Almost every day on two occasions I've looked at the clock and it's read 11:11. A stark reminder for me to keep going and finish my book in time for the centenary of the First World War.
Now that the day has come, I am pleased that my story is complete, currently undergoing a second draft and developmental edit, due for publication in Spring/Summer 2019.
My debut novel; Living Inside Raindrops, is a piece of historical fiction and by no means, a book solely about war. At 107,000 words, most of its scenes are set in Brentwood, Essex. It's protagonist, a motherless twelve-year-old boy; Jimmy Ford.
Jimmy is a dreamer, a charming boy, he is curious about the world and the people around him. With his infectious nature and ubiquitous thirst for adventure, he spends his guiltless days with friends; playing and exploring the world outside. The days are long and Jimmy himself yearns for the day he can turn of age and become an RFC pilot to help fight the war overseas. Unbeknown to Jimmy, he starts developing epilepsy. With his seizures getting worse and his father drafted for duty on the Western Front, his life is about to change; forever.
One morning in 1917, Jimmy awakes to find himself confined to Warley Lunatic Asylum. Alone and afraid, it isn’t long before he becomes acquainted with some of the residents and his childlike perspective to mental health blossoms into a deeper understanding of human nature. With his age and his illness against him, will he ever find his purpose?
Below you can download the prologue, 14-pages telling the story of Lieutenant William Leefe Robinson. Awarded the VC, Leefe was the first British pilot to shoot down a German airship over home soil during the First World War.
I sincerely hope you enjoy!
Now that the day has come, I am pleased that my story is complete, currently undergoing a second draft and developmental edit, due for publication in Spring/Summer 2019.
My debut novel; Living Inside Raindrops, is a piece of historical fiction and by no means, a book solely about war. At 107,000 words, most of its scenes are set in Brentwood, Essex. It's protagonist, a motherless twelve-year-old boy; Jimmy Ford.
Jimmy is a dreamer, a charming boy, he is curious about the world and the people around him. With his infectious nature and ubiquitous thirst for adventure, he spends his guiltless days with friends; playing and exploring the world outside. The days are long and Jimmy himself yearns for the day he can turn of age and become an RFC pilot to help fight the war overseas. Unbeknown to Jimmy, he starts developing epilepsy. With his seizures getting worse and his father drafted for duty on the Western Front, his life is about to change; forever.
One morning in 1917, Jimmy awakes to find himself confined to Warley Lunatic Asylum. Alone and afraid, it isn’t long before he becomes acquainted with some of the residents and his childlike perspective to mental health blossoms into a deeper understanding of human nature. With his age and his illness against him, will he ever find his purpose?
Below you can download the prologue, 14-pages telling the story of Lieutenant William Leefe Robinson. Awarded the VC, Leefe was the first British pilot to shoot down a German airship over home soil during the First World War.
I sincerely hope you enjoy!
| Living Inside Raindrops by Luke Butler (Prologue) |
