C. M. Harald

Writing about writing

Writing

Pre-order now on Amazon – Tigers at Cambrai

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Due to the half-term holiday, I’ve been able to quickly finish editing Tigers at Cambrai.  It is available for pre-order on Amazon as of today.  Tigers at Cambrai  can be downloaded from 3rd March 2017.  This is the fourth book in the Royal Zombie Corps series and the final one in the initial sequence covering 1916-1917.

Synopsis – Tigers at Cambrai

Their greatest challenge, so far, awaits the men of the Royal Zombie Corps at Cambrai. After a successful demonstration, the British plan to use the zombie tactics formulated by Alfie Marsh, alongside the other advances of the war. However, the enemy is determined to fight off this new horror of trench warfare, in an increasingly industrialised war.

Book 4 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. Following a zombie outbreak in 1916, the British have been developing the zombie as an offensive weapon to break the deadlock of the trenches. Following the accidental discovery that zombies can be controlled by a select group of individuals, the men of the Royal Zombie Corps have been developing the tactics that they hope will bring the war to a successful conclusion in 1917.

This story is written in British English and is approximately 23,000 words long.

Buy Now on Amazon! Gas! Gas! Gas!

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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.

Available on Amazon – Tigers on the Western Front

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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

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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.

Royal Zombie Corps, book 2 cover

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

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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.