Hallo, Hallo dear hearts!
I came across a new publisher in recent months who has been releasing stories which are catching my eye and are becoming part of a growing list of #mustreads! This one in particular catch my attention because it takes a war drama to a new layer of heightened awareness of another facet of the war era we might not have become aware of until a novel like this one highlights the hidden history. This isn’t the first time I’ve found myself properly intrigued by a war drama such as this one which separates itself from the others due to the original thread of entrance into a portion the war’s history we never would have heard about otherwise. It reminds me of when I first learnt of the Land Girls – who worked the fields and brought in the veg to keep the country (England) well fed during the war era.
In this instance, it’s the captivating drama behind finding yourself in the midst of a forest and doing work within it you might not have felt you could have previously if it hadn’t been for the war itself. It is also about a meeting of the minds – of how two people can find themselves during war and find a measure of peace through their connection – even if the rest of the world and their future isn’t quite as clear as their ‘everyday’ here and now. It sounds like the kind of dramatic story I would love to read and this is why I am joining in the celebration for the paperback release!
I love finding stories which stand out – curate a vein of entry into a portal of history which at times can feel overrun with stories (as I’ve become quite particular about which war dramas I read) – you still find the hidden gems which speak out from the crowd, draw your heart towards their words and find an uplift of joy to have stumbled across a part of History you haven’t yet had the chance to traverse inside. At least, this is how I felt when I first read the premise behind SHELTER and why I happily wanted to cheer about it today, on the 2nd of April.
I am sharing this announcement both on my blog and on Twitter – wherein the most intriguing part of the story itself – aside from the characters and the ports of entry therein – is how inspiring the back-story is about how the novel was conceived by the author! I’ve included a preview of insight from the author on this post – you’ll find out about where this story is set and what led the author to tell the story she did. If you have a penchant for war dramas like I do, I hope this might be one of your #mustreads as much as it has become mine!
Shelter
by Sarah Franklin
Spring 1944. Connie Granger arrives, alone, in the Forest of Dean. Fleeing her blitzed home and the war that’s fiercely raging on, she will train with the Women’s Timber Corps as a lumberjill. Deep in the heart of the forest, Connie’s duties will include felling, snedding, loading and crosscutting.
As she is drawn to the healing rhythms of the ancient forest and its remote local community – the forester and his wife, the shepherd, – Connie battles with the knowledge that she must soon make a life-changing decision.
Also arriving in the forest is Seppe, an Italian Prisoner of War, who is haunted by the past. Amongst the trees of the forest, he finds a strange kind of freedom and when Connie and Seppe cross paths in the forest, their meeting signals new beginnings. With the support of one another they will find the means to imagine their own lives anew and to face the fears that haunt them.
Places to find the book:
ISBN: 978-1785762826
on 1st June, 2018
Published By: Zaffre Books (@BonnierZaffre)
an imprint of Bonnier Publishing (@bonnier_publish)
Formats Available: Hardcover, Ebook, Audiobook & the upcoming Trade Paperback Edition!
About Sarah Franklin
Sarah Franklin grew up in rural Gloucestershire. She lectures in publishing at Oxford Brookes, is the founder and host of Short Stories Aloud and a judge for the Costa Short Story Award. She has written for The Guardian, Psychologies, The Pool, Sunday Express. In 2014, Sarah was awarded a Jerwood/Arvon Mentorship on the strength of her opening pages of SHELTER, and worked on the novel for a year with Jenn Ashworth, amongst others.
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