Greg Duncan will be speaking at the Town Hall within Blandford Corn Exchange from 10 am-11 am about the research behind his thriller historical novel ‘Champagne in a Broken Teacup’ inspired by the activities of his aunt, a member of the French resistance. The talk shows how Greg blended a fictional story and historical reality. He will also be sharing some of the fascinating things he found such as the law banning the making of croissant in France!
Greg will also have a stall at the Book & Craft Fair
About the author
Born in Scotland, raised in Canada and now living in England, Greg Duncan’s past included far too many years writing non-fiction and cajoling computers into doing the impossible. Since retiring, he decided to return to his interest in creative writing including plays, poetry and short stories. He is a member of the Purbeck U3A Creative Writing Group. One of the dramas in his book of short plays has won awards for script and entertainment. He is currently working on sequels to his historical thriller novel “Champagne in a Broken Teacup” a story inspired by the activities of his French aunt who was a forger and fighter in the French Resistance during WW2.
His books are published by Kenebec Media and are all available either directly or via Amazon.
Champagne in a Broken Teacup:
In the spring of 1940 recently married Marie-Claire was blissfully pursuing her career as a freelance artist in Paris. She had no idea that in early May Hitler’s armies would invade France and rip her life apart.
We follow her life as tragedies strike and she is forced to flee Paris to escape from the Gestapo. Using a false name and identity she begins a new life in the small provincial French town of Nevers but her previous life in Paris catches up with her.
We see her change from being a timid scared young woman into a strong and active resistance worker who is willing to risk her life to save others – a trait which unexpectedly is to her advantage.
This is a fictional story woven into historical reality, inspired by the activities of my French aunt, an art teacher, who during World War 2 was a document forger for the French resistance. The image of the German soldiers on the back cover was drawn by my aunt in Nevers in 1941.
Blandford Literary Festival 