The final lap...

All stories now sorted, chapters defined and intro written. Its now just down to a final edit, indexing, choosing the images (about 200 of them) and writing the captions. Not counting at present but in excess of 80,000 words.

A writer's lot is not (always) a happy one...its been a hard, but enjoyable, slog. Almost ready to send off the final draft to the publisher by 6 January 2014 for publication in October 2014.

'Swansea in the Great War'...out next year!

DORA...its not a lady!

DORA was the Defence of the Realm Act 1914 (with a few subsequent amendments).

It gave the Government a lot of powers over the lives of the citizens of Britain. Public, factory, and shop etc. lighting in some parts of the country had to be dimmed to minimise the risk of German Zeppelin airships using the lights as a guide as to where to drop their bombs. It was also forbidden to sketch in some parts of Swansea - the docks and Mumbles being examples. One chap was arrested at Mumbles when it was realised that he'd been drawing the fort...he might be a spy!

'Swansea in the Great War' - chapters decided upon...

Now up to about 60,000 words (and I've got lots of illustrations, too) on 'Swansea in the Great War' which will be published in October 2014 and the chapter topics have been decided on as well.

They are (apart from the usual acknowledgements, introduction etc.,):

Recruiting and Conscientious Objection; The Treatment of Foreign Aliens; Medical Services in Swansea; The effect of the War on Industry; The Problem of Food Supply; Women and the War; Relief Efforts for those at Home or at the Front; Tales from the Front (Swansea's two VC winners; other short stories on those who served on land, on sea or in the air); Swansea's Foreign Legion; The War According to Captain Blackadder; Remembrance.

Now in the final stages of writing and correcting.