The “Meet My Character” Meme

Henry Gee tagged me for this a while back and I’m getting back to him scandalously late – sorry, Henry! This is the meme where I introduce a character from my most recent work, which would be White Feathers. I’m going to go for Joseph Cronin, native of Kilkeen, Co Tipperary, a minor and, if we’re honest, not very likeable character, but who does have one great line in his arsenal.

1.) What is the name of your character?
Joseph Cronin. Commonly referred to as “Mr Cronin” by the Downey family.

2.) Is he/she fictional or a historic person?
Entirely fictional, but his battlefield experience was shared by many.

3.) When and where is the story set?
White Feathers is a historical novel set during the period just before World War I to the latter half of the war. It is set mostly in England, though Cronin is Irish and travels over to London to visit the Downey family regularly. When Cronin enlists with the Second Irish Guards, he also serves time in the fields of northern France.

4.) What should we know about him?
He is persistent – constantly writing to the woman he wants to marry long after she has rejected him. He has a high pitched tenor voice. He works for the Waterford and Limerick Railway as a clerk. He kicks stray dogs. He is a pious man who lectures other soldiers about drinking and going to brothels, which makes him very unpopular with everyone, including the regiment’s chaplain.

5.) What is the main conflict? What messes up his/her life?
That’s easy – World War I, same as all the rest of the characters 😉 Also he goes into a disastrous domestic situation which doesn’t help.

6.) What is the personal goal of the character?
I thought about this and realised he has no goals. It is hard to tell what he would or could aspire to. However he has one line of pure brilliance when it comes to a wasteful battle.

7.)Can we read more about it?
Yes 🙂

I tag –  anyone who feels like responding with their own character memes. I don’t want anyone to feel obliged 🙂

White Feathers is available from Amazon, LoveReading, the O’Brien Press website, and bookshops around Ireland.