Synopsis

This heartbreaking story is set in a time and place that is quite often misunderstood by the rest of the world. They say history is written by the victors, but who tells the stories of those who lost?

A couple of years ago my mother told me of a tragically sad story that took place in the village she grew up in during the second World War. I knew immediately that this story needs to be told; not just to give perspective of what it was like for Germans during the war, but that tragedy and loss is something experienced from both sides of the chessboard- on the battle fields, as well as at home.

The story takes place during the Second World War, in a little village in Germany. The main plot is about mistaken identity, the daily lives and struggles of the villagers during the time, as well as the horrors and moral conflict experienced by the soldiers on the fronts.

Outline

The book will be outlined as follows:

Chapter 1

It is 1975 and starts off with the mayor's deathbed confession. However, it will not be made clear as to what the confession is until the end of the book.

Chapter 2 onwards

Thirty Five years earlier, at the beginning of the War. The village and the protagonist families/characters are introduced.

Chapters will alternate between the lives of the families in the village, and the soldiers at war, covering a span of five years, until the soldiers come home...or not.

The main event, on which the original story is based, will take place in the middle of the book, and from there the story will unfold until the last few chapters that exposes the confession.

I cannot give too much detail of the story, otherwise there can be no "surprise" event/twist for the reader.

Audience

The primary market would be aimed at bookclubs, the "older" generation. However, this is a book that everyone of all ages could, and probably should, read. Personally, although perhaps overshooting it a bit, I feel this is the stuff movies are made of.

Promotion

I am of this world, but not always a part of it. That means that I am on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, have a personal website, and a few connections to the South African publishers, but I do not fully immerse myself within these realms as I have a life outside of the internet. That said, however, with this competition I will push and joyfully market my proposal within all my social media accounts.

Competition

There are many books on this subject/time, like;

Two Brothers, by Ben Elton

These are set during the Great War, but still relevant;

Birdsong, by Sebastian Faulks

All quiet on the Western Front, by Erich Maria Remarque