Our Q&A series with creators of War of the Worlds-themed media continues this week with C.A. Powell, author of the Last Days novels and naval history aficionado.

Q: Tell me a little about your Last Days stories?

The first story came about by a happy accident. I used to attend a writing class and our tutor used to set 1200 words homework each week. Tales with a twist, a slice of life etc. One week she asked us to do 1200 words of someone else’s story from a different perspective. When I read this out in class, many encouraged me to go for a full pastiche story with a beginning leading to the actual event. This I did and it developed as a full project novel. Afterwards, other ideas came about with new story lines.

Q: How did you first discover War of the Worlds, what attracts you to using that setting for your own stories?

I always liked H.G. Wells’ many story lines. The Invisible Man, The Time Machine, The First Men in the Moon and, of course, War of the Worlds. I often wondered about the ship HMS Thunder Child and tried to imagine other things about the vessel. I also liked the 1950s movie, but liked the Victorian setting of the novel too. I saw the film before I read the book as a youth.

Q: What kind of research did you do for these stories? How did you approach that research?

I had a fascination with a British turret ship called HMS Devastation (1871 – 1903). She had a sister ship called HMS Thunderer. Each ship had a ram and sat low in the water. I tried to model the fictional Thunder Child ship on these particular vessels that would have been outdated in 1898 but still in service. I also wanted to retain old muzzle loading guns for Thunder Child. Even though the Royal Navy got rid of such guns after a dreadful accident in 1879 on board HMS Thunderer. They all converted to breech loaders after this. I used poetic licence and invented a big (whopper) of a lie to keep fictional Thunder Child more obsolete. She is the only ship overlooked for breech loading conversion in the story.

I looked up many of the ships of the day, including the paddle steamer (Southend Belle.) Many of the areas Thunder Child visits, and also the land-based characters visit, are places I know. I had to learn a few things concerning naval personnel etc, but by and large, I was containing the story around areas I know. I often get criticised by some fans who wanted the ship to be like HMS Polyphemus. I wanted Thunder Child to look like HMS Devastation or HMS Thunderer. Therefore I had architectural plans of the ship and roughly knew the vessel inside and out.

Q: It’s clear you have a great interest in the technological aspects of this the Victorian world (reflected both in your stories and in blogposts such as the one on the technical aspects of HMS Thunder Child) tell me about the background of that fascination and expertise as well as how it informed the way you wrote these stories?

I knew some historical things about revolving turret ships because of a book I read about HMS Captain. A revolutionary ship that was designed by British captain Cowper Phipps Coles. It was a revolving turret ship that retained all its sails and rigging etc. It capsized at sea during stormy weather taking almost all of the crew including Captain Cowper Phipps Coles to the bottom of the sea. There were arguments afterwards in the British Admiralty. A man named Sir Edward J. Reed was part of the investigation or review of the catastrophe. He would design HMS Devastation and Thunderer using the revolving turrets like those of Cowper Phipps Coles’ HMS Captain. I twisted and used some of these things, in the story, to explain the fictional HMS Thunder Child.

Q: What was the greatest challenge of creating the Last Days stories? What aspect of it did you enjoy the most?

To be honest, there was no great challenge. I thoroughly enjoyed the adventure as it unfolded before me. I knew the ending before I started and went on an exciting journey to get to the ending. It was terrific fun all the way with ideas falling into place as I went along. The following stories of Last Days were formed in the same way. They are fun to do and I’m like a school boy reliving my version of the Victorian War of the Worlds fantasy.

Q: Do you have plans for future WotW themed stories?

I have had another idea form. However, I am doing two new projects at the moment. That all said and done, I know I have one more idea. That means sooner or later, I’m going on another Last Days – WOTW adventure again.

Q: Talk a little bit about yourself and your other works?

I’m always looking at new ideas. I have always wanted to write a novel that people would enjoy. This ambition has been with me since I left school back in 1977 at age 16. I knew I wanted to write a fictional story. I liked historical fiction and loved science fiction. Especially post-apocalyptic. I would read novels all the time and often read historical documentary books too.

I travelled from the suburbs of East London and county of Essex into the city of London every day. The fifty minuets journey each way was my reading time. I was a glutton for so many books. I was inspired by good stories and some rather dreadful ones too. I would think of the dreadful ones, “If they can get published, surely I can.” I was certain I could create something worthwhile. It was the one little ambition that always remained with me.

I started to write a story set in Britain’s Dark Ages. Then I did another set in Ireland of 1920. I also tried one about an ancient British queen called Cartimandua. She reigned in the Brigante areas of Roman Britain when Boudicca led a rebellion against Rome. Then I did The Last Days of Thunder Child and the follow ups etc. Gradually over the years things began to develop. It has been a forty-three-year journey so far. But I have enjoyed the writing quest, and continue to enjoy with new enjoyable ideas and drafts to complete.

I have a new supernatural book coming out very soon. The edit and proof reading is all but done with a cover design to follow. The novel is called:  Never Let Them Kiss You. It’s about a group of mischievous fairies living in England’s New Forest area. It is set in today’s modern times.

Q: What are the best ways for my readers to find you online? 

I have the usual blog, Amazon, and Facebook Author page, etc. I have listed the other main sites below. I usually update the sites on a regular basis and they all have links to various books.

Twitter

Goodreads

Check out the first installment of my War of the Worlds Q&A series, with H.E. Wilburson. Next week, we’ll talk with musical comedian to discuss his WotW podcast.