BooksChatter: ☀☄ Deadly Shot - Dan's Diary: Hands On History [2]

Thank you for joining us on the Virtual Book Tour for Deadly Shot - Dan's Diary: Dan's War of Independence 1920-22, a Middle Grade Historical Fiction novel by Patricia Murphy (26 August 2015, Poolbeg Press Ltd, 304 pages).

This is the second book written by Patricia Murphy for Poolbeg's Hands On History series, perfect for making history come alive for children, entertaining stories and educational at the same time.

PREVIEW: Check out the book's synopsis and excerpt below.

Author Patricia Murphy will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour. Please do take part: comment on our post and follow the tour where you will be able to read other excerpts (☀), interviews (ℚ), reviews (✍) and guest blog posts (✉).

Synopsis | Trailer | Teaser | The Series | Author Q&A | About the Author | Giveaway & Tour Stops

Synopsis

Football mad, twelve- year- old Dan is a trusted messenger for Ireland’s rebel leader, Michael Collins. He promises his cousin Molly to never fire a gun, but after the dramatic events of “Bloody Sunday” in Croke Park, he is pulled deeper into the struggle.

Hunted by a vengeful Intelligence Officer, Molly and Dan are forced to flee Dublin. But unknown to Dan, he holds the key to a deadly plot. And his enemy will stop at nothing to track him down.

On the run, they meet Flying Columns and narrowly escape death But as Cork burns can Dan continue to outrun his enemy?

Teaser: Excerpt

     Shots were roaring out now at intervals. People surged around us and I got separated from Willie. Things became a blur of bodies swirling, noise and panic – like cows in an abattoir.
     British soldiers and Tans were on the field.
     I passed by another Tipperary player who was lying out flat on the ground just a few feet from the sideline. All at once British soldiers surrounded him and kicked him in the arms and legs.
     “You’re one of those murdering hitmen,” they accused him.
     The player pulled up his shirtsleeve. “The last gun I fired was on the Continent of Europe. That’s my regiment tattoo.”
     They pulled him up then bundled him towards the dressing room. I didn’t see what happened to him.
     I scanned the area, alert now. It was all one big crush of bodies like a monster, with the Tans yelling.
     “Halt!”
     “Hands up above your heads!”
     “Get into groups!”
     They pushed people together at random, searching them, while firing in all directions.
     An RIC officer ran across the pitch, “Search everyone!” he screamed.
     My blood pumped in my veins. What if they discovered the letter!”

Deadly Shot - Dan's Diary
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The Series: Hands On History

Click on the book cover to Look Inside the book on Amazon and read an excerpt.

The Easter Rising 1916 - Molly's Diary [1]

Easter 1916. The Great War rages in Europe with two hundred thousand Irishmen fighting in the British Army. But a small group of Irish nationalists refuse to fight for Britain and strike a blow for Irish freedom. Caught up in the action in Dublin, is twelve-year-old Molly O’Donovan.

Her own family is plunged into danger on both sides of the conflict. Her father, a technical officer with the Post Office dodges the crossfire as he tries to restore the telegraph lines while her wayward brother runs messages for the rebels. Molly a trained First Aider, risks her own safety to help the wounded on both sides.

As violence and looting erupts in the streets of Dublin alongside heroism and high ideals, Molly records it all. The Proclamation at the GPO, the battle of Mount Street, the arrival of the British Troops. But will Molly’s own family survive and will she be able to save her brother?

This is her diary.

[Published 17 August 2014, 205 pages]

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About the Author

Patricia Murphy is an award-winning children’s author and Producer/Director of documentaries. Her most recent novel is Deadly Shot – Dan’s Diary - the War of Independence 1920-22. Previous works include the critically acclaimed Easter Week 1916 – Molly’s Diary, described as “brilliantly imagined”, “beautifully written and compelling” and “ fantastic at bringing history alive for children”. She is also the author of The Chingles Celtic Fantasy trilogy. She was the winner of the Poolbeg “Write a Bestseller for Children” Competition 2004.

She is also an award-winning Producer/Director of primetime documentaries for BBC and Channel 4. These include Children of Helen House on the Oxford children’s hospice for BBC. She created and filmed the launch programmes of Born to Be Different the Channel 4 flagship series following six children with disabilities through the 21st century. Other films include Behind the Crime about criminals and Raised by the State on growing up in care. She has also made Worst Jobs in History with Tony Robinson for Channel 4.

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