posts about the novel
I recently received this review from an Estonian writer, about ‘Finnish Boys’. It does get into the book’s plot and it is refreshing to see someone else’s view of the story. Siiri ‘gets it’ in my view and has a great way of putting it too! But enough from me, make your own mind up! […]
Kautla (pronounced Cow-tla to us Brits) is a marshy forested area in the middle of Estonia, some 60kms south east of Tallinn. Heavily wooded and in an area of many lakes, it has a serene feel to those who manage to drive the many miles down the track from nearby Ardu. What is at Kautla […]
People of my generation in Europe cannot appreciate the full emotions of all-out war. The constant pressure of conflict. The stresses of attacks without warning and not knowing the status of loved ones, who may have been posted away to places unknown. The pressures of an economy totally focussed on war and rationing of food […]
The new novel ‘Finnish Boys has now been released and as a celebration of my birthday (happy birthday to me!), I am publishing the beginning of chapter one on the web page today. The story begins in 1940, on the eve of the Red Terror, when the new Soviet government arrests ten thousand people across […]
Many people in the UK have limited knowledge of Estonia’s past. When I was in school, the Baltic States were not even a footnote in the story of the Soviet Union. Personally, I only stumbled across their existence by accident, courtesy of a pre-war atlas. For those who have a similar lack of knowledge, here […]
Q: A new Estonian novel – is it availableto buy? A: Yes, The new novel is called Finnish Boys and is available online via my website and Amazon at present. Amazon also provides an e-book option. Q: It’s a prequel to Forest Brothers. Why did you choose to do it this way? A: It sort […]
With the release of Finnish Boys, I thought it would be useful to give a background to the story. The history of Estonia is not well known in the UK and it is useful to have an understanding of how the circumstances of 1941, This is a brief summary to get you in the mood, […]
After a few years of waiting, I am now delighted to announce the prequel to ‘Forest Brothers’ and book 1 of the Estonian trilogy. Entitled ‘Finnish Boys’, it tells the story of an estranged family of three Estonians, beginning with the night of the ‘Red Terror’ – when the Soviets rounded up 10,000 people from […]
Once Forest Brothers was completed, I was asked what I would do next. The story was written as a one off, but there were a few people out there wanting to know more. I had moved on to my next project, a different setting, a different time period. I had started the writing process and […]
Forest Brothers has them. Life has them. What makes a hero? what makes a villain? Is it purely an audience point of view? Does it depend on your background, your origin, your life experience? I have been traveling recently, a week’s break to Limburg. The hilly part of Holland. It’s a very relaxed area and […]