I've uploaded the first section of a fairly longish chapter. Let me know what you think, but remember that where is stops is not the end of the section. Let me know if you're interest is peaked enough to want more.

http://www.writewords.co.uk/archive/8238.asp

By the way, I'd appreciate some input on the title. Origially I wanted to call the book "Soldier's Heart", that being an old name for the condition we call today Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Unfortunately, that title has already been taken. While I thought of a new name, I gave it the working title "Crying Softly", from a quotation by Susannah Wesley, the mother of John Wesley, who taught her children to "fear the rod and cry softly", but I think that's too obscure a reference. Since the book is set in 1909 and covers some of the colonial battles, how does "Small Wars Of Empire" grab you?

<Added>

Of course, that should read

http://www.writewords.org.uk/archive/8238.asp

Sorry folks. Sleep deprivation.

There's nothing to stop you calling it 'Soldier's Heart'. There are loads of books with the same title (now trying to think of some examples). If the other book was also a historical novel about PTSD then there might be cause for confusion, but if not, why not? The books will have different markets, so it's unlikely they'd get mixed up.

Cas