All history, of course, is the history of wars.
I do like to embed a fictional character firmly in an occupation.
Getting to know someone else involves curiosity about where they have come from, who they are.
I have had to empty two family homes during the last few years - first, the house that had been my grandmothers since 1923, and then my own country home, which we had lived in for over twenty years.
We make choices but are constantly foiled by happenstance.
Giving presents is one of the most possessive things we do, did you realize that? It's the way we keep a hold on other people. Plant ourselves in their lives.