#Feature: The Lumberjills by MW Arnold @mick859 @WildRosePress @rararesources #blogtour #CharacterQandA #newrelease #histfic #romance #mystery #WW2 #RespectRomFic #TheLumberjills

It’s such a pleasure today to be joining the blog tour for The Lumberjills, the first in a brand new series from MW Arnold: published by Wild Rose Press on 8th February, it’s now available for kindle and in paperback via Amazon in the UK and US, with the ebook also available via iBooks and for Nook. My thanks to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for the invitation and support.

I’m an enormous fan of the author’s Broken Wings series – a World War 2 saga, a cozy mystery, all set around the day-to-day operations of the Air Transport Auxiliary at Hamble. At first look, they didn’t seem at all the kind of books I was likely to enjoy, but I really love the authenticity of the wartime setting, the wonderful characters, and the investigations that drive the stories – and the author writes quite beautifully, with gentle humour and a particular lightness of delivery. I was entirely hooked from the first book, A Wing and a Prayer (you’ll find my review here) – then returned for a second, Wild Blue Yonder, and enjoyed it every bit as much (review here). I was then rather frustrated that the demands of Christmas meant that I just couldn’t fit in the third, I’ll Be Home for Christmas, however much I wanted to – but delighted to be back for the fourth in the series, In The Mood, with its mystery and intrigue, touches of real drama, romances and strong friendships, and a number of characters who have really won a place in my heart (you’ll find my review here).

There will be more to come from the ladies of Hamble, but now we have a new series – and while I’m now well-versed in ATA operations, I’ll admit to knowing very little (ok, I’ll own up – nothing at all!) about the Women’s Timber Corps. Let’s take a closer look at the book…

Berry Chambers and her co-workers have joined the Women’s Timber Corps—known as the Lumberjills—to do their bit for Britain. On their first day felling trees, they rescue an RAF pilot and become entangled in the loveless marriage of their new landlords.

 

Danger is never far away, be it an ill-timed axe swing or the occasional activity of the Luftwaffe overhead. Add a psychotic farm cat, a couple of young runaway evacuees, a spate of malicious packages, and the jealousy of the Land Girls next door, and life for Berry and her friends is never boring.

 

Can the girls find the balance between their vital war work and the natural pull of love?

And I’m so sorry to tell you that it’s frustration time again – I’m afraid there was absolutely no way I could fit this one into my February reading list, but I’ll be looking forward to picking up others in the series. Instead of needing to post a simple spotlight, I was so thrilled when Mick offered to interview one of his characters – let’s meet Berry Chambers…

So, Beryl, welcome and thank you for consenting to this interview. Perhaps you could tell us how you came to join the Timber Corps?

 

Thank you for having me and I’d be delighted. Firstly, please call me Berry. Only my parents call me Beryl and, to be perfectly honest, I can’t stand it. My younger brother actually started calling my Berry when he began to talk, as he couldn’t pronounce my full name and it stuck. Also, Beryl’s always struck me as a little old-fashioned. Anyway, I digress. My parents are what you’d now call, old money, and had insisted I would be better off staying at home with them instead of taking on some war work. As I’d been home-schooled, I had little experience of anywhere outside out home, so I naturally believed them.

 

Pardon the interruption, Berry, but what changed your mind?

 

It’s a little hard to talk about, even now, so please forgive me if I have to take a breath. We received a telegram…I assume you know the type I’m talking about…about a member of the household staff who’d joined the Army and had been killed in action. I’m very ashamed to say that I had to ask who it was. I know, shameful. Well, something changed in me and I realised that I’d been hiding from reality, from what was going on in the wide world. I stumbled across the Timber Corps, who’d only begun to recruit even though it’s 1942, discovered it was taking women and as I didn’t fancy turning yellow from working in a munition factory, decided that a life working outdoors would do me good. The time was more than past when I should be doing something useful for my country.

 

I hear that the Timber Corps have an interesting nickname. Would you care to share?

 

I’d be delighted! I’m sure you know that men who chop down trees are called lumberjacks, we’re the Lumberjills! I admit, it’s rather obvious, but also quite delightful. I’ll add a little history here. As you’ve probably guessed, like the Land Army, we’ve been recruited because most of the male lumberjacks have joined up.

 

And how have you been treated? By the remaining men you work with, I mean.

 

Well, I’d be fibbing if I said it had been easy and we’d been welcomed with open arms, but that’s probably no different to any other jobs us girls now do because the men are off fighting. Like everything, we had to prove we could do the job, preferably without lopping off either ours or anyone else’s arms or legs. So far, I’m happy to announce I’ve still got all my appendages. I’ve been working a few months now and with every day, the banter becomes friendlier. We don’t socialise with them yet, there’s only a few anyway, but at least they don’t look down their noses at us anymore. I suppose it’s like everything, the longer you’re together, the easier it gets; hopefully.

 

What about where you’re billeted?

 

Oh, I think I’d be right to say we lucked out with that, especially as it’s our groups first job We’re staying at a milk farm, a husband and wife run place and though it was a little, fraught, for the first few days, certain things happened, which I can’t divulge, and since then, we’ve got on like a house on fire! Though we’re in a barn, Bob and Sheila have made it as comfortable as possible for us. There aren’t too many cracks in the side to let the wind blow through and we’ve been well provided with blankets and camp beds. I’m snug as a bug in a rug! Plus, and I know how lucky we are, the food they serve us is plentiful and very tasty. I hesitate to say it and I know some of your readers will likely hate me for saying this, I don’t think I ate as well even before the war started.

 

Do you have any siblings? If so, can you share what they’re doing?

 

I’ve one younger brother who’s in the RAF. As to what he’s doing? I’m not too sure and, walls have ears etc, I couldn’t tell you much, even if I did. All I can share is that he’s in Coastal Command and I only found that out a short while back. You see, he didn’t see eye to eye with my parents either and when he joined up, we lost contact. I’m hoping to see him shortly and after I’ve told him my opinion on his lack of writing, I’m hoping we can get back to how close we were before the war broke out.

 

I wish you luck with that, Berry, everyone needs someone to lean on right now.

 

I couldn’t have said it better!

 

One final question. It sounds like you’re enjoying your work. Do you see yourself staying in the Lumberjills for the duration?

 

What I’m about to impart may come as a bit of a shock to you. When I talked about joining the Timber Corps, I was made aware of this fact. I believe I’m right in saying this, and I’m certain that if I’m not then one of your readers will put me right, but once you’ve signed on the dotted line, you cannot resign, you’re in this for the duration.

Mick, thank you – that was almost as good as reading the book (ok… not quite!). I’ll be very much looking forward to spending time with Berry and the rest of the Lumberjills.

About the author

Mick is a hopeless romantic who was born in England and spent fifteen years roaming around the world in the pay of HM Queen Elizabeth II in the Royal Air Force before putting down roots – and realizing how much he missed the travel. He’s replaced it somewhat with his writing, including reviewing books and supporting fellow saga and romance authors in promoting their novels.

He’s the proud keeper of two Romanian were-cats bent on world domination, is mad on the music of the Beach Boys, and enjoys the theatre and humouring his Manchester United-supporting wife. Finally, and most importantly, Mick is a full member of the Romantic Novelists Association. The Lumberjills is the lead book in this new series from the author of the Broken Wings novels.

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube channel