historical fiction writer, amateur photographer, retired computer guru and math geek
While I'm (not so patiently) waiting for responses to my search for an agent/publisher for War Sonnets, I decided to submit the manuscript to the Historical Fiction Company for a review. I so desperately needed some kind of moral boost! As the days passed, I realized that whatever the results, it would be a make … Continue reading A Five-Star Review for “War Sonnets”!
In the fall of 1944, Tadashi is a guard at the infamous Cabanatuan Prisoner of War Camp northeast of Manila. He has been here for two years, and learned much about the Americans held captive there, as well as the cruelty of the Japanese brass. He yearns for home, for the wife he loves and … Continue reading The Poetry of “War Sonnets:” Strange Surroundings
Writing a novel is the easy part of being an aspiring author. When I finished War Sonnets, sent it through the last batch of beta readers and critiques, and polished it until it shined, I felt like I was on the home stretch. I'd written a good story, felt validated by the work I'd put … Continue reading Slogging Through the Query Trenches
Although they are from opposite sides of the world, Leo and Tadashi, the main characters in War Sonnets have a lot in common. They are both from families who have farmed the land for generations., a land they love. In those early days, before they are called to war, Tadashi's haikus and Leo's sonnets reflect … Continue reading The Poetry of “War Sonnets”: Before They Were Soldiers
There is little room for women in a World War II novel. But to Tadashi, there is only one woman who matters anyway: his wife, Sachiko. Most marriages in early twentieth-century Japan were "arranged"; Tadashi's was no exception, and he feels honored by the gods when he realizes how much he loves her. Sachiko is … Continue reading The Woman of “War Sonnets”
When I last wrote about my War Sonnets characters, I had no idea I'd be adding a bunch more. Major changes took place in my most recent draft (Draft Three), the largest of which is the expansion of Tadashi's story to include more depth, more chapters and more characters. Let me introduce Tadashi's latest comrades: … Continue reading Meet the Men of “War Sonnets,” Part Three
A few weeks ago, I wrote about the poems in my novel, War Sonnets. Today "The Poetry of War Sonnets" becomes a series. Sonnets and haikus introduce certain scenes in Leo's and Tadashi's stories. Every few weeks I'll post one or two of them with a brief summary of the scene it precedes. You'll get … Continue reading The Poetry of War Sonnets
Leo Baldwin and Tadashi Abukara, soldiers fighting on opposite sides in the Pacific Theater of World War II have more in common that one might think. They are both farmers and poets. And they are both fighting for a cause they firmly believe in. Leo loves the sonnet. "The challenge of the sonnet intrigued him, … Continue reading The poetry of “War Sonnets”
...for the illustrious JeniChappelle to critique my second draft of War Sonnets, I've turned my attention to another work-in-progress: And Know They Love You. When I started writing this story (in--yikes!--1998), it was a challenge to myself to complete a novella-length work. When finished, it came in at just less than 27,000 words. Mission accomplished. … Continue reading While I’m waiting…
In April 2020 I thought I had completed a decent first draft of War Sonnets… until I attended a seminar and realized my “draft one” should more appropriately be referred to as “draft zero.” Yes, it had a beginning, a middle, and an end. But the character and story arcs were badly lacking. It wasn’t … Continue reading War Sonnets—Draft Two
Susannah Willey Writes 