Today is an exciting day for me because my publishers are announcing the title of my next novel.
It will be called VICTORY GIRLS.
VICTORY GIRLS will be the final book in my Second World War Lavender Road series.
The series started with the outbreak of war on the 3rd of September 1939 and, six books and a million words later, I have brought it to what I hope is a suitably celebratory close, at the end of VICTORY GIRLS, on VE Day, the 8th of May 1945.
I won’t give away the VICTORY GIRLS’ storyline here, but, suffice it to say, like its predecessors, it contains a good wartime ration of excitement, history, love and adventure, all combined with a light sprinkling of humour!
VICTORY GIRLS will be published in April next year (2018), and it is heartening (to me at least!) that interest in the Second World War seems to be stronger than ever.
You only need to look at current blockbuster film releases to see that. The recent film ALLIED with Brad Pitt had a massive budget (even though sadly it didn’t receive quite the success and publicity it deserved due to his marital breakup). And now we have two more huge films to look forward to, CHURCHILL and DUNKIRK.
Dunkirk featured in the first book of my series, LAVENDER ROAD itself, when one of the characters, at huge personal risk, takes his small river boat over the English Channel to help rescue the encircled British troops from the French coast.
Winston Churchill, always present in the background of the Lavender Road books, makes his first actual appearance in LONDON CALLING, as he lies ill with pneumonia in Tunisia at the end of 1943. He also figures in the upcoming VICTORY GIRLS, both at the Rhine Crossings, and in the VE celebrations.
Having covered almost the entire war in my six novels, I can imagine how Churchill (and everyone else) felt when peace in Europe was finally declared. In an odd way I feel as though I have vicariously lived through it all too! Not just Dunkirk, the Blitz, and subsequent relentless bombing of London, but also the trauma of evacuation, the fear for friends and loved ones, SOE operations in France, the sinking of the French fleet in Toulon harbour, torpedo attacks in the Mediterranean, the Sicily landings, POW camps, D Day, V1 and V2 rocket attacks, not to mention the day to day privations of rationing, shortages, love and loss, and the constant presence of danger.
But of course it wasn’t all doom and gloom. The aspect of my research that I found most amazing was the extraordinary courage, resilience, acceptance of adversity and gritty humour that people showed, people of all nationalities, and from all walks of life. And that’s what I have tried to show throughout the series, that when the chips are down people do what they have to do to survive, to cope, and to to overcome. I think we must all hope that some of the same attitudes of strength, tolerance and resilience will prevail today in our current troubled times.
Helen’s most recent novel, THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STREET, (Lavender Road Book 5) is now out in Hardback (UK) and eBook (UK AND USA). It will be published as a paperback on 19th October 2017.
Love your books have read them all, but wondered why your last book in series The Victory girls is to be £9.99 on Kindle? All your other books were £3.99 and what justifies such a large price increase.
I’m so glad you have enjoyed the Lavender Roaf books. I’m afraid my publishers deal with all the pricing so I can’t really help ypu with that, except to say that brand new books nearly always come in at a higher price. Times are tough for publishers (and writers!) at the moment. It is hard to know what represents a fair price. But at least VICTORY GIRLS is a nice long read ( it took me a year to write) so hopefully people will feel it is worth it!
Great news about the next book, HB – and I hope the rumours about your retirement are premature!
I wish that this series would just go on forever’ Have loved everyone of these Lavender Rd books and cant wait until Victory Girls is published.
Thank you! I’m so glad you have enjoyed the books so far! Sorry it’s such a long wait for VICTORY GIRLS!
Dear Helen, as a fan from Australia I have to say that I read all three of the Lavender Rd, series from the local library. Then years later picked them up for my kindle & was thrilled to see that a new novel was due out to continue the series. Now with the last one due I’m saddened to see the end comming. However know that I will always be a huge fan & will continue to reread the series.
Love what you have done with the characters, love seeing how the girl’s have all grown up & found their way into becoming adults. (Jenn, Molly & Louise)
Love this series so much I’m buying a kindle for my mum for Birthday & Christmas and will but her this series to go on it!
Thanks for a great series,
Alison.
So lovely to hear, and I hope your mother enjoys the books too! If you have the time to pop a star rating and short review on Amazon that would be great – it all helps!
Great news although I also am sad that the series is ending. I’ve loved the books and the people we met through them. My Uncle was Irish but lived in England from the time he was eighteen. He fought for the British in WW2 and was in the Burma campaign. He didn’t say much about it. He only died last September aged 100 years old. He came home to Ireland in the May for his birthday and we had a great night. He was a gentleman to the core and whenever I read books set in those years ( and I read lots of them) I always think of him.
So lovely to hear, and I hope your mother enjoys the books too! If you have the time to pop a star rating and short review on Amazon that would be great – it all helps!
Sorry, on a train and struggling to respond with signal popping in and out! So intersting to hear about your uncle. They were a different generation, amazing resilience. I’m so glad the books struck a chord with you. If you had time to post a star rating and reviews for them on Amazon that would be great. It a helps!
Helen, I forgot to ask if you had any ideas for your next series. I hope it is something I can really get into. Don’t quit writing you are to good. Greg >
Helen, I am one of your male readers. The one that does not look at your series as a romantic novel. I am really going to miss you and your books. My dad and many of my Uncles were in WWII. My Uncle Shorty was in WWII. He couldn’t talk about the war until I was in my twenties. He went back over in his 70’s, came home, and simply began talking about the war. He is the only one of my Uncles that was in combat that I know of. My dad we know nothing about. He just never talked about it. He was in New Guinea. Uncle Shorty was in the Battle of the Bulge. He fought under General Patton and ran into him three times. General Patton got right in with his men. Uncle Shorty was behind a tank going though the inside of homes. General Patton was right behind him screaming at his men. He was also at the the speech Gen. Patton had to give concerning his abuse of a shell shocked soldier. There was also the time he and a Lieutenant were stooped down at a cross road looking at small map. A jeep pulled up and one of those in the jeep said, “You soldier’s lost? My Uncle told me he yelled out “Damn right we are, then jumped to attention.” There was Gen. Patton standing with his pearl handled pistols. Patton had a larger map for them to use. One of his most interesting stories concerning when Uncle Shorty. The story ended up being published in a news paper in a French newspaper.
Several years ago I began thinking about what it must have been like living in England during the war. I am college educated, but I don’t enjoy reading books that are written like a history book. I found your Lavender Road series on Amazon. First book and I was hooked. I read only before bed for it relaxes me. I have started reading the series by Ellie Dean. I am on my third book and they have not gripped me as yours do/did. I hate so much to see your series come to an end. I was hoping you could write forever about the war in England. I believe my favorite characters were Katy, Jen, and Ward. But honestly they all are simply great. You did such a wonderful job. I am going to miss you young lady. My wife and son have gone to England. I have not flown sense while on a troop plane we came close to coming down over the Atlantic. Lordy am I going to miss you and this series.
PS: Oh, I might mention my father-in-law was in WWI. He was in charge of black a platoon and brought bodies out of the trenches. If I had the time I would tell you a very interesting story he once told me. He was in his 70’s when we were married. My wife was conceived when he was in his 50’s. Greg
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What a fascinating story. Thank you for sharing it. Sadly I’m on a train with poor WiFi so I can’t respond fully. But THANK YOU so much for the lovely comments about my books.
I hope you will enjoy VICTORY GIRLS just as much, sorry it’s such a long wait!
All best wishes for now, Helen
Ps. Not sure yet what im going to write next but i will let you know!
In the meantime, if you have time to pop some reviews on Amazon that would be great!
And would you mind if I quoted some of your comments elsewhere on social media? I wouldn’t use your name.
A million words? Amazing – especially as they’re a million brilliant words! A very inspirational post and, as you say, hopefully we can emulate the reactions and responses if our forbears as we live through turbulent times of our own? Thanks Helen Carey for being a fantastic story teller.
Very exciting – and a great title!
And see the Twitter post I just did, coincidentally.
Sent from my iPhone
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