(A Novel of Malta in WWII, Part I — Assault)
By Helena P. Schrader
Early 1942: the fate of the Suez Canal and access to Middle East oil hangs on the fate of an island just 17 miles long by 9 miles wide: Malta.
Determined to destroy the British forces threatening Rommel’s supply lines, the Axis powers drop more bombs on Malta than London endured throughout the Blitz. The population is forced underground, while the RAF struggles with inadequate resources to fend off defeat. Meanwhile, Britain’s Atlantic lifeline is fraying....
Voices on the Wind follows the fate of four of Malta’s defenders: Senior Intelligence Officer and former Battle of Britain ace, W/Cdr “Robin” Priestman; WAAF SigInt Officer Candice Weld, sent out from Bletchley Park to “man” the only X-machine outside the UK; F/O “Ned” Nettleton, a Beaufort torpedo bomber pilot engaged in suicidal attacks against enemy shipping; and Chief Officer Stevie Mackay of the British Merchant Navy, fighting to keep Britain’s own lines of supply open.
Praise
What emerges from these pages is more than a story of military operations. It is a portrait of service, endurance, and sacrifice viewed through multiple perspectives, each contributing to a richer understanding of a critical moment in history.
Yarde Book Promotions
Through a collective of narrators working in different areas of the war effort, mainly in and around Malta, "Voices on the Wind" by Helena P. Schrader explores a frequently overlooked aspect of history, delving into the defence of Malta during the Second World War.
The Coffee Pot Book Club
An interview with Helena P. Schrader
What inspired you to start writing?
When I was four, my family visited Rome and my mother, thinking I was too young to pay attention to a tour guide, tasked my father with leading me through the Colosseum. Intelligent man that he was, he knew how to engage the imagination of a four-year-old; he told me simply: “This is where they fed the Christians to the lions.” My imagination went wild. I kept trying to imagine where the lions had been and how the Christians might have escaped… After that, whenever I found myself in someplace full of history, I found myself trying to picture what it was like. Soon that led to stories in my mind that I started to ‘capture’ by writing them down. But I can’t predict what will trigger that explosion of creativity. To me, it feels simply inspired — as if an outside force says: “Look! This is a story you have to write about!”
What was the hardest part about writing this book?
I love both researching and writing. I’ve compared writing the first draft to eating Tiramisu, one of my favourite deserts, because it gives me such an adrenaline rush. Yet, I’ve come to enjoy re-writing and polishing a work almost as much. It’s like eating something more nourishing like fresh-baked bread. What I find most difficult is editing. I just don’t see my own errors. I’m too lost in the story to notice when words are missing or misspelled or overused.
Does one of the main characters hold a special place in your heart? If so, why?
Not really. They have different holds on me.
Robin is an old friend. I first met him nearly twenty years ago when I wrote my Battle of Britain novel, Where Eagles Never Flew, in which he features as the main protagonist. I’ve also written about his post-war career in my three-part series on the Berlin Airlift, Bridge to Tomorrow. So, Robin is special like any old friend is. However, his role in this novel is more supportive than central.
The man who inspired this book, however, is Ned. He’s the one who demanded that I tell his story and whose story grabbed me viscerally, made me stop, catch my breath, and say “I have to write a book that captures this journey.” That’s why I put his picture (or a contemporary photo of a man who represents Ned in my mind) on the cover. I feel committed to telling Ned’s story, but — I’ll be honest — I’m not sure I’ve entirely done him justice.
What do you hope your readers take away from this book?
My motto as a novelist is: “Understanding ourselves by understanding the past.” The point is that my novels are always as much about today as they are about the past. This book is not so much a “war story” or a “love story” (although it is both) as a book about the many faces of courage, ambition, duty, sacrifice — and about the price of survival. I hope the novel will remind each of us to recognize the debts we owe to others — most especially to the dead.
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