This one has been some time in the making. The fifth in my Greater German Reich series (alternative history), I’ll confess that it was difficult to motivate myself to work on this, let alone get around to finishing it. The shifting of the focus from a dystopian Britain/Germany to a war on the American continent was challenging, not least of all because I don’t think my strengths lie in writing convincing battle sequences.

I did have some practice working on “England’s Pleasant Pastures”, but the concept of Germany invading the US through Canada was a huge one, and required me to to learn some fresh new skills. I did receive a few tips from writer Alex Aaronson (check him out on X @AlexAaronson80; alexanderaaronson.com) which proved to be invaluable in helping me think like a general.

So how close is Eisbär to completion? Should be out by the end of 2023. And then the final book in the Greater German Reich series should be out towards the end of 2024. And that will be the end of my 30 year foray into the alternative history genre. Writing the last in a series is always going to be a sad moment, and for the Greater German Reich I’m determined not to have a Return of the Jedi event, where virtual teddy bears (these are Eisbärs, damn it!) defeat the might of the Reich, and everyone stands around dancing and looking wistfully upwards at the moon during a celebration in the woods. I’m determined not to have a cheesy ending. I want something staggeringly unforgettable. And even right now, I don’t know who will emerge as the victors because, ya know, bad guys sometimes win. Plus, I think I wrote some very good baddies that are almost likeable as goodies in the series. Hell, I might even decide to have the US and the Reich launch nuclear missiles at one another and destroy the world.

Of course, it’s not really up to me. The characters themselves have taken control of the series, and they decide how events play out. And I’m not even sure whether I can just walk away from the series after book 6, or whether I should keep that universe alive a little while longer. Nazis on the Moon, anyone? Or perhaps go back in history to a time closer to end of World War 2, showing how the world changed. Remember, the series began in 1994, fifty years or so after the end of the war, so there is plenty of scope for a prequel trilogy. Or would that just be flogging a dead horse? Well, I hope the sixth book in the series doesn’t kill the horse. At best, put him out to pasture.

Anyway, what do you do with the numbering system when it’s the fifth book in an overall series, but the second in the second trilogy? I guess you give it a subtle subtitle (or perhaps, not so subtle), a number, and then a huge Roman numeral on the book cover. Yes, the V isn’t for victory, it’s for five.

Watch this space.