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Buy Now on Amazon! Gas! Gas! Gas!

1 February 2017 by C. M. Harald

At last ‘Gas! Gas! Gas!’, the third instalment of the Royal Zombie Corps has been uploaded to Amazon and is available now.

The third story in the Royal Zombie Corps series by C.M. Harald

I’ve been sitting on this book for quite a while as it was finished in July, but I’ve only just got around to completing the editing. The great news for anyone following the series is that the fourth book is in the final editing stage. Also the covers for the fourth book have already been created.

I had quite a bit of fun with this book as the events are closely linked to the developing expertise in the British Army, during this stage of the war. This was especially interesting due to the ongoing debate about whether the Tommies were ‘lions lead by donkeys‘. This is a concept that has become shorthand for mainstream British remembrance of the subject. With the centenaries in recent years, many historians have been challenging this consensus. It was therefore an engaging academic exercise to investigate these arguments and then assign different characters to represent some of the more obvious points. By 1918, the British Army was almost unrecognisable. The failures and experiences of 1915-1917 had created an effective force that married new technology to hard-won experience in a way demonstrated by no other country at the time.

Synopsis – Gas! Gas! Gas!

Following the failure to break through the German lines at Arras, the British look for new ways to turn their fearsome Tigers into a weapon that can turn the tide of the war in the trenches.

Book 3 of the Royal Zombie Corps continues the story of Alfie Marsh, and his friends, as they face the might of the Triple Alliance in the trenches of Western Europe. Along with the horror of zombies, Marsh has to content with the terrors of trench warfare and the ineptitude of some on his own side.

This story is written in British English and is approximately 23,500 words long.

Paperback book available for the first time

26 January 2017 by C. M. Harald

I am delighted to announce the availability of my first paperback print book. The Butcher’s Funeral is now available on Amazon in the UK, US, Germany, France, Japan, Spain and Italy.

Why did the butcher die? Was it his wife or one of his many enemies? Intent on delivering justice, friends Judd and Law become entwined in a situation far more complex than they first realised. As they delve deeper, they soon find themselves at risk of harm.

The Butcher’s Funeral was initially published as a series of short stories on Amazon, before being compiled as an electronic book.

Now in paperback, The Butcher’s Funeral
Why a paperback matters?

Obviously as a writer, it’s one of the landmark moments you look forward to, your own book in print. I have now published several stories electronically and it would have been easy to go down the old fashioned route of vanity publishing. Indeed some friends have done this in the past. One friend has a very nice collection of beautifully bound hardback books mouldering in his garage.

Fortunately, it is Amazon to the rescue yet again for the independent writer. Amazon have recently integrated their CreateSpace offering into the self-publishing toolkit, it is now really straight-forward to convert electronic books into a print offering. Furthermore, as it is print-on-demand, the up-front costs to the writer are a few hours of work. This is much better the thousands of pounds that may be required for a vanity print run.

Regardless of how many books sell, I am one happy author. I am now off to put a paperback copy of my own work on my bookcase for the first time.

A mad two months

14 November 2016 by C. M. Harald

There has been little writing completed over the last two months and several deadlines have slipped by. However, I’ve been rather busy in a new job and moving home to be closer to work.

The highlight of recent weeks was a visit to the Battle of Hastings re-enactment at Battle Abbey. This year was the 950th anniversary of the battle. Despite bad weather, we set out for Hastings on the Saturday, staying in a holiday home overnight. It was only as the heavens opened that I was told that the holiday home site had flooded in bad weather last year. To my amazement, I did’t float away during the night and upon arriving at Battle Abbey, I was impressed with how prepared English Heritage were for the wet weather.
Hastings

Armed with my new English Heritage membership, we slowly looked around the stalls. Many were selling equipment for re-enactors, but as a teacher, there were several things I was tempted to buy. To be honest, I don’t think I’d have been been able to get the battle axe under my boss’ nose. I really don’t think swinging the thing around a classroom would really be an acceptable way to manage behaviour, or demonstrate the effectiveness of the weapon.

The re-enactors themselves were the key draw. Fascinating as the site is, it is only one a year that a thousand re-enactors are present to entertain. A series of demonstrations impressed the audience. Notable were the fifty mounted horsemen who thundered around the arena. An impressively narrated display of birds of prey was undertaken in the context of the Saxon and Norman eras. However, the most impressive demonstration was by the foot-soldier re-enactors. These men and women not only wore period style clothing, but also extensive protective gear. In a series of competitively fought demonstrations, these re-enactors demonstrated the use of their weapons in a ‘Highlander’ style knock-out tournament. Not only did these enthusiasts show great skill in fighting, they also took great pride in their acting skills when ‘injured’ or ‘killed’.

Re-enactors form a shield wall at Hastings 2016

Ultimately, the main event of the day was the re-enactment of the battle. Due to the presence of a large, and ruined, abbey atop the hill, the re-enactment took place on the slope below Senlac Ridge. For the first time I saw a shield wall with more than a couple of hundred re-enactors taking place. The view was fearsome. The spectacle of the Saxon axemen whirling their weapons around their bodies was also something I had never seen before. With over fifty horsemen, the scale of this re-enactment was vast, even though it was much smaller than the original battle. Likewise, the timescale was condensed to an hour, rather than the day the original battle took to fight. And to avoid controversy, the traditional schoolboy explanation of the death of Harold Godwinson was offered.

Re-enactors fire arrows at Hastings 2016

Hastings 2016 – a volley of Norman arrows
Dover Castle

To make further use of my shiny new English Heritage membership, I also visited Dover Castle. Having not been for many years, despite driving past the site almost every week, I was excited to look around again. They must have known I was coming as they had plenty of Christmas food gifts out for sampling and purchase. I came away with toffee apple cider and fiery mustard.

Entrance to the Keep at Dover Castle

As always, the presentation of Dover Castle is immaculate. From the Roman lighthouse to the Norman keep, the displays are detailed. The work in the keep brings to life the old stone walls and helps you to visualise the appearance of an occupied castle. One treat was finding the restored First World War anti-aircraft gun that is fired every day. The education officer had told me about the planned acquisition, over a cream tea, about three years ago, but I’d not been to see it yet.

Due to my legs nearly falling off with all the exercise, we put off a visit to the Second World War hospital and the Dunkirk Experience. I’ll have to go back as I’ve never been around them, and yes I’m also tempted by the special tours of Dumpy.

Available on Amazon – Tigers on the Western Front

21 September 2016 by C. M. Harald

Now available on Amazon – Tigers on the Western Front

I am pleased to announce that Tigers on the Western Front is now available on Amazon UK and Amazon.com. In part 2 of the Royal Zombie Corps series, the Allies continue their development of the zombie as a war winning weapon. Alfie Marsh, and his friends, are in the thick of it as the British find ways to harness the power of the flesh-eating creatures found in the front lines.

Book 3 in the series, ‘Gas! Gas! Gas!’ is now in the final editing stages and I will probably release it in one month. The fourth, and final book in the series, is almost finished. It is likely that I will likely release it in November or December.

Amazon description

The British have a new war winning weapon to break the deadlock of the trenches. The zombie knows no pain and inflicts terror on the enemy. The Allies pin their hopes on a great victory at Arras.

Book 2 of the Royal Zombie Corps continues the story of Alfie Marsh, and his friends, as they face the might of the Triple Alliance in the trenches of Western Europe. Not only are they facing the brutal conditions of the front line, but they continue their development of a new form of warfare – that of the reanimated dead.

This story is written in British English and is approximately 24,000 words long.

Artwork release – Tigers on the Western Front

10 September 2016 by C. M. Harald

Artwork release – Tigers on the Western Front

I’ve finally had the artwork made for ‘Tigers on the Western Front’. Actually I’ve been sitting on the finished product for a week as the release date for the book has slipped. Over the last few weeks I’ve been tied up by a rather strung-out, and convoluted, house move. At the start of the month I also started at a new, and challenging, coastal school, so the day job is keeping me rather busy.

Back to the book then. The final edits just need to be completed, the artwork needs uploading, and then the book will be live on Amazon for the whole world to read. I’ve just got to fit that around marking 150 pupil’s exercise books this weekend.

Artwork – Reveal of the new full cover of Tigers no the Western Front, book 2 in the Royal Zombie Corps series.

I like this cover, by the same artist as who did the cover for Blood, Mud and Corpses. This cover has a far more pulpy feel, which fits well with this type of story. I’m looking forward getting the artwork done for the third book, ‘Gas! Gas! Gas!’ and also the, as yet unnamed, final book in this first sequence. I’ve not yet come up with a name that I’m happy with for the final book, although I do have a couple of ideas. Moving further afield, I’ve already got the second and third sequence of books roughly planned, probably a further eight stories of 25,000 words each.

So over the next few days, hoping to get the final edits finalised. Stay tuned to this blog for the latest information.
Book synopsis

Tigers on the Western Front, as the second book in the series and picks up from the end of book one. Marsh and his friends are getting to grips with the new weapon they stumbled upon. The British have a new war winning weapon to break the deadlock of the trenches. The zombie knows no pain and inflicts terror on the enemy. The Allies pin their hopes on a great victory at Arras.

Teaser from Tigers on the Western Front

31 July 2016 by C. M. Harald

Book two, Tigers on the Western Front, of the Royal Zombie Corps series will be released at the end of August. It’s undergoing a final read through and the cover design still needs finalising. There are four books in the initial RZC series and the intention is to release each a month apart. So to wet the appetite of those who have already read the first book, here’s a teaser from book 2.

The story carries straight on from Blood, Mud and Corpses, and this teaser sees the characters returning to the camp at Étaples to work on a special project.

The journey to Étaples was far more comfortable than their original journey to the front had been. For a start, there was no fearful anticipation of the unknowns of combat on the front line. Furthermore, the train was not been overly crowded with them having their own carriage to themselves. In the locked mail compartment, there was a large sealed animal crate.

‘We’re going to find the girls when we get there.’ Morgan had been insisting on variations of this theme for most of the journey. Now sat in some sidings, waiting for the line to clear, the idea was beginning to wear thin.

‘What girls? You’ve been to Étaples and there were no girls.’ Simmonds explained, ‘Not a single one.’ He had rejoined the squad just before they had marched off with their special crate carried on a wagon. Despite being bitten by a zombie when they had first encountered them in the village, he had not turned into one himself.

‘There must be some. Surely those Canaries have them hidden away?’ Morgan argued, ’They’ve got every other luxury there. Why’d they not have girls there?’

‘Canaries don’t like girls. That’s why they’d not have any girls there.’ Simmonds explained, ‘They only like themselves don’t you know.’

‘There’s the fishing town?’ Morgan insisted, ‘Plenty of girls there.’

‘The officers will have them all to themselves, I bet.’ Simmonds suggested, ‘Even the fishwives I ‘spect.’

‘I’d let you know lads.’ Scott laughed, ‘But I’ve got to nursemaid you lot. So no trips to town for me.’

The time on the train passed slowly. At one point they had been delayed and rumours of sabotage or aerial bombing circulated. During that pause to the their journey, Wells had left the train, quickly returning with several liberated bottles of wine that he claimed he had traded for some cigarettes. The rest of the journey had passed quite merrily and without further major delay. The sheer volume of traffic moving towards the front lines had been impressive. Train after train of soldiers, supplies, and heavy equipment such as artillery, flowed past in an unending procession.

Finally the train had arrived at the railhead. It was dark and the rain was pouring down. The remnants of the alcohol in their systems provided little insulation. As the travellers unloaded their cargo, onto a wheeled wagon, the new staff sergeant introduced himself.

Tigers on the Western Front will be released at the end of August 2016.