Dust of Wrathful Years – Book Excerpt

Welcome, friend! Today I am chatting with author Klara Łuczka-Hanzalová about her debut novel, Dust of Wrathful Years. This is the first book in a historical fiction trilogy. Let’s welcome Klara and learn more about the book.

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Get to know the author: Klara Łuczka-Hanzalová

Hi Klara! Tell me and my readers a bit about yourself!

Hi Kriti, thank you very much for having me, it’s an honor to be hosted on your blog! 

I currently live in Glasgow with my husband, but I’ve moved quite a bit from country to country before settling here. Originally from a Polish family, I grew up between the US, Poland, France, before finally moving to Scotland for university. These experiences of travelling have taught me that out of all the places I’ve been able to call home, Warsaw, Poland will always be closest to my heart. 

I recently graduated with a degree in psychology, and I am about to begin psychotherapist training. I’ve been an avid reader since childhood, and I tend to alternate between books in English, Polish and French. I most enjoy classics, historical fiction, mystery, and psychological fiction. Apart from writing, I love baking, singing, and swing dancing with my wonderful husband. 

What inspired you to write this book?

It was the wartime past of my hometown that profoundly impacted my imagination. Although being history, these events are still incredibly alive in people’s memories. The way these days are honored and remembered has left a deep imprint on my heart – especially the commemoration of the Warsaw uprising – a 63-day battle beginning in August 1944, when the people rose up after 5 years of Nazi German occupation with the hope of liberating the city. 

I think the city of Warsaw has an exceptional history – its people fought to their last breath and paid the heaviest price for this – the uprising cost thousands of lives of both soldiers and civilians, and the entire city was razed to the ground. But after the war, it rose up from the ashes. Poles entirely rebuilt their capital, because they loved her and thus erected a monument to those who were tragically lost during wartime. 

All this might sound overly sentimental, but growing up in Warsaw, I felt that every step there was permeated by the weight of the past. The scars left during WWII, but also the lengthy process of healing. Some walls still carry traces of gunshots, others have remnants of resistance drawings painted over them. It’s basically impossible to ignore history in such a place – the mark left on the collective unconscious was strong enough for memories to live across generations. 

Although WWII was one of the most sinister periods in Poland’s history, a light of hope lived in the resistance movement. Writing my book, I was hoping to honor the memory of those who revolted against the horrors inflicted by Nazi German occupation, despite the obvious power disbalance. It’s about how valor and respect for human dignity have the potential to conquer brute force and rage.

Members of the resistance were a light that arose amidst the darkest evil, which cannot be extinguished merely by the passage of time. I wanted to spread this message of remembrance and hope.

How long did it take you to write this book, from the first idea to the last edit?

The first idea came to me nearly 10 years ago if I remember correctly – but I just wrote a couple of chapters at the time. Afterwards the thought only slumbered in my mind, I daydreamed about characters and built-up scenes and dialogues without yet putting pen to paper. I was still a teenager in school and whenever I tried writing, I felt an awful imposter syndrome which completely blocked off my creativity.

I told myself I needed to wait for a more appropriate time before I made actual the potential. 

I returned to writing in 2020, and from that point it took me about two years to finish my first draft, with most of it being condensed in the last six months after I had graduated from university. And finally, another 5 months of edits and corrections until I finally told myself I had to place the ultimate dot and be satisfied with all the work I’d done. 

So, in brief, it was about three years of writing and editing plus seven years of “mental preparation” and growing mature enough to tackle the project.

What makes your story unique? 

I think that the heart of its uniqueness lies in the main characters. These are youth who were part of the Scouting movement which joined the Polish resistance. This lens offers a unique perspective because of the double trial the characters face – struggling to fight for freedom, while also simply growing up and finding their place in the world. An essential part of this is building friendships despite the surrounding insecurity. 

Some wartime fiction (whether books, movies, or TV) tends to focus on heroes who are already great skilled soldiers, who seem invincible and at the summit of their strength. I chose to build characters who were at a different stage of their journey – inexperienced (and sometimes annoying) adolescents. I tried to remember that most heroes were ordinary people, each struggling with their own flaws. And these imperfections unfold not only in personal relationships but also create danger to their secret resistance work. Sometimes, it takes a tragic mistake for a character to realize their need to work on self-improvement. 

It’s the story of imperfect people, who went beyond themselves to fulfill what they believed was nothing else but their duty. Their entry into adulthood was dramatically sped up and sometimes traumatic. 

Who would enjoy reading your book? 

I would recommend it to anyone with an interest in modern history and who is keen to discover new perspectives on well-known events. The Second World War may be one of those topics that we all learn about broadly, but each country varied in how these dark times affected its people. 

Also, for those who like travelling around the world through books, this one will provide you with a decent visit of Poland.  

However, I would not limit the audience only to historical fiction fans. Those who enjoy coming-of-age and stories with deep and varied relationships between characters will also find something in my work.

What’s something you hope readers would take away from it?

I am hoping readers will gain knowledge about Poland’s WWII history, beyond the stereotypes that are sometimes depicted in films and books. For someone unfamiliar with the historical context, the latter is sketched out sufficiently to be grasped. So, I’m hoping that after finishing this book, readers will know more than the average person about this lesser known yet fascinating side of history.

Apart from historical facts, I am hoping to bring a message of hope, that even in the darkest times people were ready to brave death and fight for righteousness. An inspiration for us to stand up for our moral principles even when we feel threatened. 

Do you have a favourite quote or scene in the book that you find yourself going back to?

Excluding a couple of scenes which I cannot disclose for fear of spoilers, I really enjoy moments describing the resistance training course undertaken by a few of the characters. Besides the action, these scenes provide intimate character-building and psychological insights – different personalities unfold in how the characters adapt to the unusual situation. I also think this part offers a relatively light-hearted note which is necessary in anticipation of the darker reality returning in the following pages. 

Dust of Wrathful Years is the first book in a trilogy. Tell me about the series.

The trilogy follows the trials of the Polish resistance during WWII, emphasizing principally the journeys of youth in the “Szare Szeregi” scouting movement. 

This organization saw its mission as unfolding in three stages, and accordingly structured its work along the principles of “Today, Tomorrow, and the day After Tomorrow.” Today was for conspiracy work, secretly fighting and weakening the Nazi occupiers, Tomorrow meant open combat with the enemy in an uprising, and After Tomorrow for resurrecting a liberated Poland, torn to pieces by years of war.

Each part in the trilogy is placed within one of these phases. While the reader can discover a different era unfolded in each book, they can also watch the main characters’ growth from childhood through adolescence to adulthood. Their maturation is strongly shaken by the destruction and disillusionment of wartime, and as the years go by, their experiences of trauma deepen.

What is something you have learned on your author journey so far?

Writing some scenes is more rewarding and pleasant than others, but it’s worth plowing through those more technical chapters which ultimately are also essential for the plot. 

Also, I have learned not to be too defensive and overreactive when receiving feedback – which is always easier said than done. 

The common point between these two lessons is the need to cultivate patience. I used to underestimate how important that would be for writing a novel. 

What’s the best piece of advice you have received related to writing?

It’s important to practice writing, perfecting the skill on pieces that won’t necessarily be included in the novel. Doing this as an exercise really helped me in backstage character building. I grew more familiar with the unwritten background experiences that later led to specific behaviors and feelings.  

Also, I’ve been told a lot about adding more descriptions and world-building. In my first draft, hardly any places were described, but following some advice I managed to add color to that black-and-white reality. Again, patience was necessary, but I finally reached the goal of more accurately conveying the atmosphere of Warsaw in the 1940s. 

If you could give a shout out to someone(s) who has helped in your writer journey, please feel free to mention them below!

My husband, Simon. I can never thank him enough for all the support he’s shown me. It all began when, after reading those two chapters I scribbled down as a kid, he encouraged me to continue writing. He was always eager to read the new chapters I showed him, and that enthusiasm rebuilt my confidence. And then, the manuscript was suddenly close to completion. The post-writing stage was equally difficult and important, and all through the process Simon helped me solve countless logistics related to the world of indie writers and publishing. 

Where can readers find you on the Internet?

For anyone interested in my work, I invite you to visit my website: https://klaraluczkahanzalova.com/  Join my newsletter if you want to keep an eye out for articles or book updates, background stories and sneak peeks 😉 

You can also follow me on Instagram (@klara_luczka) and Goodreads. 

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Book Excerpt from
Dust of Wrathful Years

Another day of patrolling in the air. Bringing the plane down to ground, Ignacy imagined once again it was the homeland he was landing on, rather than the station in England. Making his way back from the brief operational flight, he passed by the squadron leader on the platform. Shaking his hand in greeting, Mayor Zieliński then added rather enthusiastically — “Lieutenant Kasztanowicz, please come speak to me in the office for a moment.” 

Upon hearing the request, Ignacy unknowingly made a quick inventory of his recent actions, wondering if there was among those any obvious mistake he could be blamed for. Then he realized the commander’s tone was on the friendly side. Reassured he was probably not in trouble, Ignacy no longer tried to anticipate the reason for his summoning. Instead, he simply marched straight ahead to the meeting spot, whistling carelessly.  

Ignacy’s lightheartedness was reflected in his boyish face. Even after reaching the magic age of twenty, he still maintained an oddly childlike countenance. Sandy blond hair certainly contributed to the effect, along with the soft clean-shaven complexion, large blue eyes with long eyelashes, and thin lips, gently pursed in a smile, fully encompassing the delicacy of his features. As hard as he tried, he had still not found a solution to overcome the childlike impression this gave and was annoyed that his face spelled out immaturity. Perhaps that was simply the price he had to pay for attractive looks, which women most certainly noticed. Yet, in the army such an appearance became a flaw, at least to his own self-esteem. Ignacy was under the impression that he was constantly taken away from the more serious jobs, as if even his superiors feared that a real fight could unnecessarily smudge his pretty face. Or worse, they falsely believed that Ignacy himself, in his aristocratic bearing, was overly concerned about remaining handsome at all moments. The only manner he had found to prove his adequacy and maturity was by conscious efforts to smile less frequently. Yet, even at times when he attempted an air of gravity, knitting together his dark eyebrows in a frown, the tenderness remained implicit. Luckily, since his youngest days, he had been athletic, experimenting with a wide variety of sports, perfecting his skills in many. Thanks to these years of dedication to physical fitness, he was well-built, muscular enough to change the boy into a man. The combination of delicate facial features and strong body posture gave rise to an overall charming demeanor. 

Ignacy waited in the office alone for a second, before Zieliński joined him, announcing his arrival with a strong blow on Ignacy’s shoulder. “How would you feel about going to Poland?” 

“Well, I mean… I have all my military responsibilities here…” 

“To fight, Ignacy. I wasn’t meaning a holiday,” Zieliński corrected. 

“Oh, to fight. Of course, why not?” he said enthusiastically.

The mayor had taken a seat at his desk and was set on intently observing the intricacies of his subordinate’s reactions. However, Ignacy’s spontaneous and immediate approval gave little space for the unfolding of dramatic deliberations. The unexpected lack of internal conflict somewhat annoyed Zieliński, who found in it yet another sign of thoughtless self-assurance. 

“Why not? That’s all you have to say about the matter?” 

“Were you expecting a justification as well?” Ignacy was alarmed that the opportunity be taken away. 

“I was at least hoping you’d show a sign that you’ve given some… thought before deciding. Or asked clarifying questions about what this involves.”

“It seemed pretty straightforward to me.”

“So, you also guessed the fact that you’d be parachuting from a plane to get to the homeland?” 

Ignacy’s eyes gleamed with excitement. “Now you’ve really sold it to me, Mayor, sir.” 

Zieliński shook his head in exasperation. “All right, that’s enough for today Kasztanowicz. Depart to your tasks.”

“ButMayor, sir, what about the parachute jump? And Poland?” 

“You’ll be so discrete as to keep this conversation between ourselves.” His forceful tone closed off any space for discussion. Dejected, Ignacy left the office, with the impression he had spoken too quickly, thus showing himself unrestrained and not trustworthy for the mission. Yet, he could not pinpoint the moment at which the fatal error had occurred. 

As the days went on, Ignacy could not get his mind off the odd exchange. It was as though a secret message lay between the lines, and if he proved himself capable of reading it, then the true mission would be entrusted to him. Or perhaps there was nothing left to look forward to — Zieliński had simply made up a ridiculous proposition to motivate him to work harder. Somehow that explanation did not satisfy Ignacy, it seemed like a considerable effort to go through, for no particularly strong reason. A complete silence fell on the matter, so Ignacy assumed his commander must have mixed things up and avoided admitting to it by ignoring the topic.

When about a week later he was summoned again, Ignacy no longer hoped for any excitement to surface. He walked into the room rather sulkily, still feeling slightly betrayed by the false hopes and provocations imposed on him. Zieliński did not even raise his eyes from the newspaper, until Ignacy coughed discreetly, the only polite manner he found to make known his expectant presence. 

“Oh, you’re here at last,” Mayor Zieliński said, putting off Ignacy, who was under the impression he had not even a minute of delay. He bit his tongue to avoid talking back, remembering he needed to stay disciplined. “Have you given any further thought to my proposition?” 

Now that went too far. Here he was returning to the old joke. How long was he planning to persist in this testing game? With a deep breath, Ignacy regained full composure to respond in the most dignified manner. “Does that offer still hold?” 

“I’ve been further pressed to recruit my most qualified men for this mission,” seeing Ignacy’s confused look, he gestured towards the chair. “Take a seat, lieutenant.” 

“Can I hear more details?” he asked calmly, while the blood in his brain was pulsating with excitement. 

“Selected Polish soldiers are being sent to complete an intense training course up North. Those who pass will be parachuted down into Poland to join the Home Army, blend into the resistance and fight against the occupant.”

“Finally, something real and relevant,” Ignacy thought, this time filtering his thoughts before speaking. Then, he added out loud – “Are you saying I’m among these … selected ones?”

“Well, I’m not going to lie to you. This is an extremely prestigious opportunity, which is why my decision to put you forward had to be intensely examined. You understand?”

“I think I see what you’re referring to,” Ignacy said, nodding thoughtfully at the recollection of Zieliński’s enigmatic testing of his patience. “And the final verdict is I deserve the chance?” 

“Don’t assume you’ve reached the finish line. As I said, intense training awaits, and only the best candidates make the jump.” 

Ignacy smiled, cheerfully accepting the challenge as well as the risks of disappointment that came with it. “However far I get, I’ll be grateful. Just the hope of seeing Poland again has brought me so much joy…” 

“Another warning – this does not mean you’ll be allowed to reconvene with your family. Due to the confidential nature of this project, all such private contacts are forbidden.”

A sudden frown overtook Ignacy’s features, breaking the spell of sunshine he had been caught under. For all he knew, there was no one left of his family, so the restrictions Zieliński spoke of were completely meaningless to him. Except that they served as a reminder of the vast emptiness in his life. A vacuum he had up until now successfully ignored thanks to army responsibilities. Boring as it had become over the past weeks, the daily routine at least left him with a sense of control and belonging. 

“And is it Warsaw I would be going to?” he asked at last.

“A precise post will be assigned to you at a further stage, but I believe that is where most are needed.” 

Ignacy let out a quiet sigh of relief. Warsaw was completely unknown to him. At least there would be no painful memories. 

“One last warning before we close this,” Zieliński glanced at the file open on his desk and added thoughtfully — “Year of birth: 1921…”

“Correct.” 

“You’ll be among the youngest trainees, most probably. Use your young age as an advantage, don’t let it become a weakness. And make sure you confirm my own judgment – that you’re actually not as immature as first impressions would suggest.” 

“May I ask, what justifies this trust?”

“For one thing, you did not even once try to negotiate the terms of the offer. Some hope they can haggle a rank advancement to go with the package – that obviously disqualifies them. But you seized the mission with both hands without wondering about what you could “get out of it”. That speaks strongly in your favor. Anyway, enough of your praises — I believe you’ve heard so much today it will keep your ego boosted for a while. Now, get back to work. And remember — not a word about this to the others!”

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Interested?

Find Dust of Wrathful Years on Goodreads, Storygraph, IndieStoryGeek, Amazon. This one is on my TBR.

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