The 90th anniversary of the first King’s Cup Air Race falls this September, an 810-mile flight from Croydon to Glasgow and back after an overnight stop. It was won by Captain Frank Barnard, only a namesake I’m afraid. But I not only mentioned the event in A Time For Heroes but had my anti-hero Guv Sutro compete in it (he crashed)as well as recording Captain Barnard’s victory. So it was a pleasant surprise when an email came through from an address in Farnborough asking if I was related to the gallant captain who, at the time, was chief pilot of the Instone Air Line.
The email, from Kathryn Stuart, disclosed that her grandfather Samuel Radley Green had been Barnard’s engineer on the flight in an Airco DH4. She has a cup presented to him by Captain Barnard in gratitude for ‘ the large part he played in the winning of the King’s Cup 1922.’ She added: ‘ I am trying to find (Captain Barnard’s)
original cup to put the two back together for the anniversary. Flight magazine are interested.’
All I was able to do, I’m afraid, was tell her disappointingly that I am not related to the air ace in question and was unable to help in her search for the winner’s cup. But at least I can record the coincidence here and see if anyone else knows where it might be. And if it turns up, I’ll be sure to mention it here. Meanwhile, Ms Stuart is attending a recording of the Antiques Road Show in Farnborough on 10 May. I’d be surprised if they don’t feature it in the programme. And naturally I’m sending her a copy of A Time For Heroes with the passage about the King’s Cup marked, pages 403 and 406.
When Amazon emailed me one of their promo pages with hot tips A Time For Heroes was sandwiched between Peter Carey’s Chemistry Of Tears and John Grisham’s Calico Joe. To rub shoulders with such authors, even on a website, is exciting stuff. 
Meanwhile in the Books-Fiction-Historical-Hardcover hit list Heroes continues to show. For the last 30 days, it’s in twelfth position; for the last 90 days it’s nineteenth. Not quite sure how sound a guide these lists are. I’m told they may be based on tiny amounts but still, it appears to be making its mark…
The hardcover and ebook versions of A Time For Heroes were duly published today, 29 March. The occasion will be marked, two days from now, at Martello Bookshop, High Street, Rye where I’ll be signing hardcovers as well as some of my other titles, courtesy of Martello’s owners Wendy and Terry Harvey, among the best independent booksellers in the country and also good friends. I’ll be in position with pen poised from 11.00 a.m.
Meanwhile, Headline Review have created a bespoke website for the novel on Facebook, facebook.com/frankbarnardauthor. This is in addition to the facebook.com/frankacbarnard one I already maintain. Confusing isn’t it? Particularly as, at the time of writing, it’s proving impossible to access the new one. But no doubt the Headline team will sort it out.
On 13/3 an enjoyable meeting at Goldsboro Books, Cecil Court, just off Charing Cross Road.
Goldsboro are pre-eminent as suppliers of pristine first-editions to book collectors worldwide. I was there to sign hardcover firsts of A Time For Heroes, supported by my publicity guru from Headline Review, Ben Willis. Goldsboro director David Headley joined us, with his assistant Daniel Conway.
I say ‘us’ as my wife Jan came up to town also, so a good time was had by all. And that’s not to forget Toby who was there too, furry, four-legged & who spent time lying on my feet under the signing table; David’s charismatic dog I should add.
May I stress that, contrary to some media comments, A Time For Heroes is NOT the fourth in my World War 2 fighter pilot series and does NOT feature those two stalwarts, Kit Curtis and Ossie Wolf.
This needs stressing because a) I don’t want to disappoint loyal readers of the first three novels who might purchase thinking they’ll learn more of the duo’s adventures b) I’m aiming at a broader readership with what’s been dubbed ‘an epic of family, class and warfare‘ spanning three generations and two world wars, though there’s plenty of flying still, starting with the pioneer days.
Naturally I’m hoping to carry my existing reader-base with me in this venture into new territory.
I’ve now ventured onto Facebook, Google+ and Twitter with the shameless motive of puffing A Time For Heroes.
If anyone wants to join in as a friend (or even an enemy), all contributions gratefully received. Launches for Heroes are in planning for end-March early April at various locations: London, Tunbridge Wells, Rye, Sevenoaks, Tenterden. Anyone interested in coming along just let me know and I’ll keep you informed about location/dates/times.
This photograph* showing smug author with a couple of book proofs of ‘A Time For Heroes’ will irritate a number of my readers who were promised copies.
Unfortunately Headline could not provide as many as anticipated so my mailing list had to be pruned rather drastically. For which sincere apologies to those I had to let down.
Without exception anyone who has seen the almost-finished product has admired the cover; to such an extent that they’d probably buy the book whether the contents were any good or not. The designer, Craig Fraser, captures precisely the mood of the novel that explores our need to look up to those we judge heroes (here literally), without always questioning why.
One of the early reviews came from Joan Deitch, my copy editor, who described ‘Heroes’ as ‘an exciting and complex story with an A1 villain-a stunning read with an apocalyptic and inspirational finale.’ She added: ‘ I loved soaring round the skies with all the pilots.’
By now the bulk of the proofs have been distributed to Headline’s mailing list of literary critics so there’s nothing more to do than wait, in the hope that they share Joan Deitch’s opinion.
Publication dates have been confirmed, by the way: 29 March 2012 for the hardback, Ebook and trade paperback, 13 September 2012 for the paperback.
* A Dickens character, I forget which, observed that there were two kinds of portrait: the serious and the smirk…
Headline Review dust jacket synopsis
A magnificent, sweeping three-generation historical epic encompassing two world wars, about the nature of heroism, the romance of flying and the eternal conflict between fathers and sons.
War makes heroes of men, but at what price? As the twentieth century dawns Guv Sutro becomes a pioneer aviator against his father’s will, piloting a primitive glider over the fields of Sussex, helped by the unquestioning loyalty of his friend Stan Kemp. A ruthless course to fame and adulation follows: soon he is a fighter ace on the Western Front, then a record-breaker between the wars. But as another global conflict approaches his beliefs are questioned. With England once more at war his son Tim, a reluctant pilot in the RAF, strives to shed the burden of his father’s reputation while Will Kemp, his boyhood friend, the son Guv felt he deserved, seeks to emulate the man he still idolises in the Battle of Britain.
The fate of these men is bound together in the monumental ambition and terrible tragedy of a time for heroes.
Read a sneak peak of the first chapters here!
Publication date: Hardcover edition March 2012, paperback July 2012
