A World War II Historical Romance
By Kathleen Harryman and Lucy Marshall
How far would you go to keep a promise?
In the heat of battle, one man's promise to another will be tested.
September 1939
As Britain is gripped by the fear and uncertainty of war, Tom Armitage stands to gain the one thing that he never thought possible - his freedom.
Rosie Elliot sees her future crumbling to dust as Will Aarons leaves Whitby with Jimmy Chappell to fight in the war. As she begins work at The Turnstone Convalescent Home, Rosie finds something she thought she had lost. Friendship. But friendship soon turns to love. Can this new love replace Will?
This is not an ordinary love story.
It's a story of love, loss, courage, and honour.
Of promises that must be kept or risk losing everything you've ever held dear.
Kathleen Harryman is sharing her journey on becoming an author
The journey to becoming an author started with my parents. Ever since I can remember they have read to me. Once I could read for myself that was it and I would spend my spare time with my nose buried in a book.
Of course becoming a published author is not as easy as picking a book off the shelf and losing track of time. You’re the writer for a start, and there is no story without you.
I’ve always been the creative type, and I have spent many hours daydreaming and writing stories in my head. To such a degree I thought writing one would be easy. Well was I in for a shock.
The concept of the story, for me to is the easy part. It can start with one line, which is normally the opening line, or it can begin life with an emotion; how something made me feel. Once an idea takes shape in my head, the concept grows. I tend to always know where I am starting and finishing. The rest is where it all comes together.
I also enjoy all the research. You learn so much! It’s the characters that make writing so difficult.
I always feel that for any character to be believable they have to be so real that they even test the author. Mine certainly have. There are times when I have had to walk away from them, give us all some space, before I am able to finish that particular sentence, or chapter.
Character development is a key aspect, and I never like to plot so much that there is nothing left for the character to do, but to follow the well-rehearsed script.
The Promise was the first true romance I wrote. My first book (The Other Side of the Looking Glass) is a romantic suspense.
The Promise is different to what I have written previously. Historical novels need to be accurate according to their timelines. Speech is also a key area. Many words used during the 1930s aren’t spoken in today’s world.
What I like about romance is that it is felt. You laugh, you cry, and you go through everything the characters go through. Some you will hate, others you will get angry with. But for any romance to be successful, the reader needs to feel every bit of emotion.
I admit that while writing The Promise I cried loads of times. And I know it has had the same reaction from many readers. It’s not that the book is soppy, but that the characters are so real.
Writing historical fiction allows me to explore a time in life that is very different than our own. One of the scenes with Rosie shows her dream of having a toilet inside the house and a bath. We take such things for granted, and yet back in the 1930’s, not everyone had such luxuries. It is these small things that set an historical story apart from other romances.
The drive behind writing The Promise was a chance to write about my grandfather who died in Normandy in 1944. Lance-Corporal Chappell died aged 28. He left behind a wife and son (my dad Neville Chappell).
The Promise though based around my grandfather is not a memoir. It is a story within its own right. What The Promise has allowed me to do is pay tribute to my grandfather and all those who fought, worked and died during WWII. To the brave men and women, of which some now have been forgotten. I hope that through the telling of The Promise they will be remembered.
Through the retelling some of the stories my relatives have told me, The Promise has taken me on a wonderful journey. I feel more connected with the past now than ever before.
My journey as an author continues to grow. I am forever learning new skills.
Kathleen Harryman
Kathleen was first published in 2015, a romantic suspense entitled The Other Side of the Looking Glass. Since then, Kathleen has developed a unique writing style which readers have enjoyed, and she became a multi-genre author of suspense, psychological thrillers, poetry and historical romance.
Connect with Kathleen: Website • Facebook • Instagram • YouTube • Twitter • IAN
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