Talkshow Thursday: Welcome Pat Jeanne Davis
Linda: Thanks for
joining me today. Congratulations on the release of your debut novel, When Valleys Bloom Again. You live in
Philadelphia which is steep in colonial history. What made you decided to write
a book set during WWII, and what was your inspiration for the story?
Pat: Thank you for
having me as a guest on your blog.
Philadelphia in
addition to being rich in colonial history was the site of a large and busy
shipyard during World War II. The city is situated at the confluence of the
Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers. The Naval Shipyard had its greatest period
during WWII when it employed 40,000 people who built 53 ships and repaired 574.
During this time, the yard built the famed battleships, USS New Jersey and
its 45,000-ton sister ship, USS Wisconsin.
I was born in
Philadelphia after the post-war period. I had family that had served in the
European Theater. When war was declared by England in 1939, my father-in-law
was conscripted into the British Eight Army and served his country until 1946.
I’ve had a keen interest in this period of history and wanted to some day write
a faith based novel with an Anglo-American connection. A portion of my novel is
set in England as well as in the US.
I found an opening
for When Valleys Bloom Again after reading a book on the life of
Kathleen Kennedy, daughter of Joseph P. Kennedy, the United States Ambassador
to the United Kingdom. He and his family were living in London when Britain
declared war. Kathleen Kennedy’s story intrigued me. She was forced by her father
to return to the US for her safety. Kathleen had made many friends while living
in London and was determined to return some day. She eventually did go back,
served in the British Red Cross and married William Cavendish who was in line
to become the next Duke of Devonshire. Sadly, he died in battle a few months
after their marriage.
I based my
protagonist, Abby Stapleton, loosely on Kathleen Kennedy’s situation at the
outbreak of war in 1939. Abby is the American-born daughter of a British
diplomat. Her father sends her back to the US to escape impending war. She too
vows to return to London.
LM: The age old
question for writers – are you a planner or a “pantster,” and what is your
favorite part of the writing process?
Pat: I tend to be
more of a planner. I enjoy the editing more than the actual writing.
LM: Research is a large part of any book. How did you go about
researching When Valleys Bloom Again and
did you discover any extra special tidbits of information?
Pat: In the
beginning, I took out books written about World War II from my local library. While in England
doing research for When Valleys Bloom Again, I visited Chatsworth House,
the home of the present Duke of Devonshire. I found the grave of Kathleen
Kennedy in St. Peter’s Churchyard, not far from Chatsworth House. She too died
tragically shortly after peace was declared. I learned from the guide at
Chatsworth House that in 1963 President John Kennedy had visited his sister
Kathleen’s grave site while on his way home from a trip to Ireland, only six
months before his assassination. He and his sister had been very close
throughout her life. Standing before Kathleen’s grave, I could only image the
sorrow President Kennedy felt.
During my research
trips to England, I visited an actual air raid shelter, airfields, war museums,
and Churchill War Room in London. I also interviewed veterans of WWII in both
the UK and US.
LM: What is one
thing you wish you knew how to do?
Pat: As an introvert,
I find it difficult to speak before an audience. I’d love to have the ability
to speak with ease publicly. This would make author talks and signings less
stressful.
Pat: To spend a month
on the South Coast of England, living in a self catering cottage.
LM: Here are some
quickies:
Favorite movie: There
are so many, but high up on the list is North and South, the British TV drama
based on Elizabeth Gaskell’s book.
Favorite childhood book:
The Little House on the Prairie series.
LM: What is your
next project?
Pat: Finishing a
novel set in the Progressive Era, a time of social reform and the continued
struggle for the right of women to vote. My heroine works in a settlement house
helping immigrants adjust to life in their new country. Against the wishes of
her father and her intended in marriage, she joins the suffrage movement and
campaigns for the rights of women and children.
LM: Where can
folks find you on the web?
Pat:
Website: http://www.patjeannedavis.com
Website: http://www.patjeannedavis.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pat.j.davis.7
Amazon Author Page: https://amazon.com/author/patjeannedavis
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/patjeannedavis/
About the book: As war approaches in 1939 Abby Stapleton’s safety is under threat. Her
father, a British diplomat, insists she go back to America until the danger
passes. Abby vows to return to her home in
London—but where is home? With her family
facing mortal danger so far away and feeling herself isolated, she finds it
hard to pray or read the Bible. Did she leave
God behind in war-torn London too? Abby
becomes friendly with Jim, a gardener on her uncle’s estate.
Jim can’t get Abby out of his mind. Did she have a sweetheart in
England? Was it foolish to think she’d
consider him? He curses his poverty and the
disgrace of his father’s desertion and drunkenness haunts him. Can he learn to believe in love for a lifetime and to hope
for a happy marriage?
Abby couldn’t know the war would last a long time, nor that she
would fall in love with Jim—soon to be drafted by the U.S. Army—or
that she’d have to confront Henri, a rejected suitor, determined by his lies to
ruin her reputation and destroy her faith in God’s providence. Will she discover the true meaning of home and find
happiness with Jim?
Purchase Links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MVV5TSN
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MVV5TSN
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