I'm constantly surprised by the popularity of my Dulcie stories even though I love my character a lot. There's an element of wishful thinking - as in most of my writing - as religious life is rarely as straightforward as Dulcie's and her friends, and I, for one, am less than happy with the way that church authorities behave, sometimes. Dulcie, of course, lives in a Christian 'universe', and her encounters reflect that, but she's tolerant, or accepting enough, to be friends with others of different traditions.
I will soon be posting a sequel to 'The Older Woman', which will fit in before 'I'm a Believer'. The lives portrayed are not easy, but perhaps are easier than what we can expect for ourselves. It's not real life, it's fiction. It's to be enjoyed - I hope.