Preston Railway Station chance encounter inspires powerful new novel of love, loss and hope – meet the author
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An author’s chance encounter at Preston Railway Station inspired key scenes in a brand new novel The Birthday Party published this month.
It was whilst waiting on the platform after enjoying Sunday lunch with a colleague in January this year, that Chris Vobe met a woman in acute distress – a woman contemplating suicide.
The conversation that followed proved pivotal for both of them. She later told him it had helped save her life.
“I have never forgotten that afternoon,” Vobe said.
The honesty of the conversation that ensued left a lasting mark on me, not just creatively but personally. It reminded me how a single exchange can completely shift someone’s perspective. Those ideas found their way into the heart of my writing, particularly in the scenes where the protagonist confronts an acute sense of hopelessness.
Chris has said the meeting was "a moment of unexpected human connection". As someone who has worked in suicide prevention, the experience proved an even more poignant one – and he was able to direct the woman to one of those organisations. That human connection – and the importance of reaching out to those who matter most in moments of difficulty or despair – were later woven into key scenes in the finished novel, which has been fittingly published in Suicide Prevention Month.
About The Birthday Party
The Birthday Party is described as “an intimate story of love, regret and the challenges inherent in navigating a rootless existence”.
It charts the life of Teddy Alderton, a restless man on the cusp of turning 30, who is still grappling with the disappearance of his childhood sweetheart and the harrowing assault he suffered as a teenager at the hands of his would-be mentor.
The Birthday Party is very much a "North West novel", says Chris.
“I was keen to recognise the places (and people) that helped to inform its evolution. I wanted to write a novel that was rooted in the North West, where I’ve lived for all of my life.” Nevertheless, his conversation at Preston in January served as a touchstone throughout the final stages of writing.
The Birthday Party is published by Next Chapter Ltd and is available on Amazon worldwide, Waterstones, Barnes & Noble in the US, Apple, Google and other retailers. Click these links to secure your copy: Amazon.co.uk Apple Books Barnes and Noble Google.
A life-changing encounter
It is not Chris’s first foray into published writing but, he says, it is the background to this novel has left a lasting impact on him as well as feeding directly into the emotional heart of The Birthday Party.
“She would say that that conversation saved her life. I'm just glad I was there for her. I don't think a situation of that kind is about heroism or measuring how capable we can be under pressure; it's about our capacity for compassion towards others."
In an effort to encourage the woman to seek support and consider alternatives to suicide, Vobe struck a deal with the stranger.
“We agreed that afternoon that we would each go and see the person who matters most to us in the world. Because however hopeless things seem, there is always a reason to stay alive. There is someone in everyone’s life who wants them to be here.
“That is what the character of Teddy Alderton in the novel discovers too,” Vobe said. “He has someone who is determined to stand by him, in spite of whatever struggles he's navigating, despite what's happened to him in the past. That single idea anchors the characters in what I hope is a very human love story.”
Chris himself completed his side of the pact - but with one important caveat. He didn't tell the person he went to see the circumstances that had led to his visit.
“I wasn't suicidal, but I carried out my half of the bargain. Although it was a Sunday, so I had to walk almost six miles to fulfil my promise! The person I went to see didn't know about the conversation I'd had, and I doubt they'll be reading this article either, so they'll probably never find out.”
Support to prevent suicide
Chris directed the woman to PAPYRUS, the national charity dedicated to the prevention of young suicide, which sadly folded earlier this month amid rising costs. PAPYRUS ran HOPELINE247 — a free, confidential 24/7 helpline, text and email service for young people experiencing thoughts of suicide or anyone concerned about a young person.
She is now safe, has a safety plan in place, and is no longer contemplating ending her life.
If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, support is available.
Samaritans are available 24/7 on 116 123 (free) or at samaritans.org. Shout – text SHOUT to 85258 (free, 24/7)
NHS 111 – for urgent mental health support
About the author
Chris lives in the village of Culcheth near Warrington,and has previously published the anthology The Ten People You Meet and Other Writings (2025) and the five-volume novel The Water Tower (2023). Chris Vobe's debut novel, The Water Tower, (which recently entered Amazon's Top 10 in Contemporary Literary Fiction, and is currently ranked at 21) was noted for the way in which it tackled themes of faith and loss. Book 1 in The Water Tower series is currently available to download free via Amazon Kindle
You can read a review of The Birthday Party here.