Blog Tour + #Giveaway: Sparrow Squadron by D.L. Jung @DariusJung @yaboundtourspr

Sparrow Squadron
by D.L. Jung
Genre: YA Historical Fiction/Action-Adventure
Release Date: February 2018

Summary:

"There was a time when flying didn't mean looking over my shoulder for death coming at me."

World War II. June 1941. Hitler's war machine turns to the Soviet Union.

Escaping her hometown ahead of the Nazis, 16-year-old Aelya Makarova seizes a chance to live her dream. Obsessed with flying, she joins a women's fighter squadron to defend her homeland against the invaders. She'll go faster and higher than she's ever gone before.

But the harsh reality of Air Force life shatters her expectations and forces her to grow up fast. The squadron is split by petty rivalries, male pilots treat them like a joke, and the ideal country she thought she was fighting for doesn't really exist.

Finally given a chance to prove herself in battle, Aelya is pushed to breaking point. With all her talent, the help of her comrades, and a lot of luck, she might just make it through. But will there be anything left of her humanity?

With fast-paced action and a heart-rending mix of humour and tragedy, Sparrow Squadron is an adventure novel for young adults that brings an overlooked episode of history to life.

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Sparrow Squadron: Character Mini Interviews

Here's a quick questionnaire for some of the main characters of Sparrow Squadron. Note that we're assuming we have access to a time machine here, at least for the purposes of picking out a favourite read.

Name: Aelya Makarova

Callsign: Mars

What's your role? I'm a senior pilot. Pretty good for the youngest member of the squadron!

What’s your favourite colour? Red, like the planet Mars.

Who do you admire most? Mother. She's an aviation engineering working on high altitude planes. One day, she's going to design a spacecraft and I'm going to fly it!

What's your favourite read? Well I was named after Aelita by Alexsey Tolstoy. But that sounds a bit sad, since that’s really my mother’s pick, not mine. Do you think that's sad? Maybe just too obvious. I have to say Airborn, by Kenneth Oppel. It really captures the romance of flying.

Name: Roza Kulik

Callsign: Lily

What's your role? Pfft. A lousy junior pilot. Don't worry, it's only a matter of time before the cream rises to the top.

What’s your favourite colour? White

Who do you admire most? Bessie Coleman. She was a pioneering aviatrix and the world’s best stunt flyer in her day. She had to fight for a chance to fly. People refused to train her because of her race and gender. People refused to train me too, for reasons I really shouldn't talk about here. And I liked that she focused on aerobatics. Much more interesting than Amelia Earhart. What fun are distance records when you can put on a show?

What's your favourite read? I don't read much since I spend all my time flying, but The Hunger Games is great. A lone heroine with a particular set of skills who challenges the system. I didn't have time to read the whole thing through, but it all ends well for her, right?

Name: Lara Rogacheva

Callsign: Auntie

What's your role? Squadron Commander

What’s your favourite colour? Red, of course, our beloved Communist party's colour.

Who do you admire most? Our dear leader, Josef Stalin. What other answer could any sane person possibly give?

What's your favourite read? Um, I'll have to check what's on the approved reading list at the moment. Oh, look at the time, I have to go!

Name: Tonya Gorbataya

Callsign: Honeybee

What's your role? Let's not talk about roles and let's talk about reality. Don't believe Roza, I'm the best pilot in this unit.

What’s your favourite colour? I hear the black dress is the latest in Hollywood. By the way, if you want to get your hands on decadent imperialist fashion, let's talk. I know a guy.

Who do you admire most? For the record, down with the czars and everything they stood for! But you have to hand it to Catherine the Great. She wasn't even Russian, but she seized her chance for power when it came. She also had as many lovers as she wanted and didn't care. That's where I want to be.

What's your favourite read? Let me go check the list. Anything that's banned is great, because there's good money to be made in smuggling them.

Name: Mark Akhmatov

Callsign: Stitches

What's your role? So, I'm not actually a member of Sparrow Squadron. They joined my unit halfway through the battle. But as the top-scoring ace, it's my role to be their mentor and stop them from getting killed too quickly.

What’s your favourite colour? Green.

Who do you admire most? As long as this never gets back to him, I have to say my wingman, Petrushka. With everything that's going on, he somehow manages to put a smile on my face every day.

What's your favourite read? The Lies of Locke Lamora. An orphan boy makes good and beats the odds. I can relate.

About the Author

DL Jung has been an enthusiastic student of history since grade school, when he spent lazy afternoons flipping through an old Encyclopedia Britannica set. He enjoys blogging about history and writing historical fiction. He also writes fantasy and horror fiction as Darius Jung.

Jung is married, with two children, and lives in Toronto, Canada. They are lucky enough to spend part of the time in New Zealand. Outside of writing, he has tried stints as an industrial engineer, a film and TV script supervisor, an IT consultant, a professional game show contestant, and a grossly under-qualified business wear model. Sparrow Squadron is his debut novel.

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