The Price of Honesty

The Salt Path by Raynor Winn (pen name of Sally Walker?)

There was an expose over the weekend revealing that best-selling memoir The Salt Path by Raynor Winn, much loved by book clubs up and down the land, does not tell the whole truth.

The two most contentious issues focus on their finances and the health of Raynor’s husband Moth.

Although is he really called Moth or should that be Tim? And as for Raynor, perhaps we should think of that as the pen name for Sally Walker.

You can read all about it here from the Observer article, I’m not going to rehash it.

Many people have now said they always thought the story sounded fake – isn’t hindsight a wonderful thing?

I believed it, call me gullible. I just assumed that the lack of financial detail was because they had gone to court and couldn’t elaborate on matters for legal reasons. As for Moth’s health, the longer he lived with no visible signs of degeneration did seem miraculous, but miracles can happen.

I always believed Winn and I had so much in common.

Both of us wrote from our life experiences, it just turns out that some of hers weren’t so real.

We both narrated our own audio books – I always think that lends authenticity to a story – maybe not in her case.

I particularly enjoyed the second book when she wrote about her writing and getting a book deal from a major publisher – OK, we are probably NOT that similar at all and now I am very thankful of the fact.

Telling a truthful story is fraught with difficulties. How honest should you be? There are always other people’s feelings to consider.

In my blogs and then in my book I rarely mentioned anyone by name, certainly not my two sons. Maybe to her credit Sally Walker barely mentions her children, but I do wonder what they have to say on the matter? Especially considering what we now know.

My own boys are proud of their mother and her achievements, they came to my book launch and youngest son even bought a copy for a friend who had recently lost their dad, as he thought it would be a helpful insight into the bereavement process.

I wonder how many people have taken up long distance walking as a “cure” for corticobasal degeneration (CBD)? A bit of sea air and a walk along the prom works wonders.

After these revelations I feel it casts doubts on anyone writing a memoir. Do we need a disclaimer? It is all true, I promise!

I actually find it very difficult to lie. I recorded a podcast a month ago and it is so raw and honest I was in tears. It will be out in September so you can judge for yourself.

We all put our own spin on a story, we can only tell the truth from our perspective, we can leave things out, deliberately for fear of embarrassment or because we don’t want to show someone else in a bad light.

There are stories I could have written that I didn’t. Some stories are not mine to tell. As for embarrassment, I’m the embarrassing one, challenging people to come and laugh at my silliness, I can take it.

I’m happy for people to know I am not perfect, I don’t pretend to be. I don’t have all the answers and I don’t suppose I ever will.

When you write the truth you lay your heart on the line and have no where to hide. Your story needs to stand up to scrutiny.

Meanwhile I have a copy of Landlines by Raynor Winn on my TBR pile which I can’t face reading now. I suspect the charity shops will end up with a glut of them, I hate to do it but mine will probably end up in the recycling bin!