Larry Jeram-Croft's Blog

So finally finished and available on Amazon in all the normal formats, ie Kindle, paperback or hardcover.. This one has taken almost a year as I was tied up with other things and needed to do research but it was great fun writing it. As usual with my novels, the plot is partly based on fact, especially the connections of Winchester with King Arthur. So if you want to know more:'The City of Winchester has long been associated with King Arthur. In the alternative city that only Tony Peterson can travel to, some people are taking the legends far too seriously. Somehow King Arthur's massive Round Table has even been stolen from the City's Great Hall.Having just got married, Tony only travels over to sort out his finances but is immediately drawn into a conspiracy to set the British Empire against the Germans and Russians. Once again, he ends up helping his friend, Inspector Frank Cosgrove to try and unravel what is going on before it is too late.Nothing is as it seems and when Royalty are drawn into the plot, Tony, with the help of technology from his world and British Intelligence, have to work together to stave off a catastrophe.'

Some years ago I started a writers group in my village of Martock in Somerset. We did all the normal things of writing exercises, discussing literary festivals etc. Then one day on the golf course I almost hit a swan with my ball and that got me thinking. I suggested that we as a group, should write a short story about a fictional village on the Somerset levels. You'll have to read it to see the swan connection. The idea really took off and the story ended up as a novella of 30,000 words. So we then decided to add some more stories to make it a year in the life of the village and a complete book. Writing it was great fun and caused much laughter at our meetings. Its now finished and I have published it under my name but with credit to all in the group. We agreed that all profits will go to charity. I think its rather good and quite funny in places. Why not have a look for yourself, as usual it is on Amazon in all formats including audio. Here's the blurb: The village that Time ignored.A tale of swans, local myths, and mayhem. A year in the life of the not always sleepy Somerset village of Blackney Foloren.Separated from the outside world by the infamous Somerset Levels, Blackney is a place which the modern world has overlooked for centuries, where the inhabitants conduct themselves to their entire satisfaction but not a great deal usually happens. However, they are about to have their feathers seriously ruffled, as this tale takes flight with several rather peculiar goings on. As with any small village, there is a pub, a shop, a church, a coven of witches and a few seriously bizarre village traditions. A group of colourful characters have lived there all their lives. Before the year’s end Blackney will see romances blossom, pagan rituals enacted, families reunited and an influx of rock fans. This is a breezy read, full of comical yet credible characters, where the animals misbehave almost as often as the humans. Prepare to be surprised by this delightful, laugh out loud and entertaining series of four stories that span a year in the early nineteen eighties.The book was co-written by a group of Somerset villagers and has a beautiful cover illustration by local artist Su Seeley. Stories to savour if you can resist racing to conclusions but be warned, you might have to look twice next time you see a swan……….

And its now out on Kindle, papeback or hardback.

1914 and the start of WW1, the Royal Navy has a tiny, fledgling air service with a small number of unreliable and underperforming aircraft, with no real clue about how to use them. Four years later, they had thousands of fighters including the best of the war, hundreds of seaplanes and the ships to carry them and hundreds of airships patrolling for submarines. They had been used at sea and overland from the Dardanelles to the Western Front and the Mediterranean.Bob Hunt was one of those early aviators. His story and that of his friend Arnold St John-Stevens form the narrative of how the Royal Naval Air Service developed so rapidly and effectively and eventually became part of the Royal Air Force only four years after the war started. The two men are in the thick of it from the first deployment of British aircraft to France in 1914, the first flights of powered airships and the development and deployment of the best fighter of WW1, the Sopwith Camel. The story ends during the air campaign in the Adriatic, which is little known about but gave birth to the tactics of projecting air power that are still in use today.Based on extensive research the novel tells many little-known true stories of what it was really like to fly and fight in the air in those early days. It even explains how it was the Royal Naval Air Service, not the army that was responsible for the development of the armoured car and the tank.This is the first novel about the ‘Hunt’ family of naval pilots and tells the story of Bob Hunt one of the early naval aviation pioneers in WW1. The next three are the ‘John Hunt’ trilogy based on the author's father’s combat career in WW2. The final ten are the ‘Johnathon Hunt’ series starting with the Falklands War and ending at the turn of the century and are based on the author’s own experience as a naval aviator. He apologises for writing a dynastic series backwards, it just turned out that way.

The last year has been rather busy and my latest novel has taken considerable time to research and write. However, today I finished the story at last. In my first book about WW2, 'Better Lucky and Good' I had the main characters meet a naval commander who had flown with their parents in WW1 so I had a hook to continue the 'Hunt' dynasty back into those days. Most people write dynastic series of books going forward in time. I seem to have done it the wrong way around! After I got into my research I was fascinated by the things I discovered, the pioneering days of aviation were quite amazing and much of the original work was done by a few 'characters' in the Royal Naval Air Service. Just one example - how many people know that the concepts of the armoured car and the tank were developed by the navy not the army? You will have to read the book to find out why, which should be available in a few weeks.

 My latest novel based on my Father's war time career flying fighters in the Mediterranean in 1942.

 

 

The Battle of Britain is over but the war has only just started.Sub Lieutenant Hunt has returned to the Fleet Air Arm. After learning to to fly the new naval Martlet fighter, he helps pass on some of his combat experience at the new Air Station at Yeovilton before going to sea in HMS Audacious one of two merchantmen converted to small aircraft carriers to protect convoys. Meanwhile, his Fiancé Heather is flying regularly for the Air Transport Auxiliary but is also drawn into the world of the Secret Intelligence Service.John is then re- appointed to 863 Squadron flying Martlets off the new carrier HMS Invincible. They are bound for the Eastern Mediterranean. On the way they help resupply Malta with Spitfires, then escort their own convoys to the island from Alexandria.The French Vichy regime hold three countries, Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco. With America now in the war, an operation is planned to invade these countries and hopefully help turn the tide of the conflict.Operation Torch was the first Allied amphibious operation of the war. It doesn’t get many headlines because its aims were met and little fighting actually took place. What it did do along with victory over Rommel at El Alamein was change balance of power in the Mediterranean and pave the way for further landings in Sicily and Italy.John and his squadron are in the thick of it and in trying to ensure that the most effective shore defences do not get involved John takes an enormous risk.Available as Kindle here )Paperback and hardback in a few days):https://amazon.co.uk/dp/B09MB767VF

 So just published and available on Amazon.  My autobiography.  I wanted to tell the story of what flying in the Cold War was really like and then a rather warmer war in 1982.

[image error]  Available here:

https://amazon.co.uk/dp/B095C77NHN

Just made a solid start on the latest novel. When the Fleet Air Arm was returned to the navy in 1937 it had a dreadful inventory of fairly useless aircraft as a legacy of neglect that would take some time to rectify. This book is once again partly based on my father's service. Having spent 1940 on exhange with the RAF for the Battle of Britain he was sent to Yeovilton to pass on some of his expertise before joining 888 Squadron in HMS Formidable in the Mediterranenan. The early years of the war were a steep learning curve for everyone. As usual I'm not quite sure how the story will end but most of it is written in my head now. I wonder if anyone will understand where it got the title from?

 Just got finished.  I wanted to publish this in 2020 as the eightieth anniversary year of the Battle of Britain and made it by the skin of my teeth.  Available as a Kindle or Paperback:

https://amazon.co.uk/dp/B08R6F2Z1R

 

 

 Almost at the end of the latest novel.  A prequel to the Jon Hunt series based on my Father's career in the FAA but also when he was seconded to the RAF for the Battle of Britain.  Should be finished in a month or so. Can't decide on the cover format.

 So eighty years ago my father was rather busy. This is his squadron combat report for the 15 September 1940. He is credited with one kill that day (although in the summary they've misspelled his name as Jerman - a freudian slip I hope and demoted him to the RAF as a Flight Lt - he was an RN Sub Lt).
My novel about this period is well underway. I just wish I started earlier as it would have been good to have published it today!! Should be out before the year end though.