Death of a Cigarette (Paperback)

Timothy Webber

ISBN 13: 9798350755077

Published by Grey & Webber, 2025

About this Item

Paperback. Death of a Cigarette opens in the Stars and Stripes National Museum, where the last tour of the day is about to begin. Chance begins the story at the very end of the opening. The history as narrated by Chance, begins in a Virginia tobacco field. He introduces his kin, Eva Mae and Ella Mae, who are seen as his mother. Then Chance moves on to his birth at the factory along with his pack(Sally, Winston, Marley.) They find their voices as they cure, are milled, and are wrapped by Henri, a dignified French paper. The pack crosses the Atlantic to England, where camp life, letters home, and the hum of preparation usher the men toward Embarkation. On the Channel, tracer arcs stitch the night. At Omaha, the ramp drops; Sally burns bright; Winston rides unlit in Philip's hand offering a benediction ("You're already burning"). Chance remains in the package talisman.The beach crossing narrows to inches and breaths. Shrapnel, wire gaps, and crater rooms define survival. Post-landing, the narrative widens into hedgerows and the emotional aftercare: a private's harmonica, a shared apple, unsent letters, and the "holy pocket" where Chance and a letter to Philip's mother ride together. The war ends, but silence follows Philip to Missouri, good days, triggers, and the drawer that opens gently.In 1961, at the Stars and Stripes centennial in Bloomfield, Philip reunites with Terry. He donates his uniform and Chance. A placard provides quiet context; the cigarette becomes an artifact. In the epilogue, decades later, Philip's grandson Chris encounters the display, recognition folds private grief into public remembrance. The circle closes without combustion, without flame. This item is printed on demand. Shipping may be from our UK warehouse or from our Australian or US warehouses, depending on stock availability.

Seller Inventory # 9798350755077

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Death of a Cigarette (Paperback)
• Publisher: Grey & Webber
• Publication Date: 2025
• Language: English
• ISBN 13: 9798350755077
• Binding: Paperback
• Illustrator: Pulley, Scotty W
• Condition: new

About this title

Synopsis

International Impact Award Winner for Historical Fiction
An Indie Texas / BiblioBoard Selection

One unlit cigarette survived D-Day.

On June 6, 1944, a Missouri farm boy storms Omaha Beach with a ration box strapped to his chest and a single Lucky Strike tucked safely inside. That cigarette—named Chance—survives the invasion, the brutal march across Europe, and the quiet years after the war, becoming an unlikely witness to one soldier's journey through history.

Told through the eyes of an unlit cigarette, Death of a Cigarette offers a haunting and original perspective on World War II. As Chance travels from the tobacco fields of Virginia to the battlefields of Normandy and, decades later, to the Stars and Stripes National Museum in Missouri, he bears silent witness to courage, sacrifice, friendship, loss, and the memories that endure long after the fighting ends.

Blending historical authenticity with lyrical storytelling, this award-winning novella explores the many forms of courage: the spark that burns brightly, the voice that steadies others, and the quiet strength to endure without flame.

Sometimes the greatest stories are carried by the smallest witnesses.

Sometimes the bravest act is not to burn at all.

Perfect for readers who enjoy:

• World War II historical fiction
• D-Day and Normandy stories
• Character-driven literary fiction
• Thoughtful wartime narratives
• Stories of courage, sacrifice, and legacy

About the Author

Tim is a writer based in Dallas, Texas. Originally from Savannah, Georgia, he served 11 years in the U.S. Navy before turning his attention to fiction. His writing explores memory, silence, and legacy, often through unexpected narrators and overlooked details.
 
His debut novella, Death of a Cigarette, follows a single unlit cigarette carried through World War II, blending historical realism with quiet lyricism.
 
Tim is a lifelong admirer of greyhounds, a hobbyist woodcarver, and a patient fixer of cuckoo clocks. He believes some things are worth preserving, especially stories.