Talkshow Thursday: Welcome back Julie Arduini!

Talkshow Thursday: Welcome back Julie Arduini!

Linda:  Welcome back. I can’t wait to hear about your latest release, You’re Amazing, the second in the Surrendering Stinkin’ Thinkin’ series. As with the first book, you co-authored the story with your daughter. How was this experience different than the first time?

Julie: Hi, Linda! Thanks for having me back! The biggest change for You’re Amazing is that Hannah created a plot around dance, something I have zero experience or knowledge about. The whole concept of the book for Jazmin’s story was having her struggle in dance for the first time, so I could relate! I have to thank our dancing friend, Alanis, who went over the dance aspects and edited me for accuracy.

LM: It’s obvious you have a heart for young people, and this series seems geared to help them deal with the issues of growing up. What do you think is the biggest challenge for teens today?

Julie: My passion is for young people, girls especially, to embrace the truth that as Stasi Eldredge wrote, that they are “Captivating, the masterpiece in creation.” If that truth doesn’t reach them, they will go find a way to be captivating in ways that will scar them. Young people have so much stress and little encouragement. That was Hannah’s heart for the series, to encourage girls younger than her so they wouldn’t struggle as much.

LM: You’ve written both fiction and non-fiction. How is the process different?

Julie: I think the research for fiction is harder. In the Surrendering Time series, it was important to get the setting right because I love the Adirondacks so much I wanted to honor the people and place. The non fiction writing I have done has been about my infertility experience, so that was something I knew very well, too well.

LM: You are a self-professed chocolate lover. What is your favorite chocolate treat?

Julie: Pretty much anything milk chocolate with almonds. I received Cadbury bars for Christmas and they didn’t last long!

LM: How do you prepare yourself for writing? (e.g. set up in a certain place, listen to music)

Julie: Great question! I have found I’m in a better frame of mind if I workout first, doing a walking workout on YouTube followed by a quick yoga program. Then, I spend time in Bible study. I turn on my candle warmer, usually with a Christmas tree scent, and have Alexa play instrumental music. I tend to write in the bedroom because my husband is often in the office and our college aged son also has online classes he takes downstairs.

LM: Here are some quickies:

Julie: Favorite Actor or Actress: Ryan Reynolds

Favorite Season: Fall

Favorite Biblical character: Esther

LM: What is your next project?

Julie: This fall I will release Restoring Christmas. It was part of the A Christmas to Remember boxed set, but now that novella will also be available in print form.

I’m also finally writing the first book in my next Christian romance series, Surrendering Opinions. I’ve tried Anchored three times and put it down. I finally feel like everything in my head will finally make it to paper. For those that enjoy the show, This is Us, Surrendering Opinions will be a series I think they will enjoy.

LM: Where can folks find you on the web?

Julie: My site is at http://juliearduini.com, where they can also receive my first romance, Entrusted, as a gift when they subscribe to my newsletter. I’m everywhere on social media between Facebook and Snapchat as @JulieArduini. I’d love readers to follow me on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00PBKDRSQ and Goodreads, https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9819114.Julie_Arduini.  Don’t be shy to reach out. I enjoy connecting with readers.

Thank you, Linda!

Book Blurb: 

Jazmin’s a natural at dance until a series of changes make her wonder if she should even keep up with her favorite hobby.

Lena’s a mom with young children overwhelmed with her schedule when a woman remarks that what Lena does isn’t even important.

Both Jazmin and Lena belong to Linked, a mentoring ministry where all ages encourage each other and build friendships. Can these two surrender the lies they are believing and realize they are amazing?

            

A novella for tweens, teens, and women of all ages by mother and daughter team Julie Arduini and Hannah Arduini.

Purchase Link:  https://www.amazon.com/Youre-Amazing-Surrendering-Stinkin-Thinkin-ebook/dp/B07M7D6HSV

Wartime Wednesday: From Italy to Oswego

Wartime Wednesday: From Italy to Oswego

In August 1944, one hundred and eighty five years after its construction by the British, Fort Ontario, on the Canadian-U.S. border in Oswego, New York, would find itself repurposed as an emergency shelter for 982 European refugees. The individuals, predominantly Jewish and from eighteen different countries ranged in age from a new born baby to an eighty-year-old man. Some has escaped from or been liberated from concentration camps and ghettos.

Called “Safe Haven,” the project was operated by the War Relocation Authority (the same organization responsible for the Internment Camps created after Executive Order 9066 was implemented). War Refugee Board Representative Leonard Ackerman traveled to Italy to determine who would be selected for transport to the U.S. Part of the criteria established was that the refugees for whom no other havens were available. Roosevelt also included the group should include mostly women and children. However, there were some rabbis, doctors, and a few skilled workers to maintain the camp. The President managed to circumvent immigration laws by referring to the refugees as his “guests.”

Visions of a life of freedom were dashed, when the refugees arrived after their seventeen day journey on the U.S. Army transport ship Henry Gibbons (later used to transport war brides). The travelers were deloused then placed under quarantine, forbidden to leave the fort. Visitors were also not allowed. And the worst of it was the chain-link fence that circled the camp, reminding the refugees of what they had left behind.

The city of Oswego welcomed the refugees, often lining up at the fence to shake hands and pass food and other gifts through the holes. Eventually restrictions were lightened, and the “guests” were granted six-hour passes to explore the city.

After the war, there was trepidation from the refugees who had signed documents agreeing to return to their countries of origin. But most has nothing to return to. Many organizations offered to take displaced families and help them begin a new life. Fortunately, not long after President Truman took offer, he decreed the refugees could stay. 

To make it official, they were bussed across Rainbow Bridge to Niagara Falls, Canada, where they were presentation with the necessary immigration papers, then returned to the for where they were officially admitted to the United States.

_______________________________________________________

A prostitute, a spy, and the liberation of Paris.

Sold by her parents to settle a debt, Rolande Bisset is forced into prostitution. Years later, shunned by her family and most of society, it’s the only way she knows how to subsist. When the Germans overrun Paris, she decides she’s had enough of evil men controlling her life and uses her wiles to obtain information for the Allied forces. Branded a collaborator, her life hangs in the balance. Then an American spy stumbles onto her doorstep. Is redemption within her grasp?

Simon Harlow is one of an elite corps of American soldiers. Regularly chosen for dangerous covert missions, he is tasked with infiltrating Paris to ascertain the Axis’s defenses. Nearly caught by German forces moments after arriving, he owes his life to the beautiful prostitute who claims she’s been waiting for the Allies to arrive. Her lifestyle goes against everything he believes in, but will she steal his heart during his quest to liberate her city?

Inspired by the biblical story of Rahab, Love’s Rescue is a tale of faith and hope during one of history’s darkest periods. Available on Amazon.

Traveling Tuesday: California and WWII

Traveling Tuesday: California and WWII

Initially settled by Native Californian tribes, what is now the state of California was explored by numerous European expeditions during the 1500s and 1600s. The Spanish Empire claimed it as part of their New Spain colony, but then it became part of Mexico following their war for independence. After the Mexican-American war it was ceded to the U.S. Two years later, California became the thirty-first state. First in population with nearly forty million residents, California ranks third in size (after Alaska and Texas). Neither urban nor industrial and known for oranges and movies in the 1930s, California was popular with tourists and retirees.

The Pearl Harbor was attacked on December 7, 1941, and overnight life changed. Near panic conditions resulted as tens of thousands of citizens expected similar attacks – perhaps even by the same force that had attacked Hawaii. Japanese submarines trolled the waters off the California coast, taking out merchant ships and reinforcing the fear. Rumors began to circulate that Japanese fisherman were mining the harbors and Japanese farmers were poisoning the fruits and vegetables they were selling. Additional rumors claimed the Japanese were secretly organizing military units to work behind American lines.

As a result of these tensions, martial law was declared on Los Angeles’s Terminal Island – a scrap of land that a major U.S. Naval base, oil facilities, and a large ethnic Japanese community shared. California beaches were strung with barbed wire and watch towers were constructed. Coastal cities were put under blackout conditions. Radio stations went off the air, and commercial airliners were grounded.

Shortly thereafter, President Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, and individuals with Japanese, Italian, and German heritage were shipped to internment camps all over the country.

Already agricultural, California expanded its capabilities to meet wartime needs for food. Factories and military bases sprang up, and by war’s end the state was a leading manufacturing center and was home to over 140 military installations. Soldiers trained in deserts, mountains, and beaches, and pilots learned to fly. San Francisco, LA, and San Diego shipyards built over 1,500 ships, and more planes were assembled in California than any other states. Workers flocked to the state in what newspapers nicknamed “The Second Gold Rush.”

Over 800,000 Californians would serve in uniform, and millions would be trained at California installations or shipped out through the state’s embarkation centers.

__________________________________________________________________

A prostitute, a spy, and the liberation of Paris.

Sold by her parents to settle a debt, Rolande Bisset is forced into prostitution. Years later, shunned by her family and most of society, it’s the only way she knows how to subsist. When the Germans overrun Paris, she decides she’s had enough of evil men controlling her life and uses her wiles to obtain information for the Allied forces. Branded a collaborator, her life hangs in the balance. Then an American spy stumbles onto her doorstep. Is redemption within her grasp?

Simon Harlow is one of an elite corps of American soldiers. Regularly chosen for dangerous covert missions, he is tasked with infiltrating Paris to ascertain the Axis’s defenses. Nearly caught by German forces moments after arriving, he owes his life to the beautiful prostitute who claims she’s been waiting for the Allies to arrive. Her lifestyle goes against everything he believes in, but will she steal his heart during his quest to liberate her city?

Inspired by the biblical story of Rahab, Love’s Rescue is a tale of faith and hope during one of history’s darkest periods. Available on Amazon.

Talkshow Thursday: Meet Author Kathleen Neely

Talkshow Thursday: Meet Author Kathleen Neely

Linda:  Thanks for joining me today. Congratulations on your upcoming release (tomorrow!) The Street Singer. It sounds like a wonderful book. Where did you find your inspiration for the story?

KATHLEEN: I love novels that focus on relationships, particularly inter-generational. I also enjoy reading stories that involve the legal system—law suits, court cases, attorneys. The Street Singer is actually my second novel, although the first to reach publication. When I finished my first novel and breathed a bit sigh of relief, my mind went to work weaving story lines, building and discarding ideas, until I decided on what eventually became The Street Singer. It’s about Trisha, a final-year law student, and Adda, a once famous recording artist known as Adaline. Although it’s their story, everyone loves a little romance. That keeps things interesting.

LM: Research is an important part of the writing process. What sort of research did you do for The Street Singer? Did you unearth anything that was totally unexpected?

KATHLEEN: I wouldn’t say ‘unexpected’ but I believe it holds some interesting elements. Most people know a little bit about the legal system. I knew enough to get myself in trouble if I hadn’t consulted an expert. Actually, two experts. I reached out to an attorney who read the legal portions of my manuscript and provided feedback on my misunderstandings, then passed it along to her husband whose area of law was more closely compatible.

An interesting sub-theme shows the renovation of an older home. That research was easy for me. My husband has worked for decades in every area of home building. He walked me through each phase of the work.

LM:  What is your favorite part of the writing process?

KATHLEEN: Unlike what I hear from many authors, I enjoy editing—not the line editing checking for every punctuation mark. Once the skeleton of a story is written, I enjoy embellishing it, bringing it to life with words. I go through my manuscript many times, looking to add sensory details and thinking through the emotions that should be evident.

LM: You are a retired educator and an avid reader. Who are your literary heroes/heroines?

KATHLEEN: I have so many authors that I admire. I can’t name a favorite, but I’ll tell you some specific works that live in my heart. Charles Martin’s Water for the Heart, Lisa Wingate’s Before We Were Yours, and Kristen Hannah’s The Nightingale.

LM: What has been the most challenging part of the road to publication for you? What advice do you have for fledgling writers?

KATHLEEN: The hardest element of publication has been the unknown. I like a step-by-step outline of what comes next. It’s very exciting to receive the first acceptance, but it would have been great to know that, from that point, things would move s-l-o-w-l-y. I’m a buckle your seatbelt and get it done personality.

My advice for fledgling writers is this—surround yourself with people in the industry. Garner all of the help they can give you. I’ve found writer’s to be the best and most willing mentors. Read trade books on writing and attend conferences.

LM: Here are some quickies:

KATHLEEN:

Favorite season: Definitely Spring

Favorite vacation spot: Hilton Head Island

Favorite place to write: I have a home office where I often write, but when no one is home, I love to take my laptop to the kitchen table where natural light is abundant.

LM: What are you currently working on?

KATHLEEN: I’m working on a story about a mother’s love. After a teenage pregnancy, she gave her baby up. Twelve years later, she has another chance to be part of his life. Until the unthinkable happens. That’s all you get. No spoiler alert.

LM: Sounds intriguing! Where can folks find you on the web?

KATHLEEN: The best way to reach me is my website. Readers can sign up, learn more about me, and read about my three upcoming releases at http://www.KathleenNeely.com.

I can also be reached on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/kathy.neely.98

Follow my Twitter page at www.Twitter@NeelyKneely3628

The Street Singer:

Trisha Mills, a student in her final semester of law school, has fond memories of listening to the music of Adaline, a once famous recording artist. She learns that Adaline, now Adda Marsh, is a street singer in Asheville, NC. Adda’s sole means of support in her senior years comes from the donation box. Along with her meager possessions, Adda has a box labeled, “Things to Remember.” Adda agrees to show Trisha the contents. With it comes her story. Adda reveals her journey by sharing a few items at a time, beginning as a sharecropper’s daughter in Mississippi, to fame in Nashville, and to poverty in her old age.

Trisha is busy cleaning out the home of her deceased grandfather, preparing to sit for the bar exam, and planning her wedding to Grant Ramsey. However, she cannot overlook the injustices that Adda has experienced. Aided by Rusty Bergstrom, an attorney who will work pro bono, Trisha convinces Adda to seek restitution. Will her growing friendship with Rusty Bergstrom affect her engagement to Grant?

Mystery Monday: Who was Claude Aveline?

Mystery Monday: Who was Claude Aveline?

In further exploration of what my characters might have been reading in France during WWII, I discovered, Claude Aveline who was a prolife writer. His credits include poetry, screenplays, articles, and mystery novels.

The pen name of Evgen Avtsine, Claude was born in Paris in 1901 of Jewish parents who had fled Russia in 1891 because of racial segregation and persecution. They became French citizens in 1905. In 1915, at only fourteen years of age, Claude volunteered as a medic. After WWI, he moved to Cannes to begin his college studies but experienced severe health problems and had to drop out of school.

Several of his poems were published, and he was introduced to Anatole France who became his mentor. Three years later, Claude founded his own publishing house (does that make him the first indie author?!). His mystery novel released in 1932, La Double Mort de Frédéric Belot,” was a huge success, and his 1936 novel Le Prisonnier even more so.

Interesting to note is that his Wikipedia biography refers to Aveline’s membership in the French Resistance in one short sentence. What they fail to mention is that he intentionally left Paris and moved to Lyon where he shared a house with journalist Louis Martin-Chauffier that was a major center of Resistance activities. In addition, Claude founded the underground newspaper, Combat.

After the war, he moved back to Paris and continued his writing career, winning awards and recognition, especially for his radio works. He published a psychological mystery, Carriage 7, Seat 15, which many scholars consider a classic. In addition to his fictional work, he wrote his memoirs.

Claude passed away in 1992.

______________________________________________

A prostitute, a spy, and the liberation of Paris.

Sold by her parents to settle a debt, Rolande Bisset is forced into prostitution. Years later, shunned by her family and most of society, it’s the only way she knows how to subsist. When the Germans overrun Paris, she decides she’s had enough of evil men controlling her life and uses her wiles to obtain information for the Allied forces. Branded a collaborator, her life hangs in the balance. Then an American spy stumbles onto her doorstep. Is redemption within her grasp?

Simon Harlow is one of an elite corps of American soldiers. Regularly chosen for dangerous covert missions, he is tasked with infiltrating Paris to ascertain the Axis’s defenses. Nearly caught by German forces moments after arriving, he owes his life to the beautiful prostitute who claims she’s been waiting for the Allies to arrive. Her lifestyle goes against everything he believes in, but will she steal his heart during his quest to liberate her city?

Inspired by the biblical story of Rahab, Love’s Rescue is a tale of faith and hope during one of history’s darkest periods. Available on Amazon.

The OSS and the Liberation of France

The OSS and the Liberation of France

World War II has been studied by scholars, students, and history buffs since the day the guns fell silent and surrender documents were signed. Over the years I have read hundreds of books and watched thousands of hours of interviews and documentaries. The more I study, the more I realize I’ve merely scratched the surface of the conflict.

As time passes, more information comes to light as documents are declassified and people decide to tell their stories before they die. A topic I recently researched to ensure accuracy in my book Love’s Rescue, is the liberation of Paris. It has been interesting to discover who was involved and who was not.

I was sure the British were there. After all, France is just across the English Channel. Turns out the British didn’t arrive until several days after the City of Light was freed from the Germans. Also turns out the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), precursor to the CIA was heavily involved, prior to and during the liberation. I shouldn’t have been surprised. The OSS is a spy agency, and intelligence, subterfuge, and espionage played a crucial part in the event.

My search of documents from the National Archives and the CIA provided fascinating insight into the thoughts and activities as the war neared its end. One report indicated that having worked in league with the French Resistance, the OSS’s role came to fruition once the liberation of Paris occurred. Another report estimates that nearly eighty percent of the intelligence received prior to D-Day and the subsequent liberation was thanks to the 225 OSS agents stationed in France. Activities included:

• Messages answering specific inquiries by the Allied Fleet HQ and the Seventh Army were radioed directly to the command ship of the invasion fleet en route to France;
• Plans for the defense of Marseilles were forwarded to the appropriate military leader;
• Information regarding the fortifications of Lyon was sent ahed;
• German defense plans for St. Nazaire and Lorient were captured;
• Downed U.S. airmen in enemy territory were aided; and
• Agents served as guides for the Allied forces reaching their areas.

Once France was safely back in the hands of its leaders, the OSS could focus its sights on the remaining European Theater of Operation and the Pacific war which would not be over for another eight and eleven months respectively.

Love's Rescue is now available! Pick up your copy today of this tale of faith and hope inspired by the biblical story of Rahab and set during the liberation of Paris in August 1944. Available for a limited time for only $0.99 from these fine retailers:

Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MJM6MNL

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/love-s-rescue-1

Apple Books: https://itunes.apple.com/book/id1451530079

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/loves-rescue-linda-shenton-matchett/1130382950?ean=9780998526546

Talkshow Thursday: Welcome Gail Sattler!

Talkshow Thursday: Welcome Gail Sattler!

Linda:  Thanks for joining me today. Congratulations on your latest release The Other Neighbor. Where did you find your inspiration for the story?

GAIL: The Other Neighbor is actually based on a true story. Back in the prelude to Y2K (who remembers that?) my husband found out the hard way that a customer of his  - he owned and operated a web design business - planned to bomb part of the Trans Alaska Oil Pipeline at midnight December 31, 1999. The FBI caught him in time, and he is I believe still in jail. But his company, with the arrest and conviction of the owners, went into bankruptcy owing my husband’s company a lot of money. I, of course, changed the story to make it a romantic suspense, but the antagonist and his plan was real.

LM: Wow! Truth really is stranger than fiction! You are a prolific writer – are you a planner or a “pantster,” and what is your favorite part of the writing process?

GAIL: Definitely a plotter/planner. I outline everything. My favorite part of the process is when I write a scene that just works, and when it’s done, I think, wow, I loved that.

LM: Research is an important part of the writing process. Have you ever stumbled on a tidbit you just knew had to be included in your story?

GAIL: That actually happened on this book. When it happened, I thought the premise would make a good book. And here it is.

LM:  In addition to being a full-time writer, you are also an active musician. How do you balance the two activities in addition to your roles as wife and mother?

GAIL: I don’t do housework. That’s my husband’s job, and it has been for a couple of decades. Gotta love the man. We own a vacuum cleaner. I just haven’t touched it for 20 years. 

LM: What a wonderful gift! J What advice do you have for fledgling writers?

GAIL: Study the craft and join a critique group. Learn the basics about POV and Show vs Tell. I have read a lot of books that people write and put on Amazon themselves without having done that. There are a lot of very terrible books out there.

LM: Here are some quickies:

GAIL:

Favorite food: Butter Chicken

Favorite vacation spot: Tofino, BC

Favorite actor or actress: Sandra Bullock

LM: What are you currently working on?

GAIL? I’m rewriting an old book, Secret Admirer, that’s gone out of print and I got the rights back. I’m redoing it for a more general market to reach more people, and I’m also making it longer.

LM: Where can folks find you on the web?

GAIL: 

Website: http://www.gailsattler.com

Blog - What Goes On In The Mind Of A Writer: http://www.gailsattler.com/category/new/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gail.sattler.3

Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/Gail-Sattler-author-568988573496833/?modal=admin_todo_tour

Book Blurb:
Cheryl Richardson doesn't know that her landlord who owns the other half of the duplex where she lives is plotting to build a bomb-but the FBI does. In order to discover what her landlord is planning to blow up, agent Steve Gableman moves next door to get closer to Cheryl to learn what she knows, namely the target and motive, so they can stop it. But when Steve involves himself in every area of her life, including her dog, will Cheryl be the one to explode?

Purchase Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B07J6RD2W5

Wartime Wednesday: Collaborative Code Breaking

Wartime Wednesday: Collaborative Code Breaking

With the 75^th anniversaries of WWII occurring over the last several years, Hollywood has produced multiple movies highlighting everything from efforts on the U.S. home front (“Hidden Figures”) to battles (“Dunkirk”) and key leaders (“Darkest Hour”). Some of the films are better than others, but all have served to bring history to the general public, and to many who might never explore the past.

Disappointingly, none of the movies and few of the books I’ve read talk about collaborative efforts made among the Allied forces. But without the passing of information and discoveries to each other, progress would not have been achieved as quickly and perhaps even hindered.

One area that seems to be skewed is code breaking. Most people are familiar with Bletchley Park and the strides the British made in breaking the Enigma code from this location in the English countryside. From the outside, it appears the British succeeded single-handedly, but as with nearly every aspect of the war, they had help.

Recently, I was surprised to find out that Polish cryptanalysts were working on codebreaking long before the Germans overran their country. In fact, they had managed to construct an Enigma machine complete with internal wiring. Polish mathematicians and cryptologists hosted a meeting in a bunker-like building in Pyry, Poland (outside of Warsaw) with French and British colleagues. Turns out the Poles’ cipher bureau was running out of money, and they realized cooperation was the only way to complete the project.

Plans made to work together were cut short with the German invasion of Poland. Members of the cipher bureau escaped into Romania where they went to the French embassy in Bucharest. Given travel visas, they made their way to France where they would ultimately be caught in the German occupation.

Unable to do much from Vichy France, these Polish scientists waited out the war, but Bletchley certainly benefited from their early work.

 

Love's Rescue releases tomorrow! Pre-order your copy today of this tale of faith and hope inspired by the biblical story of Rahab and set during the liberation of Paris in August 1944. Available for a limited time for only $0.99 from these fine retailers:

Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MJM6MNL

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/love-s-rescue-1

Apple Books: https://itunes.apple.com/book/id1451530079

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/loves-rescue-linda-shenton-matchett/1130382950?ean=9780998526546

Traveling Tuesday: French Forces of the Interior

Traveling Tuesday: French Forces of the Interior

 “The rapid advance of my army through France would have been impossible without the fighting aid of the FFI.”

Four-star General George S. Patton, Jr.

“The help given by the FFI from the Mediterranean landings to the arrival of U.S. troops at Dijon, was equivalent to four full divisions.”

Three-star General Alexander M. Patch

High praise from highly-placed senior officers in the U.S. Army. Who were these men and women? According to an article written by Sgt. Bill Davidson, Yank Staff Correspondent:

“The French Forces of the Interior, better known as the FFI or the Maquis (from the brush country in which they hide and operate), are not a collection of picturesque hit-and-run guerrillas led by a Hollywood character resembling Errol Flynn. They are a highly-organized, well-disciplined army of some 500,000 French men and women, divided into divisions and regiments, with rifles, mortars, pack artillery and even tanks, and fired with tremendous resolve to re-establish their homeland among the free, respected peoples of the earth.”

He goes on to say, “The Maquis are mostly young, tough-looking guys between the ages of 17 and 25, although there is a good percentage of women and older persons.”

One intriguing anecdote tells of a group of five FFI members who walked into a restaurant, hung their rifles on the hat rack, and sat down to have lunch with their wives. Having just finished a mission that killed some Germans outside the city, they discussed domestic issues with the women, finished their meal, then headed out in a captured German staff car marked with the cross of Lorraine.

Prior to 1942, the FFI was a relatively small and disorganized force. They worked underground, appearing long enough to conduct acts of sabotage and providing intelligence to Allied leaders. By 1944, the group had grown and were unified under the command of French General Marie Pierre Koenig. Absorbed into the French regular forces, the FFI were used as light infantry and continued to use their own weapons and wear civilian clothing with an armband marked “F.F.I.”

As liberation progressed, the FFI took control of bridges and flushed the Germans out of villages and towns all over France. It is estimated the Maquis liberated approximately 50,000 square miles of the country, including Paris. They served as scouts for the Allied armies and slowed down enemy troop movements.

Many members of the FFI are well-known, with streets, bridges, and parks named in their honor, but the majority of this organization slipped back into obscurity after the war and resumed their lives as unassuming men and women.

Love's Rescue releases tomorrow! Pre-order your copy today of this tale of faith and hope inspired by the biblical story of Rahab and set during the liberation of Paris in August 1944. Available for a limited time for only $0.99 from these fine retailers: 

Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MJM6MNL

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/love-s-rescue-1

Apple Books: https://itunes.apple.com/book/id1451530079

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/loves-rescue-linda-shenton-matchett/1130382950?ean=9780998526546

Talkshow Thursday: Welcome Back, Kimberly Rose Johnson

Talkshow Thursday: Welcome Back, Kimberly Rose Johnson

Linda:  Welcome back, and congratulations on your latest release The Sleuth’s Dilemma (book 2 in The Librarian Sleuth series). What was your inspiration for this particular story?

Kimberly: As I was writing the first book Anna’s story started percolating in my head. At the time I wrote these books I worked in a high school, so I think my daily life there also helped to inspire Anna’s story.

LM:  I love series. Did you set out to write The Librarian series, or did that come later? How many books are planned?

Kimberly: I set out to write this as a series. Three books are contracted, with an open door to write more. That being said, my schedule at this time doesn’t allow for more than the three books. But you never know.

LM: What do you to prepare yourself for writing? Do you have a process you must adhere to in order to be productive?

Kimberly: I like to ease into my day lol and that applies to writing too. For example rather than jump into my story world at seven in the morning, I’m choosing to work on this interview. J I have found this to be a helpful way to “ease” into writing. The one thing I need to do before I start my creative writing though is spend time with the Lord by reading my Bible. My day/writing goes 100% better when I take some time to be with Him first.

LM:  Do you write a part of yourself in any of your characters? Or how about friends and family? Are they in any of your books?

Kimberly: Yes. Most of my characters do have a piece of me in them, some more than others. I would say this series is the least like me of all my books, but I did use the high school aspect of my life in this book.

LM: What is one thing you wish you knew how to do?

Kimberly: Crochet. My mother-in-law had planned to teach me once I graduated college but her life was cut short and that never happened.

LM: Here are some quickies:

Kimberly:

Favorite color: It depends on the day and what it’s for, but I’m often drawn to purples and blues.

Favorite actor or actress: Candace Cameron Bure

Favorite food: Avocados with a little salt. Yum!

LM: What is your next project?

Kimberly:  I am currently writing the third book in this series. J  After that I will be working on a Christmas screenplay. I quit my day job so I’d have time to pursue my other passion too—writing for movies.

LM: How exciting! Where can folks find you on the web?

Kimberly: 

Website https://kimberlyrjohnson.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimberlyRoseJohnson

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kimberlyrosejoh

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/kimberly-rose-johnson

About The Sleuth's Dilemma
Anna loves her job as a high school English teacher until everything goes sideways. The one bright spot in her life it Titus Gains, the school counselor, who is there for her at every turn. Titus' boss complicates his ordered world when she tasks him with running a meeting that changes everything. How had he not noticed Anna earlier? Someone is out to destroy her, and he can't let that happen.

As the head of the English department, part of Luke Harms' job is to make sure everything runs smoothly. Things went haywire when Anna was put in charge of the big writing contest. Entries are missing, Anna appears to be in danger, and her job is on the line. Luke is investigating and wants to make things right for this woman he's starting to care about.

Can a trio of school officials along with Nancy Daley, the town sleuth, stop the saboteur before it's too late? And will Anna choose the right man, or lose them both?

Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/2DSwHuA