Today, I have James Young on my blog.  He writes alternative history from a military standpoint.  Welcome.  So, tell us about your newest release.

My newest release is On Seas So Crimson. It’s a collection of my first two alternate history novels Acts of War and Collisions of the Damned.

What is the story about?

On Seas So Crimson is set in my Usurper’s War Universe, which has a Point of Deviation / Departure (POD) of November 1940 when I kill Adolf Hitler. There are a whole bunch of “knock on” effects that result in Heinrich Himmler being the next Fuhrer, followed by Nazi Germany knocking Great Britain out of the Second World War. The book starts with London on fire, nerve gassed, and the Royal Family fleeing to Canada, then follows through what happens over the next eight months.

Who is the main character?

Given the sprawl of the work, the book really has a cast of several characters. However, the main point of view character is Adam Haynes, the sole child of a wealthy East Coast family. Adam’s a bit of a contradiction in that he’s a jaded idealist who believes that Fascism must be resisted at all costs if freedom is to survive. It’s a set of convictions that’s taken him from Spain to Great Britain when the book begins, where he’s got a front row seat to Londonfall. Over the course of On Seas So Crimson, it will put him in harm’s way several times.

What inspired this tale?

I’m a lifelong history buff and am currently getting my doctorate in U.S. History.

How did the story come to you?

A lot of times ideas will just pop into my head. It’s like the old joke about writers having thousands of browsers open—I guess sometimes an app finishes running in background and spits out an idea.

Did you have to research for this novel and if so, why?

I once had someone ask me a variation of this, i.e. ‘How long have you been researching this?’ As mentioned above, I’m a lifelong history buff. One of the first books I ever remember my parents purchasing for me was Frederick Sherman’s Combat Command, and I had tattered copies of The Big E, Thunderbolt!, and Fork Tailed Devil that I carried with me throughout most of grade and middle school.

If you did research, what do you think surprised you most to learn and why?

One of the things I’ve found the most surprising has been how rapidly carrier air power developed from 1938-1945. For instance, the Kido Butai, the Japanese carrier strike force that plays a major role in Acts of War, was only completely formed in September 1941. That’s less than three months before the force leaves for the raid on Pearl Harbor, and it makes it a lot more understandable how Admiral Kimmel and General Short got caught flat footed. Yes, Pearl Harbor had been raided in exercises, but never in such concentrated strength because the United States Navy didn’t use it’s carriers that way. Little historical anomalies like that are things I try to carry throughout my Usurper’s War universe.

Do you relate to your character?

Mmm, not really.

Is your protagonist anything like you personally? If yes, then how?

Adam Haynes tends to be blunt to a fault. There has been, oh, a time or two where I’ve used a brick through a glass window when maybe a postal letter would have been a better way to deliver the intended message.

What made you write this character; what made them important to you or made you want to tell their story?

I decided that there needed to be someone who had not only seen the ugliness of Fascism early on but had put his body where his ideals were. Adam is important to me in that he is the grizzled veteran who is bound and determined to make everyone around him better.

Is there anything you specific want readers to know about this piece of work?

I want to reemphasize that this is a collection, i.e. the first two novels. I figured this was a way to make it easier for someone to delve into the universe at once plus get things at a discount. I also included artwork and maps unlike the first two novels, so that should enhance the reading experience.

When will the novel be available for purchase?

On Seas So Crimson is available on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1PrjnfX

You can connect with James Young at:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Youngblai

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ColfaxDen?ref=hl

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/James-Young/e/B00AVKCQZQ

You can read a preview by clicking on the cover: