The Door into War

'The Door into War' is my first venture into science fiction.  It's a genre I know next to nothing about, but like nearly everyone I mention it to time travel is an interest, and I'm really chuffed to have written a time travel story that someone wanted to publish.

The beginnings of the story started around 2009, when it became clear that several British politicians were being dishonest in their expenses claims, and a handful were successfully prosecuted.  A year later, the Liberal Democrat party failed to vote against a rise in student tuition fees, so breaking a pledge they had made before the election.  Those two events, and the general growing mistrust of politicians, had me wondering how far the upper echelons of society would go to line their pockets at the expense of the ordinary man in the street.  Would they, for example, send people back in time to die agonising deaths in the trenches of the First World War if there was a profit in it?

This story explores that possibility, and the struggle to keep the plot secret once it is uncovered (pun intended) by archaeologist Rachel McKenzie, who is keen to expose the politicians' secret.

I hope the story is more than exploring the attitudes of Britain's political elite.  It was fun writing a different type of story, and having the challenge of maintaining tension through the plot, rather than a body count as is usual in my normal horror genre. 

It was also entertaining to explore in more depth the characters and background of my two favourite PhD students, Kerry-Jane and Amy.  I've often used the two ladies in my erotic shorts, and it was good to see them in a more conventional role, although it did mean I had to ensure they survived the story.

As with 'The Footholder's Tale', this story has become readable thanks in no small part to Jayne's editing, and also to Phil's comments on an early draft.

Here's the buy link

Here's the blurb:

Archaeologist Rachel McKenzie expects the excavation of a World War One bunker to yield routine results – until she uncovers modern artefacts among a handful of skeletons in British uniforms. DNA testing provides evidence of a government scheme to address Britain’s shortage of soldiers in 1918 by abducting 21st century citizens and sending them back in time to fight the Germans. The authorities from both eras are desperate to keep ‘Operation Trench’ secret, and ruthlessly stamp down on anyone who might expose them.

Despite her scepticism about time travel, Rachel needs to persuade the public that ‘Operation Trench’ is much more than a conspiracy theory dreamed up by cranks. Battling against ever increasing odds to expose the plot, Rachel endangers herself and her colleagues as the government ruthlessly culls those they suspect are privy to their plan.

Can Rachel make the truth public before she and her colleagues become victims of the very scheme they are trying to stop? Or will those in power take brutal revenge against her?

Reviews

"...a fresh and innovative approach to genre blending."  Full review.

"...a rattling good yarn." (Goodreads)
"This was a good story." (Goodreads)
Full reviews, Goodreads