Happy publication day to Rebecca F John and her latest novel, The Empty Greatcoat which has been published by Aderyn Press.
From Aderyn Press’ website: “When Francis House enlists in the British Army in 1907, at the tender age of fifteen years and three months, he is not thinking about war. He imagines he simply wants to earn his stripes – to ease his traumatised father’s Boer War memories, or perhaps to please his favourite sister, Lily, with whom he has always dreamt of adventure.
“But he soon discovers that simply becoming a soldier is not enough and, against the advice of his sergeant, he determines to seek out a real fight. Wading ashore at Gallipoli seven years later, Francis thinks he might just have found the site of his greatest opportunity. Here, he thinks, he might finally prove himself a man.
“First, though, he must find his missing friend Berto.
“He needs to say sorry.
“He cannot yet imagine the ghosts that might stand in his way.”
The publication of The Empty Greatcoat marks the start of a very busy year for Rebecca which will also see publication of another adult novel, Fannie by Honno Press in February, as well as her first children’s book, a middle-grade novel called The Shadow Order from Firefly Press in the autumn.
Many congratulations to Rebecca on The Empty Greatcoat, and on the prolific 2022 ahead.
Rebecca was shortlisted for the 2019 BSSP for her story The Sea Thief which is published in our volume 12 anthology by Tangent Books: https://www.tangentbooks.co.uk/shop/bristol-short-story-prize-anthology-volume-12