David-Michael Harding – How Angels Die – Author Interview

My thanks to David-Michael Harding for stopping by Tribute Books Reviews and Giveaways for a guest post about his book, How Angels Die.

Both the title and the novel are drawn from recorded conversations with my father and uncles prior to their deaths. All were WWII veterans. One had parachuted into France on D-Day -2 and was picked up by a young French girl on a bicycle – his ‘Angel’.

2. Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
Increase the reader’s recognition of the many faces of war and its impact – far beyond the flying bullets and blood of the front lines. To remind us of the destruction that war reigns down in lives lost and families destroyed in order that we avoid it at all costs.

3. How much of the book is realistic?
The historical research was painstaking in order to insure accuracy. The stories recounted by my family and interwoven in the book’s pages add a sense of realism difficult to replicate otherwise.

4. If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your book?
No.

5. What was the hardest part of writing your book?
Time. Research involved was extremely comprehensive.

6. Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?
The toll of war is so very high, it draws into question the futility of armed conflict in the current century and beyond.

7. Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?
I credit Rod Serling. He sparked an interest with ‘The Twilight Zone’ and ‘The Night Gallery’ which led me to his writings.

8. Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?
John Steinbeck. His works are all about the journey of the story. The writing is straightforward and he doesn’t waste lines. While descriptive, Steinbeck evokes the reader to connect the dots to see and smell via words. His focus is on the characters and driving forward the story.

9. Tell us your latest news.
Newest piece, ‘Cherokee Talisman’, is being edited and scheduled to be released in the Fall of 2012.

10. Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?
Thank you! Your response to ‘How Angels Die’ has been more than I could imagine.

About the Book

In the darkest days of World War II, when France found itself at the mercy of a brutal dictator, the frontlines of resistance may just have been in the grasp of a few good women. How Angels Die, the epic work of historical fiction by author David-Michael Harding, delivers a highly inventive and uncommon take on the French Resistance that is certain to appeal to anyone who relishes a blood-pumping drama, which also sheds searing new light on the astounding bravery, profound passion, and razor-sharp cunning of the fairer sex during the most trying times.

In four fateful days, two remarkable sisters, Monique and Claire McCleash, battle the German occupation of their coastal French town in the early days of June 1944. While their mission is the same, their methods of upending the occupation are irreconcilably at odds. The strikingly beautiful Monique puts her body and wit to work for the Resistance by dating and sleeping with German officers; her younger sister Claire elects instead to serve as an active combat guerilla fighter for the cause.

Brimming with high drama that is punctuated by family humor, How Angels Die lifts the veil on a lesser-known side of the French Resistance. Through the prism of two intrepid women, the novel illuminates how these women employ their formidable assets and fierce love of country to face down a vicious enemy. With page-turning action, unstoppable passion, and historical accuracy, this heart-racing novel is a must-read for sisters, history buffs, and action enthusiasts alike.

Genre: Historical Fiction
Formats: Paperback & ebook
Pages: 420
Publisher: Q&CY Books
Release Date: December 20, 2011
Price: $13.49 paperback, $2.99 Kindle
Buy Link: Amazon

About the Author

David-Michael Harding is a life-long writer whose work has appeared in national publications and has been recognized by the international writing community for his piece, The Cats of Savone. Harding’s previous historical fiction work includes, Forever Beneath the Celtic Sea, detailing the German submarine crew and their sinking of the ocean liner Lusitania. He is a former collegiate writing instructor and semi-professional football player. His experiences provide readers with well researched, crushing fast-paced action. Most of his days are spent writing from the cockpit of his sailboat, Pegasus, somewhere off the Nature Coast of Florida in the Gulf of Mexico. He is the proud parent of two grown daughters. This firsthand knowledge of the female psyche inspired the creation of sister protagonists in How Angels Die.

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