The Write Stuff with... M W Arnold

It's my pleasure to welcome author M W Arnold to the blog today to kick off his publication day celebrations for I'll Be Home for Christmas, book 3 in his Broken Wings series. Over to you Mick.

Question to all those authors out there – have you ever fallen in love with your characters, from the first moment you began to create them?

I’d written a few books before the idea for the first in the series, ‘A Wing and a Prayer’, came along and I’d liked my characters, really liked them, but along came the girls and it was like being hit by a fork of lightning. So the question I asked myself was, why? I think a lot is to do with the fact the period they’re set in is one I’ve always been very interested in. The subject of World History was my favourite and best subject at school, probably because a lot of it was to do with the military.

Research is a big part of writing and with that book, my first historical saga, I immersed myself in it so much that the characters seemed to jump out of my head and onto the page. Reading up on the adventures of the real-life Air Transport Auxiliary pilots inspired my imagination, there’s no two ways to say it. I mean, can you imagine setting out to deliver a plane with no radio, no weaponry and therefore no way to defend yourself, in the middle of a vicious world war. Of course not, but that’s exactly what went on every day, in every weather; there was no other choice and without the gallantry of the women (and men, of course) who performed this arduous yet vital task, the war in the air would have been a lot harder to win.

I’m very proud to have created a diverse cast of characters, including my favourite creation, Doris Winter from New York, USA. She’s fun, brash, yet with a serious side and a dedication to her work which is second to none. Her main fault? A possible addiction to fish ‘n’ chips. Now, before you say hey, the Air Transport Auxiliary was a British institution, it was, but there were non-British personnel, including Americans. So why would I put an American in a British unit? Well, without giving much about the first book away, she needed to get away from a bad situation she found herself in back home and the ATA’s American equivalent, the Women’s Airforce Service Pilots (known as the WASPs) were not known for how well they treated their female pilots, something which Doris knew.

But one character alone does not make a great cast. As much as I loved creating Doris, I had a lot of fun with her friends. There’s no leader amongst the girls, and so none really stand out from the others. Each of them has a distinct personality and together, they make a very effective whole. My style of writing doesn’t involve a great deal of planning so, Doris apart, I knew very little about the girls as they appeared on screen, but this made evolving them – I guess I can’t really say I created them by stating that – all the more fun and intriguing. As something happened, they reacted and when they were the cause of a happenstance, another part of their personality was shown. Even now, with the publication of the third story, ‘I’ll be Home for Christmas’, I’m still finding things out about them, about all of the main characters to be honest, and I couldn’t be happier.

Finally, do you know what, I think I even love some of my antagonists; some, not all. I especially like creating baddies who you think aren’t bad, but really are, but don’t think of themselves as being bad. Sorry, I know that’s confusing, but you’ll just have to read the books to find out what I mean.

Even now, as book four comes together, I’m introducing new characters who I had no idea were around when I started the series and I couldn’t be happier. Long may this continue!

Air Transport Auxiliary pilot Doris Winter is accused of stealing a valuable item from a famous Hollywood movie star, now a Captain in the US Army Air Corps, after a dance at the air base in England where he's stationed. Gathering her close friends together, she's determined to clear her name.

Ruth’s POW son suffers a life-changing injury just as her own cottage takes damage in an air raid and Penny's estranged little sister unexpectedly turns up, having run away from school. Together with the ongoing thefts of items of clothing and surprise personal revelations, these all threaten to hamper their investigation.

In spite of the worsening war situation, they must band together to rise above their troubles and prove love and friendship is worth fighting for.

A word about the author…

Mick is a hopeless romantic who was born in England and spent fifteen years roaming around the world in the pay of HM Queen Elizabeth II in the Royal Air Force before putting down roots and realizing how much he missed the travel. He’s replaced it somewhat with his writing, including reviewing books and supporting fellow saga and romance authors in promoting their novels.

He’s the proud keeper of two cats bent on world domination, is mad on the music of the Beach Boys, and enjoys the theatre and humoring his Manchester United-supporting wife. Finally, and most importantly, Mick is a full member of the Romantic Novelists Association. Wild Blue Yonder is the second novel in his Broken Wings series and he is very proud to be a part of the Vintage Rose Garden at The Wild Rose Press.

Sales links:

Amz - mybook.to/WildBlueYonder

iBooks - tinyurl.com/2dvavjm4

Nook - tinyurl.com/nntrssny

Kobo - tinyurl.com/3ntnv8wk

Contact/Social media links: 

Facebook: M W Arnold Author

Twitter: mick859

Instagram: mick859

YouTube channel: tinyurl.com/zav3r9kx

Amazon Author Page: tinyurl.com/4smyzscp