NK Chats To… M W Arnold

Hello Mick. It’s so wonderful to be welcoming you back to Novel Kicks. Thank you so much for inviting me onto the blog tour for The Lumberjills Take A Stand. Where do we find the cast of characters at the beginning of this new book?

Hi Laura! I’s wonderful to be with the Novel Kicks blog once again. After the first Lumberjills book had been written, I wasn’t sure if I would be writing anymore, having begun the book as a standalone. However, it turned out that people seemed to like the story. The girls are still in the same village, still at Wipers Farm, only they’ve just received notice to move, not an unusual thing for the real girls. The girls themselves are alright with this, though not everyone on the farm is, with young Harry (Harriet) particularly upset. For one of the girls, there is the excitement of finding love and a possible future, once the war is over.

How has your writing routine changed since your first novel? Do you have any writing rituals?

Not too much has changed. I’m still more of a punster than a planster, though once I stumbled across the central story regarding the segregation between white and black soldiers enacted by the USA during WW2, that’s where I found myself being even more careful than usual with getting things right. Yes, I am still mostly writing with my laptop on my lap, usually with Gus (one of my Romanian Werecats) hogging the majority. I end up holding him on with one hand, so I reckon about 70% of this book was written one-handed.

How do you approach the research and editing processes and what advice do you have for each? How do you know when you’ve done enough?

Research for an Historical Fiction writer is everything, I would say. Undoubtedly the internet has made things both easier and harder, as double and triple (at least) checking should be the norm. If you get something wrong, you can bet your boots that there’s someone out there who will spot it, and let you know about it. I create a different text document for each major part of my research and enough is never enough. Around half of what I find and note down, probably won’t get used, but that’s not to say that the process is a waste of time, as it could always be used in another story (and has). I would say that you also have to really enjoy what you are researching as sometimes, you have to wade through a lot of flotsam before you find what you’re looking for; patient is definitely the key.

If you could give a modern soundtrack to your novel, which songs would you add to a playlist?

Oh, that’s easy. I’m a huge Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys fan, so I’d probably have the whole of the Pet Sounds album on that playlist.

Do you have advice to overcome writer’s block?

That’s a tough one. It’s very easy to say, just write down anything and it’ll pass. Sometimes, it won’t. There’s nothing worse (for an author) than staring at a blank screen, your fingers hovering over the keyboard and no contact being made. I’d go and do something else you enjoy, as once the mind is in a good place, that’s when I find the writing will flow.

What type of scene do you find the hardest to write?

The last one in the book. Why? Because by that time, I’m usually enjoying what I’m writing and don’t want to let the characters go.

If you could time travel to any place in history, where would you go?

Difficult. Personally, and not to do with my writing, probably the mid-sixties, Los Angles and about my mid-twenties. I’d want to become friends with those making music around that time. Try and give them the self-belief to carry on with what they started. As far as my historical novels? Strange as it may or may not sound, around 1940. Perhaps even someone like me could then fly a Spitfire!

Not including your novels, out of all the books you’ve read, which one do you wish you could forget just so you had the pleasure of discovering it again?

Very easy. “Guards! Guards!” by the person I consider the greatest story write of modern times, the late, great Terry Pratchett. Come on, any book which used the tag (along the lines of) ‘Captain Vimes is looking for a fifty foot dragon he believes can help him with his enquires.’

What advice do you have when approaching an agent or publisher?

Simply, be polite, state only the facts, do not put down any expectations and be (very) patient.

About M W Arnold – 

Mick is a hopeless romantic who was born in England and spent fifteen years roaming around the world in the pay of the late HM Queen Elisabeth II in the Royal Air Force, before putting down roots and realising how much he missed the travel. This, he’s replaced somewhat with his writing, including reviewing books and supporting fellow saga and romance authors in promoting their novels.

He’s the proud keeper of two Romanian Were-Cats bent on world domination, is mad on the music of the Beach Boys, and enjoys the theatre and humouring his Manchester United-supporting wife. (Please don’t mention this last to her!)

Say hello to Mick via Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.

Click here to view Mick’s previous column posts for Novel Kicks and reviews for his other books. 

About The Lumberjills Take a Stand – 

The peace at Wipers Farm is threatened by an accidental run-in between the Lumberjills, a group of Black American Army Laborers and their superiors, who don’t take kindly to the girls inviting the laborers to the local public house and take out their anger on their men.

Whilst making new friends, dangerous enemies are quick to anger and all the Lumberjills, as well as their friends in the village, are in mortal danger. In the midst, love is blooming for one of the girls, paving the way for a post war life.

Only by sticking together and trusting each other and their friends, old and new, to do the right thing, can they hope to survive.

The Lumberjills Take a Stand is book 2 in the Lumberjills series and was released on  25th March 2026. Click to buy on Amazon, Apple, Nook, Barnes & Noble and Waterstones. 

by

Laura

I'm Laura. I started Novel Kicks back in 2009 as I wanted a place to discuss books and writing - two loves of my life. As someone who has anxiety, these two things give me, and I am sure countless others, a much needed escape.
There is a monthly book club, writing exercises, prompts, reviews, author interviews, competitions and guest posts. I cover many genres and I hope there is something for everyone.
I grew up by the sea in Dorset and currently live in Poole with my husband, Chris and three cats. I love writing and have a BA (Hons) in Creative Writing from Falmouth University. I am writing my first book. If only I could stop pressing delete. Chris has threatened to stop it from working. Haha.
I have always loved creative writing since I was in first school and would very much like to meet my teacher, Miss Sayers, to say thank you for all the encouragement she gave me then.
When not writing, I love reading, cats, Disney, singing (I can't sing but this doesn't stop me,) and falling into a good TV show or film. If I could step into any fictional world, it would be amongst the characters in ABC's Once Upon a Time.
I love reading many genres and discovering new authors.