BLAST, BLITZ, PROMOS, REVEALS, & TOURS . . . : SPOTLIGHT w/EXCERPT - HISTORICAL FICTION

The Slightest Chance

by Paul Letters

Publication Date: June 7th 2019

Blacksmith Books

Paperback; 296 Pages

Genre: Historical Fiction/Military/WWII

BLURB
In war, you can pretend to be someone you're not. Yet, in war, people find out who you really are.

Hong Kong, 1941. Anglo-Australian civil servant Dominic Sotherly's colonial sojourn in Hong Kong becomes complicated by his double life in both war and love. Enigmatic Englishwoman Gwen Harmison possesses secrets of her own – plus an unrelenting desire for liberty.

From gaiety at the Peninsula Hotel to persecution both inside and outside of internment, the story journeys from war-ravaged Hong Kong to war-weary China.

From real history, meet the Chinese admiral who led Hong Kong's daring ‘Great Escape' and the Japanese Christian soldier who risked his life for the enemy. And, uniquely during the occupation of Hong Kong, discover how one Englishwoman made history in her defiance of Imperial Japan.

Available on Amazon

EXCERPT

Opening line:

Dominic Sotherly swirled his whisky and downed it in one,

slamming the glass onto the marble top of the bar:

he would start the evening as he meant to go on –

as a work of fiction.

Also from Chapter 1:

Chester Drake was half British – as was Dominic Sotherly –

but Drake’s Britishness fortified the confidence gained from being the son of a self-made millionaire. … Surely he and Miss Harmison were no more than mates?

‘Let me order you champagne,’ said Dom. ‘Such a wonderful

aperitif.’ And the Achilles’ heel of many a good girl before her.

‘No, thank you.’ She turned to the waiter. ‘I’ll have a gimlet.

Heavy on the ice, light on the soda, extra lime on the side.’ A

girl who knew exactly what she liked. Gin could well grease the

wheels of Dom’s ambitions better than mere champagne.

…

‘You never know, it could be the last Saturday night soirée for

quite some time,’ said Drake, and he lit a cigarette of his own.

‘Things are going to get rather hot around here any day now.

When they do, old chap, remember we’re on the same side – for

the good of the civilised world.’ Drake tipped his head back and

funnelled his smoke up into the air.

Dom frowned.

Drake spoke softly. ‘Our little group could be Hong Kong’s

best chance.’

‘Huh!’ Drake loved melodrama as much as he loved himself.

‘You think you’re the bloody bees’ knees! Really, you’re just a

cut-lunch commando!’

Drake carried on talking on his own plain. ‘Dominic, do you

really think you can kill a man?’

He glared through Drake’s black eyes. ‘That really depends

on who the man is, Chester.’

‘Steady on, old chap. I—’

‘Cut the crap, Drake.’ He jabbed a finger at his adversary.

‘You’ve gotta—

‘You’ve got to what?’ asked Gwen, reappearing at the table.

‘You’ve got to wait for Gwen to sit down before you say anything

too interesting?’

Dom smiled.

The conversation sailed calmly on, although Drake could be

relied upon to stir up the odd squall.

‘Max, where on earth did you first meet Hemingway?’ asked

Drake.

‘Yes, where did you meet him, Max?’ Gwen’s voice rose as the

sentence progressed.

‘We share the same manicurist.’

‘Really?’ asked Gwen.

‘No, not all!’ Max laughed, then he fixed his eyes on Gwen’s.

‘Spain. During the civil war. After uni I did two years in the

National Guard.’ Not a complete lie – Dom had joined the

part-time Queensland Militia. But he had never been to Spain.

‘You know, I had all this training, and the poor people of Spain

needed all the help they could get.’

‘Which poor people?’ asked Gwen. ‘Did you fight for the

Communists or the Fascists? For the wicked or for the iniquitous?’

‘The Republicans. My band were fighting for freedom and

democracy, not for communism or dictatorship.’

‘I’m so glad to hear it, Mr Holt.’ She smiled. He had surely

gained points for displaying a social conscience. She raised her

full glass – wine was a drink she appeared to tolerate more than

devour – and proposed a toast. ‘To honourable Spaniards.’ Gwen

chimed her glass against his and giggled. ‘All three of them.’

Author Info
Paul Letters is a novelist, journalist, broadcaster and part-time teacher of history and politics. He moved from London to the jungled fringes of Hong Kong in 2001. His earlier World War II novel, A Chance Kill, topped the South China Morning Post book charts. In addition to historical features, he writes opinion pieces and magazine articles. Paul also broadcasts on Radio Television Hong Kong. His ‘This Month in History' segment can be found as a podcast. Paul and his son James also present the chart-topping history podcast for kids and adults, ‘Dad and Me Love History'. His website, and his daily on-this-day-in-World-War-Two twitter feed, can be found at paulletters.com.

Giveaway
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