A Penny a Shell - A Discussion with Antony Bell

Author Antony J. Bell comes on the podcast to discuss his novel "A Penny a Shell." From the author's website: "In a WWI munitions factory, the lives of three women converge on a dangerous production line where a single spark means the difference between a bonus and a burial. Eliza Wren, a desperate mother, races to pay a looming debt to save her family from eviction. Sarah Jennings, a defiant outcast, endures the factory's poison to fund an escape from a life of cruelty. Lucy Atkinson, a grieving daughter, works to honor her brother's memory and support her broken parents. Driven by the promise of a "penny a shell" bonus, the women push themselves and their machinery to the breaking point. But as the pressure from watchers with stopwatches mounts and the equipment begins to fail, they must decide what they are willing to risk for survival. Based on the true, forgotten story of the Barnbow Lasses, A Penny a Shell is a powerful and moving tribute to the quiet courage and fierce solidarity of the women who fought their own war on the home front." Where to buy: The BFWWP is on Patreon: Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website,

You can listen to A Penny a Shell - A Discussion with Antony Bell online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

A Penny a Shell - A Discussion with Antony Bell is an episode from Battles of the First World War Podcast by Mike Cunha.

This episode is 48:47 long.

This episode was published on Mar 15, 2026.

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