A young girl whose mother is killed in the German Blitz of WWII is evacuated to the English countryside estate of a shadowy recluse. She finds comfort in a gallant collie who helps her unlock a curious secret, and together they come face to face with a diabolical enemy and the terror of war.

Action,Drama,Family,Mystery,Historical Fiction,Suspense/Thriller

After a bombing mission, a German aircraft crash lands in a dark forest. We are then introduced to an 11 year-old girl who is delivered to a countryside estate, ruled over by a mysterious recluse and unfriendly staff. On her first night alone she receives a late night visit from a friendly collie.

When a diabolical German officer, who has been in hiding, is being rescued by his comrades, he takes the young girl as a hostage. With the aid of the collie she has befriended, the girl must make good her escape. The story concludes with the young girl having to be separated from the dog she loves.

RURAL ENGLAND

No

Overcoming Monster/Villain,Other

Meaningful Message,Coming of Age,Other

Information not completed

Name: ALICE

Age: 11

Gender: Female

Role: Protagonist

Key Traits: Adventurous,Charming,Complex,Decisive,Empathetic,Heroic,Educated,Selfless,Outspoken

Name: Captain Bramwell

Age: 55+

Gender: Male

Role: Emotional

Key Traits: Complex,Empathetic,Educated,Honorable,Secretive,Lone Wolf

Name: MRS THORNDIKE

Age: 55+

Gender: Female

Role: antagonist

Key Traits: Aggressive,Villainous,Blunt,Outspoken,Sarcastic,Unapologetic

Name: MAJOR RICHTER

Age: 35+

Gender: Male

Role: antagonist

Key Traits: Aggressive,Confident,Desperate,Villainous,Power Hungry

This is a story written in the vein of an episode of MASTERPIECE THEATRE. Though the central characters consist of a precocious young girl and a collie, the story also tells of a reclusive army captain, badly wounded in the first world war, who has hidden himself from the outside world. At first introduced as a frightening character, his only companion is a collie, which serves as the thread that holds the story and some of its characters together. Thanks to the dog, the Captain eventually bonds with the girl. A diabolical German officer, stranded in a nearby forest and waiting for an imminent rescue, is a dreadful threat to the lives of all the characters in the story. The narrative avoids the cliche of a dog dying at the climax but nevertheless does have a tearful ending in which the girl must leave behind the collie who has made such a difference in her life.

ACE MASK is an actor and voice-over artist and an active advocate for the use of therapy dogs. He and his collies have worked extensively in a wide variety of assignments that have included providing comfort and support during forensic interviews and court appearances to young victims of abuse as well as visits with jail inmates on behalf of the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department. His work as an author includes the books Forever Stay and its sequel, Gentle Hero and a short story collection, The Collies of Christmas. A Vietnam veteran, Ace lives in Southern California with his wife, Donna, and their three collies.

Age: 13-17,18-34,35-54,55+

Target Gender: Universal

Information not completed

Status: Yes: self-published

Publisher: ACE MASK

Year Published: 2021

Yes

978-1087908748