18 Feb Wayne Turmel The Deserter #HistoricalFiction #HistoricalAdventure #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub @WTurmel @cathiedunn

FEATURED AUTHOR: WAYNE TURMEL

I’m delighted to welcome Wayne Turmel as the featured author in The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour being held between February 9th – 20th, 2026. Wayne Turmel is the author of the Historical Fiction / Adventure, The Deserter: A Tale of the Foreign Legion, published by Achis Press on January 15, 2026 (295 pages).

Below are highlights of The Deserter,Wayne Turmel’s author bio, and a guest post describing how he did research for his book.

Tour Schedule Page: https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2026/01/blog-tour-the-deserter-by-wayne-turmel.html

HIGHLIGHTS: THE DESERTER

The Deserter – a Tale of the Foreign Legion
By Wayne Turmel

Blurb:

Algeria 1908.

Gil Vincente is a Boer War veteran, broken and adrift on the rough streets of Marseille. Desperate, he seeks discipline and renewed purpose in the unforgiving ranks of the French Foreign Legion. At first, he finds it, but not for long. When a treacherous soldier frames him for murder, it forces the new legionnaire to run for his life.

Now Gil must fight to clear his name while pursuing the real killer through the rugged Atlas Mountains. With the Legion on his heels and time running out, will he find justice or be forever branded a coward and deserter?

Praise for The Deserter:

“The Deserter evokes classic blood-and-sand adventures like Under Two Flags and Beau Geste. With meticulous research and compelling characters, Turmel has brought the desert saga back to thrilling life.” ~ Frank Thompson, author, The Compleat Beau Geste

“A two-fisted historical adventure that weaves visceral action, rugged landscapes, and raw emotional depth into a haunting tale of honor, betrayal, and the elusive hope of redemption.” ~ David Buzan, bestselling author of In the Lair of Legends

Any Triggers: military violence, suicide, language

Buy Links:

Universal Ebook Buy Link: to follow February 17^th!

Amazon US paperback link: https://www.amazon.com/Deserter-Tale-Foreign-Legion/dp/0982037783/

Amazon UK paperback link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Deserter-Tale-Foreign-Legion/dp/0982037783/

This title will be available on #KindleUnlimited.

AUTHOR BIO: WAYNE TURMEL

Wayne Turmel is a Canadian ex-pat now living and writing in Las Vegas.  He’s the author of seven novels, the latest is The Deserter – a Tale of the Foreign Legion. His short stories have earned critical acclaim, including nominations for the prestigious Pushcart Prize.

Turmel’s longer works delve into the rich tapestries of history and the thrilling depths of urban fantasy, inviting readers into meticulously crafted worlds. At times humorous, sometimes dark but always with a careful eye for dialogue and detail.

He lives with his wife, The Duchess, and Mad Max, most manly of poodles.

Author Links:

Website     Twitter / X     Facebook     Instagram

Bluesky     Book Bub     Amazon Author Page    Goodreads

GUEST POST: DOING RESEARCH FOR THE DESERTER

Doing research for a novel like The Deserter is both tricky and the most kind of fun. It’s sometimes difficult, because most of the source material is in another language (my cereal-box Canadian French doesn’t cut it.) It is fun because there is a wealth of film and written stories to ground me in the time period and the basics of Legion life.

Fortunately, by 1908 there were plenty of photographs of Legion life as well as in the towns of Algeria that I could get a real feel for what people wore and how they lived. One of the things people seem to like about the book is the world-building. I am obsessed with making people feel what it was like in that place and time. If you don’t like grit in your pores, flies on your food, and the odor of men in over-heated canvas tents, this may not be the book for you. 😊

There are some excellent nonfiction books in English, especially “The French Foreign Legion – a Complete History of the Legendary Fighting Force,” by Douglas Porch. There is also a treasure trove of pop culture works.

The most famous story in English is Beau Geste, and the sequel Beau Sabeur. PC Wren created the definitive English work on the topic. Of course, I have seen dozens of movies and read other stories, especially the pulp work of Theodore Roscoe, which were ripping tales told through the rather unreliable voice of a retired Legionnaire.

The problem with pop culture research is that they never let the facts get in the way of a good story. For example, despite what you may have seen in movies, Legionnaires did wear socks (can you imagine the horrific blisters otherwise?). It also glosses over the fact that there’s no way in 2026 to put an entirely positive spin on naked colonial aggression. Still, there are stories to be told.

In the movies there are lots of beautiful Arab horses. In fact, only a few officers rode horses. They were impractical for the desert. Mules drank less water, carried heavier loads, and their feet were more suited for rocky and sandy terrain.  Do not buy me more than one beer or I’ll go off on all the research I had to do on mules. I’ve become quite insufferable on the topic.

Maybe the hardest part of doing the research was not letting modern sensibilities creep in. Gil Vincente clearly has OCD, even though that wouldn’t be an official diagnosis for years. About this time the French knew it existed; it was called ‘folie impulsive’ (impulsive insanity).

Gil would never have been diagnosed. Like so many people he would have simply been considered an “odd duck.” The language people used and the casual racism of the colonial period is not terribly comfortable for modern readers (or writers. I had to bite my metaphorical tongue a number of times and just let the characters be what they would be in that time.) I think I’ve done a good job of capturing those things without glossing over the problems or judging them unfairly.

In short, The Deserter allowed me to indulge all my boyhood movie favorites, learn new things (like, despite my admiration of them, I’ll never own a mule), and create a story and world I hope resonates with readers.

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