The protagonist tells her autofictional novel vividly from a framework plot and in flashbacks from different eras of her childhood, youth, and young adulthood. In this context, both her family and social circumstances of the time are illuminated and authentically reproduced. In addition, some components of the spirit of the age back then during the decades experienced can be found in the story. The lengthy search for her biological father interwoven in it is remarkable. Some of the most important stages and dates are substantiated with photos, telegrams and excerpts from letters. The adult adoption at the end of the story closes a cycle based on a long-term relationship, starting in 1969.
My real name is Shirley Ann Schneider, my first novel"Times of Chances" takes up part of my own biography. It's about how I managed to find my biological father in Australia long before the Internet era using only conventional means of communication. Since this story is very unusual, and some fateful, fitting coincidences also played into my hands, I decided to finally write and publish it under my pseudonym Caroline Milliner. I was supposed to be called Caroline, and the last name Milliner is that of my adoptive mother, which I also had to take over as my new birth name a few years ago. In a frame story and in flashbacks, I tell many phases of my childhood, youth and early adult life, and how everything came together. |
