Talkshow Thursday: Meet Aubrey Taylor

Talkshow Thursday: Meet Aubrey Taylor

LM: Welcome! Congratulations on your upcoming release The Prodigal Sons, Gott Mit Uns, Book 2. I can't wait to read it. The premise of your book is fascinating – there don’t seem to be many WWII novels written from the German viewpoint. What was your inspiration for the story? How many books can we expect in the series?

Aubrey: Thank you, Linda! In March 2021, I was contemplating how I was going to reconcile my growing appreciation for our family’s German heritage with our upcoming homeschool study of the world wars. While these are not YA books, that’s where the inspiration began. It was almost as if God tapped me on the shoulder and gave me the concept for my first novel, Sani: The German Medic. I hadn’t written creatively in decades. Was I willing to take a step of faith?

In the process of writing that first book, there were characters whose lives ended during the war, yet I just wasn’t ready to let go of them. I had also fallen in love with the Schmidt family. As I prayed more about the whole concept, I knew that I was going to create a family saga. The Prodigal Sons (TPS) goes back to 1923, with a prologue set in 1915, and really sets the stage to allow the reader to better understand the Schmidt boys.

As far as books in the series, I’m hoping for at least 4, but I actually have concepts for Schmidts and close family friends all the way into the future. We’ll see what develops.

LM: What research did you do for the story, and is there a particularly intriguing tidbit you knew had to be included?

Aubrey: To truly understand the experience of the German people, you have to go back centuries.

Pixabay/Alexander Naumann

What a fascinating and sometimes tragic history they have. I began with a book called Germany: Memories of a Nation, and I continue to explore the more distant past when I have time, although most of my research for TPS centered specifically on the Weimar Republic and the origins of the Third Reich. I’ve read parts or all of memoirs written by former soldiers of the Wehrmacht, members of the Hitler Youth, and the SS, as well as The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich and various other in-depth histories. I do a lot of internet research, listen to podcasts and, most blessedly, talk to dear people I know who lived through the tragic past or who have researched it in-depth themselves. Also, my husband and I spent three wonderful weeks in Germany this past summer!

LM: In addition to writing, you homeschool and are involved in ministry. How do you balance your responsibilities?

Aubrey: I actually don’t homeschool anymore, though I did for six years. I loved every minute of it, but the Lord knows how much I can balance, and when He made it clear that He was calling me to be an author, he impressed on my heart that it was time for us to place our children in school. He’d whispered to my heart years ago that my oldest would attend school in sixth grade. That’s exactly when all this happened!

That said, there is not a dull moment. I do lead worship at church a few times a month, I’m involved in a German choir, and have also been learning a lot of German and popular songs to join my choir director for some of her other gigs (she’s an incredible singer and accordion player!)… I have to start each day bringing my priorities before God, and place special emphasis on the things I know He’s brought into my life. Sometimes it means saying ‘no’ to other things!

LM: Tell us about your road to publication.

Aubrey: Like many authors, I wrestled with the idea that I had to be formally published before deciding to go with KDP. What it came down to for me was feeling that it was more important to find ways to share the things God had placed in my heart, rather than wait in the hopes of gaining broader publication which may never come. I would rather do a little networking and legwork (which has actually been fun) and trust God to get the book where it needs to go. I’ve been amazed at how far it has gone. There are so many opportunities for authors online, such as your blog!

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

Aubrey: Most importantly, I try to spend time reading my Bible and in prayer before I write. That doesn’t always happen! When inspiration hits, I have to get it down, even if it means using the voice recorder on my phone. I carry my Schmidt family in my heart all the time. I used to play music while I was writing, but now that I know them so well, whenever I’m listening to music, even if I’m cooking, cleaning, or in the car, phrases will catch me and I can feel their hearts or their circumstances. I see them in my reading and in every period film I watch. In some ways, I live as much in their world as I do in my own. My 10-year-old thinks I’m weird, but I hope it makes the story better!

LM: What is one thing you wish you could do?

Aubrey: Someday, I would love to see some or all of the GMU books translated into German.

LM: What advice do you have for fledgling writers?

Aubrey: Just write, every day. If you’re working on a novel, just write. You can pull stuff out of the manuscript later (and don’t be afraid to – I have a separate folder on my computer entitled “Not Ready to Delete” where I put all the stuff I’ve pulled out!) Also, people need to read your story. Unless God has really made it clear to you that you need to seek formal publishing, indie publishing is an option and is not as hard as you think. Don’t worry about the size of your audience, or compare yourself with anyone else. Yes, there are a lot of books out there, but yours isn’t just white noise. If He’s given you something to say, He will make sure it is heard.

LM: Where can folks find you on the web?

Aubrey: I have a website at http://www.aubreytaylorbooks.com. It’s still very “homegrown,” but you can subscribe separately to both my newsletter and my blog, as well as access the first few chapters of Sani for free. When it releases, I hope to put an excerpt from TPS up there as well.

My social links are:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aubreytaylorbooks/
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/aubreytaylorbooks/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/aubtaybooks

About The Prodigal Sons:

Weimar Germany, 1923. A father, a son, and a cousin.

Ernst was born too late to fight alongside his brothers in the Great War. An alcoholic and brawler, he finds his place in Germany’s postwar struggle by throwing in his lot with the burgeoning Nazi Party. Yet the failed Putsch attempt brings him home to stay for the first time in years.

Jakob is a young prodigy and church musician who wants nothing more than to spend time with his childhood sweetheart and live a quiet life of service to God. Yet this is not the world he was born into.

Friedrich is a German-American who remained in Germany after fighting with the Allies in the Great War. After healing from a life-threatening injury sustained in October 1918, he’s become a devoted husband and man of God who is loved and admired by all. Yet can there truly be forgiveness for the sins of a past that continues to haunt him?

Written as a prelude to Sani: The German Medic, this book stands on its own or can be read in sequence, bringing the reader deeper into the history of the fictional Schmidt family as they wrestle through the tumultuous Twentieth Century in Germany.

Pre-order Link: https://amzn.to/3T4ovLD

Wartime Wednesday: The History of Veterans Day

 

Wartime Wednesday: The History of Veterans Day 

Cessation of hostilities during the “war to end all wars” went into effect at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 1918, with the armistice being signed in June of the following year. In November, President Wilson proclaimed the first commemoration of Armistice Day. The day was celebrated with parades and public meetings as well as a brief suspension of business beginning at 11:00 AM. 

 

In 1926, Congress passed a resolution to make Armistice Day an annual observance: 

 

“Whereas the 11th of November 1918, marked the cessation of the most destructive, sanguinary, and far reaching war in human annals and the resumption by the people of the United States of peaceful relations with other nations, which we hope may never again be severed, and 

 

Whereas it is fitting that a recurring anniversary of this date should be commemorated with thanksgiving and prayer and exercises designed to perpetuate peace through good will and mutual understanding between nations; and

 

Whereas the legislatures of twenty-seven of our States have already declared November 11 to be a

legal holiday: Therefore be it Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring) that the President of the United States is requested to issue a proclamation calling upon the officials to display the flag of the United States on all Government buildings on November 11 and inviting the people of the United States to observe the day in schools and churches, or other suitable places, with appropriate ceremonies of friendly relations with all other peoples.” 

 

November 11 became a national holiday in 1938, primarily set aside to honor veterans of WWI. However, after World War II and the Korean War, Congress amended the Act of 1938 in 1954 by changing the word Armistice to Veterans. With the approval of the legislation, November 11 became a day to honor American veterans of all wars. Unlike Memorial Day, Veterans Day pays tribute to all American veterans, living or dead, but especially gives thanks to living veterans who serve or served their country honorably during war or peacetime. 

 

The Uniform Holiday Bill of 1968 intended to create three-day weekends for Federal employees by moving four national holidays to Mondays: Washington’s Birthday, Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and Columbus Day. The concept was to encourage travel, recreational, and cultural activities and stimulate industrial and commercial production. Many states didn’t agree with the decision and continued to celebrate the holidays on the original dates. 

 

Recognizing the historic and patriotic significance of commemorating Veterans Day, President Ford signed a law in 1975 that returned the annual observance of Veterans Day to its original date of November 11, with the act going into effect in 1978. 

___________________ 

Spies & Sweethearts

A secret mission. A fake bride. A run for their lives. 

According to the OSS training manual, the life expectancy of a radio operator in Nazi-occupied France is six weeks. Partnered with one of the agency’s top spies, Gerard Lucas, newly-minted agent Emily Strealer plans to beat those odds. Then their cover is blown and all bets are off. The border to neutral Switzerland is three hundred miles away—a long way to run with SS soldiers on their heels. Will Emily and Gerard survive the journey? And what about their hearts? 

Nothing in the manual prepared them for falling in love.

Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/32nLh9h

Talkshow Thursday: Welcome Back, Barbara Britton

Talkshow Thursday: Welcome Back, Barbara Britton

I am thrilled to have Barbara back on my blog today talking about her latest release, Until June. I was honored to receive an Advance Reader Copy, and devoured the book in one day. Well-written and powerful, the story will stay with you long after you finish the last page. 

Linda:  Welcome back to my blog. I’ve loved your books about biblical characters. Your upcoming release Until June is a total departure from your past books in that the story is set during WWI. What was the inspiration for the story?

Barbara: Thank you, Linda. I appreciate being back on your blog. Almost twelve years ago, I was on an Alaskan cruise excursion and visited the Taku Glacier Lodge outside of Juneau. Over lunch I heard a story about how a WWI veteran and his caregiver stayed at the lodge and raised sled dogs. I began thinking about a man and a woman being alone in a lodge for a long period of time and Until June was born.

LM: How has writing Until June differed from writing your previous books?

Barbara: Until June was the second story I wrote, and it was written before I started writing biblical fiction. I wrote three sweet romances before I wrote my debut novel based on a Bible story. My biblical novels have hundreds of mentions of God’s name, but Until June has ten. I also cover PTSD and the loss of limbs in a world war, which aren’t themes in my biblical stories. I worked on Until June over the years because it’s my Mom’s and mother-in-law’s favorite book, and veterans issues are near to my heart. I’m so happy it’s finally seeing the light of day.

LM: What sort of research was required to prepare you to write the story, and did you find any tidbit(s) you knew you had to include?

Barbara: I had to research various topics. I went on E-bay and purchased magazines from 1918-1920. One of those magazines was Woman’s Home Companion which is featured in the book. I read the romantic serials in the magazines and looked at the advertisements for dresses and food items. I also had to research war tactics from WWI and what veterans suffered as a result. I based the Gilbertsen Lodge on the Taku Lodge that I had visited, but I had to find out what Alaskan life was like in those early days during the mining boom.

LM: Tell us a bit about your journey to publication and what lessons you learned along the way.

Barbara and her family
at Taku Lodge

Barbara: I have learned to never give up on a story. I wrote four manuscripts before I received my Until June would still be under my bed if my son hadn’t seen the movie trailer for Me Before You. He texted me that someone had stolen my story. I looked up the blurb for Me Before You and discovered it differed from my novel. Both books are caregiver stories, but mine has a happy ending. I dusted off my manuscript and asked my publisher if they would like to see it. They offered me a contract over a decade after the story was written. I have improved the story over the years as I learned the craft of writing.

first publishing contract for biblical fiction.

LM: What do you enjoy doing when you’re not writing?

Barbara: I enjoy taking long walks when the Wisconsin weather cooperates. I read a lot of books when I’m not writing them. I love teaching about the Bible to adults and children. You never know when you’re going to stumble upon a little-known Bible story.

LM: Here are some quickies:

Lakes or Mountains for vacation: Lakes

Dog or cat as a pet: It’s a tie on this one.

Favorite shoes: boots or high heels or something in between: Boots, definitely

LM: What is your next project? Can we expect other WWI or non-biblical era books from you?

Barbara: I’m working on another biblical story right now, but there is probably another Historical in my future.

LM: Where can folks find you on the web?

Barbara: I have a website—www.barbarambritton.com. 

I’m also on:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/BarbaraMBritton

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Barbara-M-Britton-173432342754243/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14983213.Barbara_M_Britton

About Until June:

When seventeen-year-old seamstress, Josephine Nimetz, agrees to take care of a WWI amputee in a remote Alaskan lodge to escape the influenza of 1918, there’s enough friction to melt the Mendenhall Glacier. Her position is only until June, and it pays well enough to overlook the hardship of managing a rustic home and a shell-shocked veteran, Geoff Chambers.

Geoff makes it clear that he isn’t too fond of the “runt” sent to take care of his needs, nor of her painful mistakes. Dealing with a depressed and addicted amputee, pushes Josephine to the brink of leaving, if not for the money her salary brings.

But Josephine is a perfectionist, determined to get Geoff back on his feet—figuratively. Though, sending a rich, handsome veteran back into society may cost Josephine the man she has grown to love.

Pre-Order link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B085VKHT5V