Sometimes a Writer can get lost in research...

Other times it can make the story all the more fun to write… I’m about sixty percent through my current draft of Book Two of Apocalypse Knot, one of the novels that I’ve got on the schedule for release sometime in 2022. This satiric end of the world series features kids and tanks up against the Bigfoot Apocalypse. What can I say, I’m not a fan of Zombies. Now avenging monster somewhat Neanderthalish voracious Bigfoot on the other hand…

As can happen, I’ve overly enjoyed my research into the history of tanks as I’ve worked on the story. That research led to my writing a prequel novella to the series which features miniature robotic World War II era tanks, well, sort of. That’s where part of the fun comes in. The characters in the prequel and miniature modified versions of tanks harkening from that era and more make there way into the new book.

I don’t know if you’re aware that the Russian T-34 tank came as a nasty surprise to the invading German Army. The Germans knew they had the best tanks and expected an easy invasion of Russia—only to learn the hard way that the less the beautifully built T-34 were the better tank. Think garish welds.

I considered the Sherman, but it had a nasty habit of exploding until water bags were positioned over the stowed shells, which burst when a shell hit the armor just so, putting out the sparks that were igniting the shells.

Those kind of details led me to feature the T-34 in a big way in the novella and the story of those characters continues in the sequel novel I’m working on—along with the futuristic apocalyptic tanks and character I introduced in Bigfoot Is Not Your Friend, the first book of the series.

Research can suck a writer in and the history of tanks certainly has me. Hopefully my take on tanks in the Bigfoot Apocalypse makes the stories I’m writing all the more fun—and you, hopefully, or someone you know will like it enough to come on the ride this story is and will be.

I have a number of books, which are all available on Kindle Unlimited, on sale in a group promo, Magic in the Air, Soil, and Water this month: Highmage’s Plight, For Whom the Bell Trolls (which is free on Kindle for a few days), and Dare 2 Believe, all first books in my various series—and all related books, though, Dare is contemporary fantasy.

I have two free novellas this month: Apocalypse Knot, prequel to Bigfoot in Not Your Friend, and Last Knight, prequel to Knight of the Broken Table. They are featured in the group promo High Summer: August Fantasy & Science Fiction Giveaway. Check them out!

Dare to Believe,

D.H.