The original boy who was the inspiration for their first YA novel was killed by a stray bomb dropped on the town of Egham in southern England,  in November 1940. There’s a plaque in Egham in Surrey confirming the explosion which actually killed 3 children (the elder of whom provided inspiration for the creation of their heroine in the first novel – Annie). 

Co-authors Laura Meloni Bywaters and Sarah Onions researched as much as possible into the fatal bomb. 

Up until now they had to speculate the deathly bomb was a stray shell. There had been a devastating aerial attack on the British industrial city of Coventry on Nov 15, when the children were killed.It could have been a Luftwaffe pilot returning home, who needed to get rid of his load before crossing the sea. 

Sarah recently discovered that there’s oral history at Saltdean Lido on the English Channel where a Luftwaffe pilot was spotted firing down at the pool in WW2 on his way home. So we know that the bomber pilots flew low over southern England to hit final targets before finishing for the night. 

There’s more information about where the bombs were dropped, on the website for The National Archives.

The co-authors’ research skills will be put to the test in their second novel, set during the Blitz but fortunately it’s a densely documented period of history.Finally, in this Victory in Europe anniversary year, there’s an exhibition telling the story of the firefighters who protected St Paul’s cathedral from ruin, during the Blitz. 

Note to editor. SL Roman is the pen-name of Sarah Onions and Laura Meloni Bywaters who both live in the borough of Kingston in SW London. Sarah was born in Brighton in southern England and Laura was born in Rome.

Now on sale in the US : https://www.amazon.com/One-Year-Night-2nd/dp/194715981X.Also, at Barnes and Noble in North America.

And in the UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/One-Year-Night-S-L-Roman/dp/B09GZPYRJ4