with a Pearl Earring and her most recent, The Glassmaker. She is also a member of the committee for the Freedom From Torture Literary Festival. More details of Finding The Words and the Freedom From Torture auction at www.freedomfromtorture.org