^the tank memorial at Cambrai^
***
"He spat on the ground, quickly running a comb through his hair and ignoring the dirt behind his ears; he would only be ten times dirtier soon enough. He pulled on his shirt and checked his reflection in a shattered shaving mirror, pleased with what he saw. Even his mother couldn’t mistake him for a child today. He was a grown man through and through; taller and broader than half his crewmates and proudly sporting a dash of hair across his jaw and lip."
***
As well as the infantrymen mentioned in the previous post, another part of the book is from the point of view of a tank crew. With tanks being a new weapon in WW1, and practically untested, these men have to face the hardships of mechanical failure and deadly fumes, combatted only by their sense of companionship, thirst for glory and expectation of success.
Key Characters:
Kit Allenby (Whipper): Nicknamed 'Whipper' (along with his friend 'Snapper') due to the crew's suspicions of him being underage, Kit feels that he has a lot to prove. He keeps his past a secret, but it is known that he is fuelled by the need to avenge his father who was killed earlier in the war. He is determined to prove himself as a soldier, seeing himself as a marker for other boys his age, but behind the strong façade all he ever really wanted was for his father to be proud of him.
Ollie Powell (Snapper): Kit's friend from home, Ollie enlisted at the same time, both showing their interest in the new 'secret weapon' and both having the luck to be placed in the same unit. Though Ollie is keen to be seen as a man, he is less consumed by it than Kit - his softer temperament and occasional homesickness showing him as more of a boy.
Dafydd Jones (Daffodil): Having never known his own father, Dafydd is sympathetic to Kit's loss, often trying to find out his story. They share a similar obsession with pride and glory, but while Kit's is more serious and determined, Dafydd's manifests itself in the form of joking, swearing and gambling. Though they mask their efforts with frivolities, Dafydd and his friend Colm keep a watch on Kit and Ollie as they grow from boys to men.
So, the Christmas period went well. I have finished my round of detailed editing and have even managed an attempt at a cover letter and synopsis (it's harder than it looks!). I have booked myself a place on the Writer's Workshop 'Get Published' day in March, where hopefully I can put some networking skills to good use. I have also sent my manuscript to them for their opinion and some advice on what improvements are necessary before I can start sending to agents. Wish me luck!
My next post will focus on the last set of main characters; the nurses. (And hopefully tell of my glowing success with the Writer's Workshop feedback...)
Thanks for reading, please continue to show your support.
Harry
Key Characters:
Kit Allenby (Whipper): Nicknamed 'Whipper' (along with his friend 'Snapper') due to the crew's suspicions of him being underage, Kit feels that he has a lot to prove. He keeps his past a secret, but it is known that he is fuelled by the need to avenge his father who was killed earlier in the war. He is determined to prove himself as a soldier, seeing himself as a marker for other boys his age, but behind the strong façade all he ever really wanted was for his father to be proud of him.
Ollie Powell (Snapper): Kit's friend from home, Ollie enlisted at the same time, both showing their interest in the new 'secret weapon' and both having the luck to be placed in the same unit. Though Ollie is keen to be seen as a man, he is less consumed by it than Kit - his softer temperament and occasional homesickness showing him as more of a boy.
Dafydd Jones (Daffodil): Having never known his own father, Dafydd is sympathetic to Kit's loss, often trying to find out his story. They share a similar obsession with pride and glory, but while Kit's is more serious and determined, Dafydd's manifests itself in the form of joking, swearing and gambling. Though they mask their efforts with frivolities, Dafydd and his friend Colm keep a watch on Kit and Ollie as they grow from boys to men.
So, the Christmas period went well. I have finished my round of detailed editing and have even managed an attempt at a cover letter and synopsis (it's harder than it looks!). I have booked myself a place on the Writer's Workshop 'Get Published' day in March, where hopefully I can put some networking skills to good use. I have also sent my manuscript to them for their opinion and some advice on what improvements are necessary before I can start sending to agents. Wish me luck!
My next post will focus on the last set of main characters; the nurses. (And hopefully tell of my glowing success with the Writer's Workshop feedback...)
Thanks for reading, please continue to show your support.
Harry
