Wartime Wednesday: Mary Taylor Previte, Internee

Wartime Wednesday: Mary Taylor Previte, Internee

Photo courtesy
weihsien-paintings.org
/Mprevite/

Would you jump from a low-flying airplane to rescue people you don’t know? Mary Taylor Previte (rhymes with brevity) asked herself that very question many times over her life.

The daughter of third-generation missionaries to China, Mary was nine years old when armed men arrived at her boarding school and announced the property now belonged to the “Great Emperor of Japan.” For that first year, life remained the same. Then the Japanese needed the school for another purpose, and soldiers loaded the residents onto a boat, then a train, then trucks to transport them to Weihsien, a “Civilian Assembly Center” near the city of Weifang, Shandong, China.

When she arrived, the camp was already filled with internees: businesspeople, entertainers, doctors, Protestant ministers, and Catholic priests and nuns. Considered enemy aliens, the inhabitants were British, American, Belgian, Scandinavian, Canadian, and Australian.

Conditions were squalid, with little food to go around. Blankets were scarce, and residents spent all

winter shivering. Barbed wire and booby traps surrounded the camps with soldiers watching from guard towers or patrolling the grounds with dogs. Prisoners were required to wear their prisoner numbers at all times, and roll calls occurred daily. The children learned to count in Japanese so they could count themselves off. Dignitaries often visited.

Of the nearly 2,000 inmates, about 360 were children. Fortunately, the adults did all they could to create “normalcy” in the camp. Mrs. Previte remembers one teacher often saying, “School will go on. We will win this war, and when we do, you will compete with boys and girls who have been going to school all this time, and so school will go on.”

A Brownie troop was started, and concerts, classes, and lectures were given. Both children and adults would perform plays. The Salvation Army band was created, and they created an anthem that was a mix of the Canadian, British, and American national anthems – a victory medley, as it was called.

Difficulties were turned into games. In an interview shortly before her death, Mrs. Previte said, “Saturday was the Battle of the Bedbugs. We’d hold rat-catching competitions. My little brother John was the winner of the fly-killing championship.” She went on to share that despite their constant hunger, “we never lost our humanity or even our manners. You might be eating boiled animal brains out of a soap dish, and a teacher would come up behind you and say: Mary Taylor, sit up straight! They were right. People who gave up those normal routines got sick.”

According to Mary, the August day the camp was liberated was so hot, one couldn’t walk barefoot on the dirt. The war had ended, but the inmates had no idea. Soldiers parachuted to the ground and stormed the gates, receiving no resistance from the guards. During the hysteria and joy, the band began to play their “victory medley.”

In 1997, Mary decided to track down her liberators so she could thank them personally. She would find all (or their widows) but one. Eighteen years would pass before she was able to locate the Chinese interpreter, “Eddie” Cheng-Han Wang.

Mary passed away three years ago today as a result of injuries she sustained after being struck by a car while on her morning walk. She was 87.

___________________

Estelle's Endeavor

Will a world at war destroy a second chance at love?

Estelle Johnson promised to wait for Aubry DeLuca, but then she receives word of his debilitating injuries. Does she have the strength to stand by him in his hour of need?

Aubry DeLuca storms the beaches at Normandy, then wakes up in the hospital, his eyes bandaged. Will he regain his sight? Will the only woman he’s ever loved welcome him home or is he destined to go through life blind and alone?

Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3TNRrHP

Traveling Tuesday: Camp David

Traveling Tuesday: Camp David

Photo: archives.gov

Everyone needs a vacation, even a nation’s leader. So, where does the president of the United States go when he needs a break? Since 1942…a 125-acre compound located about sixty miles from Washington, DC near the towns of Thurmont and Emmitsburg in the beautiful Catoctin Mountains of Maryland. Catoctin Mountain Park (a National Park) doesn’t show the location of Camp David on park maps for privacy and security reasons, but it can be seen on publicly accessible satellite images. The helicopter ride takes approximately thirty minutes from the White House.

Built as a camp for federal employees and their families, the project was completed in 1938 through the Works Progress Administration (WPA) during the New Deal. Originally named Hi-Catoctin, it was renamed Shangri-La by President Franklin Roosevelt (after the fictional Himalayan paradise in James Hilton’s 1933 novel Lost Horizon. President Eisenhower renamed it Camp David in honor of his father and grandson. The move angered some members of the Democratic party, and Representative Michael Kirwan of Ohio stating that renaming the camp “was the only thing the Eisenhower Administration accomplished without Democratic help.” After Eisenhower left office, there was talk of reverting the name to Shangri-La, but President Kennedy vetoed the idea, and Camp David it remained. Officially, however, it is the Naval Support Facility Thurmont.

If not for World War II, Camp David may not have become a presidential getaway. President Roosevelt typically used the presidential yacht, the USS Potomac, for relaxation. But when the U.S. entered the war, military and Secret Service leadership were concerned about FDR’s safety on the open waters of the Atlantic Ocean because of threats of German U-boats. As a result, the president asked the National Park Service to suggest possible sites within one hundred miles of Washington. There are no reports as to whether Hi-Catoctin was the only recommendation or if it was chosen after visiting numerous sites.

The President’s cabin, which sits on top of a hill, features several bedrooms, a small office, a kitchen, several fireplaces, and a large outdoor flagstone patio. There is also a swimming pool, hot tub, and single golf hole with multiple tees. (Eisenhower added a 250-yard driving range near the helicopter pad.

Paths wind through the property connecting the twelve guest cottages. Laurel Lodge is the main cabin

Photo: archives.gov

where meals are served and meetings are conducted. There are three conference rooms and a presidential office. Hickory Lodge holds a bowling alley, movie theater, restaurant/bar, game room, library, and gift shop. Tennis courts, horseshoe pits, a fitness room, and a skeet range are supplemented with nearby fishing and horseback riding. Trails are perfect for walking, biking, snowshoeing, or cross-country skiing. The hills are used for sledding and snowmobiling. Evergreen Chapel is a non-denominational place of worship. Golf carts are used as the primary means of transportation.

Because it is technically a military installation, staffing is primarily provided by the Seabees, Civil Engineer Corps, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Marines. Renovations are handled by naval construction battalions.

Photo: archives.gov

 In addition to using the facility for R&R, presidents have hosted foreign dignitaries such as British prime minister Sir Winston Churchill, Russian premier Nikita Khrushchev, Australian prime minister Harold Holt, Canadian prime minister Lester Pearson, Indonesian president Suharto, French president Charles De Gaulle, Mexican president Lopez Mateos, Columbian president Alberto Lleras, Egyptian president Anwar Sadat, Israeli prime minister Menachem Begin, and British prime minister Margaret Thatcher.

Camp David’s use as a casual meeting place for world leaders is noteworthy, but the facility is most appreciated by presidents for its ability to provide escape from the daily pressures. Said President Reagan, “As president, the days I hated most were those of nonstop meetings, one after another, with no time in between to collect my thoughts…the days I liked best were those Fridays when I could break away a little early, about three or three-thirty, and take off for Camp David.

_______________

Estelle's Endeavor 

Will a world at war destroy a second chance at love?

Estelle Johnson promised to wait for Aubry DeLuca, but then she receives word of his debilitating injuries. Does she have the strength to stand by him in his hour of need?

Aubry DeLuca storms the beaches at Normandy, then wakes up in the hospital, his eyes bandaged. Will he regain his sight? Will the only woman he’s ever loved welcome him home or is he destined to go through life blind and alone?

Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3TNRrHP

Talkshow Thursday: Welcome Edwina Kiernan

Talkshow Thursday: Welcome Edwina Kiernan!

LM: Thanks for joining me today. Congratulations on your recent release The Letter. What was your inspiration for the story?

Edwina: I’ve always loved two-word titles that begin with “The”, and I love old letters, books and paper. As I was trying to form the story in my head, I knew I wanted both of those elements to play a part, but I also wanted to explore a few of the barriers that would make it really difficult to love someone. The first story question that came to mind was: What if the person you fell in love with was pretending to be someone else? Everything developed from there, really.

LM: How do you develop your characters? (e.g. decide on their vocation, names, etc.)?

Edwina: I usually like to choose names that would have been around at the time, and have meanings that connect in some way to the character or the story. Also, for this novel, I ran a contest for my newsletter subscribers to help me choose a name for the character of Miss Withers (there were two winners, who each received a prize!).

LM: A historical novel, the story revolves around the use of chloroform in medicine before it was a regular practice. What sort of research did you do? 

Edwina: I read a lot of scientific journal articles from 1847 and 1848, as well as a book on chloroform and how it came into use. I also researched early chloroform cases that went wrong, and the letters and opinions of the doctors who pioneered its use. It was all quite fascinating to learn about.

LM: Your Gems of Grace series takes place during the Regency era, and The Letter is set during the

Pixabay/Michal Jarmoluk

Victorian age. What made you decide to switch time periods, and which do you prefer? 

Edwina: The Victorian era has always been my absolute favourite time period. I really enjoyed writing the Regency series, but I knew that for my next series I wanted to explore the Victorian era further and bring it to life in a fictional country town.

LM: What is your process for writing? (do you outline, have a special place or time of day you write, etc.)

Edwina: Once I've got a Bible verse in my heart for a story, I'll start coming up with plot ideas. Then, some research to make sure that the ideas would actually work in the historical era, then more plotting and outlining, alongside the ongoing research of the era in general. Then, I start the first draft. Once that’s done, I'll read through it and do a self-edit, plus check any notes I made along the way about things that I want to double-check in terms of research or continuity. Once that has morphed into the second draft, I send it to my editor for a developmental edit. Upon return, I revise and edit, taking her suggestions and comments into account, and this becomes the third draft. Then, I send it back to my editor for a line edit. After going through her comments, I'll revise the manuscript as I comb through it again, then it's almost ready. A final proof-read, then it's on to formatting and preparing for launch. A lot of work, but I love every bit of it!

LM: You’ve accomplished quite a lot. What is one thing you wish you could do?

Edwina: There are a few dreams in my heart regarding my writing career but, ultimately, I wish to honour Jesus with everything I write, and encourage others to praise and follow Him.

LM: What is your advice to fledgling writers?

Edwina: Read a lot of well-written fiction. You can learn so much about the craft of writing by examining how successful writers write. Also, keep practicing and writing and honing. Work with a professional editor — you will learn as much (if not more) than you would if you were doing a degree in the subject. And if you know that you have been created to write, never ever listen to the people who will try to stop you. Write. Keep writing. Then write some more.

LM: What is your next project?

Pixabay/svklimkin

Edwina: I am in the planning stage for Book 2 in the Victorian Virtues series, The Lamp, which is based upon the theme of “joy” (though the characters will traverse some circumstances that are anything but joyful!). Lord-willing, it will be released in November 2023. Also, my very first historical mystery (part of the Ever After Mysteries series by Celebrate Lit Publishing) is written, and is close to being fully edited. Lord-willing, it will be released in March 2023. It’s set in 1940s Hollywood and is entitled The Vanishing Act.

LM: Where can folks find you on the web?

Edwina: Besides my website at http://www.EdwinaKiernan.com, I’m on Amazon, BookBub, Goodreads and Twitter, but the best place for people to get to know me is on my email list, where I share behind the scenes updates, book recommendations, freebies and weekly giveaways. Sign up at: http://www.EdwinaKiernan.com/subscribe

The Letter

She wants a new life. He’s in danger of losing his. Will love solve everything — or immerse them in even worse peril?

England, 1848.

Restless and ready for a change, Grace Stratton gladly accepts the opportunity to leave her remote parsonage home to serve as a wealthy spinster’s companion in the idyllic country town of Lindenfell. Its warm atmosphere and friendly inhabitants soothe Grace’s lonely heart. But when a mysterious stranger arrives, she soon discovers things aren’t always what they seem. 

Convinced chloroform will revolutionise the medical world, Dr. David Carbury frequently administers it to his London patients — until one of them dies. Facing a grave trial to prove his innocence and defend a drug most people view as poisonous, he makes hasty plans to buy time to bolster his case. But he wasn’t expecting to face an even deadlier challenge. As attraction sparks not long after they meet, Grace soon suspects he’s hiding something, and David knows he can’t run from the truth forever. But neither of them could imagine the sinister threat lurking just around the corner…

Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3Wyr62V

Wartime Wednesday: The Army-Navy E Award

Wartime Wednesday: The Army-Navy E Award

Author Photo

“Victory depends in large measure on the increased war production we are able to get from our factories and arsenals…this is a total war. We are all under fire…soldiers and civilians alike-no one is a spectator. To win we must fight and to fight we must produce.” So said, President Franklin D. Roosevelt during one of his fireside chats.

In an effort to encourage the production of materials in America’s factories, the army created the Army-Navy “E” Award, an honor presented to companies whose facilities achieved “Excellence in Production (“E”) of war equipment. Also known as the Army-Navy Production Award, it was created in July 1942 by the War Department who merged the Navy “E,” Army “A,” and Army-Navy Munitions Board “Star” into a single, service-wide award.

Of the 85,000 companies involved in producing materials for the military effort, approximately five

percent earned this prestigious award, and about half of those were bestowed on plants having less than 500 employees, considered “smaller war plants.” All factories engaged in production were eligible, as well as government facilities and contractors. Interestingly, although it was an industry award, Iowa State University received recognition for its contribution to the production of uranium for the Manhattan Project, and Dr. Harley A. Wilhelm received the award for inventing the “Ames Process” for the extraction, purification, and mass production of uranium for the Manhattan Project.

Facilities were nominated by district procurement officers, chiefs of supply services, agencies concerned with production, and the commanding officers for the Materiel Commands. Reasons for the nomination were included, and an award board reviewed the information before making a final decision. Ceremonies were conducted with an Army officer and Navy officer who presented the management team with a pennant and employees with pins. Plants that maintained an outstanding record or performance for six months after receiving their original award were given a star award, which a white star added to their pennant.

Criteria for the award included excellence in quality and quantity of production as well:

• Overcoming production obstacles
• Low rates of absenteeism
• Avoidance of work stoppages
• Maintenance of fair labor standards
• Training of additional labor forces
• Effective management
• Good record-keeping on accidents, health, sanitation, and plant protection

The award was terminated three months after the end of World War II, on December 5, 1945.

___________________

Will a world at war destroy a second chance at love?

Estelle Johnson promised to wait for Aubry DeLuca, but then she receives word of his debilitating injuries. Does she have the strength to stand by him in his hour of need?

Aubry DeLuca storms the beaches at Normandy, then wakes up in the hospital, his eyes bandaged. Will he regain his sight? Will the only woman he’s ever loved welcome him home or is he destined to go through life blind and alone?

Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3MVBQnr

Fiction Friday: New Releases in Christian Fiction!

November 2022 New Releases
More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website

Contemporary Romance:
Authentically, Izzy by Pepper Basham -- Dear Reader, My name is Isabelle Louisa Edgewood—Izzy, for short. I live by blue-tinted mountains, where I find contentment in fresh air and books. Oh, and coffee and tea, of course. And occasionally in being accosted by the love of my family. (You’ll understand my verb choice in the phrase later.) I dream of opening my own bookstore, but my life, particularly my romantic history, has not been the stuff of fairy tales. Which is probably why my pregnant, misled, matchmaking cousin—who, really, is more like my sister—signed me up for an online dating community. But I’ve played it safe for a long time. Maybe it’s time for me to be as brave as my favorite literary heroines. Maybe it’s time to take the adventures from the page to real life. Wish me luck. (Contemporary Romance from Harper Collins Christian Publishing/Thomas Nelson and Zondervan)

Her Christmas Redemption by Toni Shiloh -- Can she find a second chance…on a town’s holiday wish list? Organizing her church’s Christmas Wishes program is the perfect start to Vivian Dupre’s new life—one without the shame of her recent mistakes. But as she grows closer to co-coordinator Michael Wood, she’s even more determined to keep her past hidden. Together they can give joy to their small town. But when Michael discovers her secret, will he be willing to grant Vivian’s holiday wish—forgiveness? (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired/Harlequin)

Like the Wind by Robin Lee Hatcher -- Olivia Ward arrived in Bethlehem Springs alone—with no job, no home, and no money—after her manipulative ex-husband used his power and wealth to destroy everything. Six years later, the peaceful life she rebuilt is once again turned upside down when she learns that her fifteen-year-old daughter, Emma, will be coming to live with her. The reunion should be a dream come true, but years of deception have driven a wedge between them. And Emma seems more interested in an old diary she discovered than reconciliation with her mother. In this latest novel from award-winning author Robin Lee Hatcher, an antique diary, a family-fueled investigation, and unexpected feelings collide to create a promise that’s worth fighting for. (Contemporary Romance from HarperCollins Christian Publishing/Thomas Nelson and Zondervan)

Muskoka Christmas by Carolyn Miller -- Staci Everton is a multi-published author of historical romances, whose Christmas Eve deadline for a new book sees her leave her Chicago home to go write while staying with her grandmother in the beautiful small town of Muskoka Shores, Canada. Staci is determined to finish her manuscript, despite the small town's Christmas charm - and Muskoka Shores most eligible bachelor. Dr. James Wells is on enforced leave from working in Africa, after nearly burning out. He's here to spend time with family, not spend time with a workaholic whose focus on fiction is very different from the harsh realities he's faced. But Christmas is a time of second chances, family and faith. Maybe they'll find magic under the mistletoe, and a future after all. (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)

Waiting on the Tides by Tabitha Bouldin -- People are more than the sum of their mistakes. After a life lived in her older brother’s shadow, Abby Solomon is ready to take on the world—or at least a teaching position that puts her face to face with the one guy who thinks she's nothing more than an immature nuisance. When his daughter's mother abandoned them, Christian Johnson swore off women and the trouble they bring. No wife—no drama. Just how he likes it. But as Christian struggles to juggle his job as a cop with raising his daughter and tracking down a runaway teen, he's forced to ask the one woman who reminds him of his wife for help. Abby is thrilled with the opportunity to show Christian that there’s more to her than what he thinks. But just as Christian begins to trust Abby, she makes a colossal mistake that threatens to ruin everything. She just wanted to be accepted. He wanted to be left alone. It’ll take a runaway teen to show them that love is not measured by a single mistake. (Contemporary Romance from Celebrate Lit Publishing)

General Contemporary:
Outside of Grace by Anne Daugherty -- Ava Sanford longs to be known as more than the pastor’s kid. When the opportunity arises to study abroad in Scotland, she jumps at the chance to leave the Texas coast and the pressures of Grace Church behind. But she never meant to leave God too. Her roommate’s partying lifestyle promises the fun Ava has been missing out on—until a traumatic assault leaves her faith and pride in ruins. As her life in Scotland begins to crumble, rumors race back home, threatening her relationships with her family and friends, including Jack Shields. A former athlete, Jack keeps his head down, working through college and coasting through life. After losing both his mother and his scholarships, he knows the things you love can disappear at any moment. But when his best friend seems to be next, the nonchalance and security he carefully guards are broken. Fighting for Ava will mean risking it all, and he can’t do it alone. Only God can show them both how far grace can go. (General Contemporary from Black Rose Writing)

Shining Stars and Mason Jars by Jann Franklin -- The Town of Graisseville, Louisiana is in crisis, and the mayor needs Jen Guidry’s help! Jen has finally embraced small town life with open arms, but now she’s facing new challenges that test her faith. She struggles to balance family and her desire to help, but her husband Mike prefers she leave well enough alone. While working with the mayor to save the town from financial crisis, she discovers others who also need her help. With Jen’s hilarious enthusiasm for navigating her career, friendships, and matchmaking schemes, she nearly loses sight of God’s blessings for her family. Follow the plucky adventures of a small-town wife, mother and friend, as she discovers how to embrace God’s plan for her life. (General Contemporary from Rougarou Press)

General Historical:
A Life Reclaimed by Olivia Rae -- A Scoundrel, A Spy, and A Secret. Will She Ever Learn the Truth? Desperate to avoid a second loveless marriage, Anne Howell hides out in a cave on the Welsh coast. If she can get to England, she should be safe from her stepfather’s long-reaching hand. She thinks her prayers are answered when she rescues a shipwrecked sailor, Thomas Armstrong, who agrees to help her, claiming he has ties to Queen Elizabeth I. Though she fears he may be an accomplished liar, she has no choice but to trust him, especially when a secret from her past puts spies on her trail and threatens to destroy her future. Years ago, Thomas Armstrong learned his real mother was executed in place of a dethroned queen. Determined to avenge her death, he sets out to find the cowardly monarch. But when his ship goes down in a storm leaving him broke and in debt, he fears his quest is finished – until he discovers that the woman who rescued him, Anne Howell, has a price on her head. All he has to do is turn her in and he’ll have the money he needs. But in helping Anne, he’s begun to lose his heart, and now he faces a devastating choice – avenge the past for his mother or follow his feelings to an uncertain future with Anne. (General Historical from HopeKnight Press)

Strong Currents by Delores Topliff -- Is any price too great to pay for love and freedom? Strong Currents surge in the river and in the hearts of men. Josh Vengeance survives Midway but may never fight again. Erica Hofer escapes Nazi Germany for America to show the world that German Christians resist their nation's madman, but instead of being accepted, she is suspected and attacked. Will Josh's love and courage be enough to win the fight to safeguard America and keep them both safe from the evil that stalks her? (General Historical from Scrivenings Press)

Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams by Jennifer Lamont Leo -- Hollywood, California, 1933. Selling perfume in a department store is far from the life Helen Corrigan envisioned when she headed for Hollywood with stars in her eyes. Beneath the glittering façade, things in Tinsel Town are seldom what they seem, and Helen fights to maintain her moral scruples amid trials and temptations. However, she’s not about to give up on her dream. All she needs is a lucky break. But what if the only “break” involves her heart? Screenwriter Rusty Noble has one goal in mind: to make moving pictures that uplift and inspire their audiences. But his thankless job at Cooperman Studios keeps him toiling away on B-grade movies. Worse, box-office sensation Cynthia Starling—beloved by audiences and detested by those who actually know her—won’t let Rusty out of her talons. The idea of breaking away and starting fresh with his own studio seems a sketchy pipe dream at best, a career-ending fiasco at worst. (General Historical from Mountain Majesty Media)

Historical - Biblical:
Daughter of the King by Carlene Havel -- I Samuel 18:20 “And Michal Saul's daughter loved David…” Threatened by David’s popularity, mad King Saul devises a clever plan. He gives his daughter Michal to the brave young giant-killer, commanding her to remain loyal to her father above all others. When the princess is forced to choose between David and King Saul, she risks everything for her husband—and pays a terrible price. (Historical – Biblical, Independently Published)

Historical Romance:
A Daughter’s Courage by Misty M. Beller -- Her quest to repair what's been broken leads to imminent danger--and soon it's more than her own life on the line. After accidentally destroying the intricately carved chalice her people have treasured for over a hundred years, Charlotte Durand sets out in search of a skilled artisan who can repair the damage. What she expected to be a two-day trek becomes much more daunting when a treacherous snowstorm sets in. Searching for solitude and respite from his troubling past, the last thing Damien Levette needs in the middle of a mountain blizzard is to tend to another person, but he can't leave behind the mysterious woman he finds half frozen at the edge of a mountain lake. As they battle both the elements and their distrust of each other, Charlotte and Damien must work together to survive the peril of the mountains--or it could be the downfall of them both. (Historical Romance from Bethany House/Baker Publishing)

His Delightful Lady Delia by Grace Hitchcock -- Delia Vittoria's mother has lost her voice at last. After five years of being her diva mother's understudy, it is time for Delia to assume her place as the lead soprano on stage behind the Academy of Music's faded velvet curtain. And she is all that stands between the Academy and its greatest threat--the nouveaux riche's lavish new Metropolitan Opera House. Kit Quincy never misses opening night, but when his sister begs him to help get her husband out of an Italian opera star's arms, Kit confronts the wrong Lady Vittoria. When he happens upon the stunning young diva again at Mrs. Astor's dinner the following night, he attempts to make amends and is instead pulled into a plot to win the great opera war. To draw attention to Delia Vittoria as the new soprano star, Kit is convinced to act as both Delia's patron and the enigmatic phantom who once haunted the Academy years ago. But when a second phantom appears, more than Delia's rising career is threatened. (Historical Romance from Bethany House/Baker Publishing)

The Hidden Prince by Tessa Afshar -- The beloved daughter of Jewish captives in Babylon, Keren is sold into Daniel’s household to help her family survive. She becomes Daniel’s most trusted scribe, while taking lessons and swordsmanship training alongside Daniel’s sons and their best friend, Jared. After a tragic accident changes the course of her life, Keren finds herself in a foreign country, charged with a mysterious task; teaching a shepherd boy how to become a lord. When she overhears whispers that hint at his true identity, she realizes she must protect him from the schemes of a bloodthirsty king. Jared cannot forgive Keren. Still, he finds himself traveling over mountains to fetch her back to the safety of home. When he discovers the secret identity of Keren’s pupil, Jared knows he must help protect him. Love battles bitterness as they flee from the king’s agents, trying to save the boy who could one day deliver their people from captivity. (Historical Romance from Tyndale House)

The Letter by Edwina Kiernan -- Restless and ready for a change, Grace Stratton gladly accepts the opportunity to leave her remote parsonage home to serve as a wealthy spinster’s companion in the idyllic country town of Lindenfell. Its warm atmosphere and friendly inhabitants soothe Grace’s lonely heart. But when a mysterious stranger arrives, she soon discovers things aren’t always what they seem. Convinced chloroform will revolutionise the medical world, Dr. David Carbury frequently administers it to his London patients — until one of them dies. Facing a grave trial to prove his innocence and defend a drug most people view as poisonous, he makes hasty plans to buy time to bolster his case. But he wasn’t expecting to face an even deadlier challenge. As attraction sparks not long after they meet, Grace soon suspects he’s hiding something, and David knows he can’t run from the truth forever. But neither of them could imagine the sinister threat lurking just around the corner…. (Historical Romance from Moliant Publishing)

Mystery:
The Gold Doubloons by Suzanne J. Hatcher -- When Coronado marched through the Verde Valley in 1542 looking for the Seven Cities of Gold, Yavapai scouts took him to a mine near present-day Jerome. Coronado didn’t find what he was looking for, but a persistent legend says he left behind a bag of gold doubloons. Now, almost five hundred years later, Reed Harper, Paul and Marty Russell's foster son, needs those precious coins to finance the future he dreams of. But Reed isn't the only one determined to find the gold doubloons. As the search intensifies in the caves around Jerome and extends to the ancient cliff dwelling called Montezuma Castle, a young Yavapai woman dies. Was Mina Tewa’s fall from a cliff that borders Montezuma Well an accident—or was it murder? When a second fall from the same cliff puts Reed in a coma, the sheriff arrests him for Mina‘s murder. But Scott Russell knows his foster brother is innocent. Convinced a ruthless killer is after Reed, Scott rushes to protect him. Will Paul and Marty find the teens in time to rescue them, or will the murderer claim another victim? (Mystery from Scrivenings Press)

Speculative Fiction/YA:
Collapse: The Death of Independence by Angela D. Shelton -- If malnutrition doesn’t kill seventeen-year-old Olivia, her search for security just might. Basic survival is the goal for most after the apocalypse strikes. So, when Olivia’s father abandons her with relatives who can barely feed themselves, the resentment is obvious. Hungry for something more than just scraps of food, Olivia meets the connected, suave, and handsome Nick, who offers her just what she’s after. Nick seems to help many local women. But there’s something about him that Olivia can’t quite put her finger on. She wonders why he makes so many promises and what he’s going to expect in return. Will the lure of security make Olivia fall for Nick and lose more than she bargained for? Or can she stand to survive on her own? (Speculative Fiction/YA from Two Oaks Publishing LLC)

Plus check out these recent additions to Fiction Finder published within the past month:


 

Talkshow Thursday: Chatting with Crystal Caudill

Talkshow Thursday: Chatting with Crystal Caudill

LM: Thanks for joining me today. Congratulations on your upcoming release Counterfeit Hope. (Hidden Hearts of the Gilded Age, Book 2) What was your inspiration for the story, and did you set out to write a series?

Crystal: If it is okay, I’m going to flip the order of those questions. My brain tends to think of stories in sets of three, so yes, I’ve always intended this to be a series. As far as the inspiration for Counterfeit Hope, there are two things that lead to this story. First, it started with a scene that just appeared in my head of an undercover operative being forced into a marriage with a criminal. It wasn’t until I discovered a bit of counterfeiting research about a gang that had taken over part of Indiana that everything really came together. There are lots of little details in my story that are nods to the real case that inspired the full plot of Counterfeit Hope.

LM: What sort of research did you do for the book, and was there a particularly intriguing piece of information you knew had to be included?

Crystal: I’m a total research nerd. I spent a lot of time reading newspapers from that time frame with a focus on articles related to counterfeiting. That’s how I discovered the story about a Secret Service operative who went undercover as a traveling nostrum doctor in order to infiltrate and arrest the Houchin gang in Pike County, Indiana in 1883. It really formed the basis for the story, even though I didn’t follow that exactly. But I HAD to keep that Andrew Darlington passed himself off as a traveling nostrum, and like Andrew’s medicine did actually have some success, so did the original operative’s.

LM: How did writing the second book differ from the first? How was it the same?

Crystal: I really learned how to write with my first book, Counterfeit Love. It was a slow, laborious process that took years. When it came to book two, I didn’t have that luxury. I tried my hand at plotting to see if that could speed things up, but I discovered that really detailed plotting just doesn’t work for me. I get to about the ¼ to 1/3 mark and my characters crumple that plot in their hands, laugh in my face, and then toss it in the fire before running off to do what THEY think the story should be. And they’re usually right. So while there was still quite a bit of pantsing going on, I did have a general idea of the story and wrote this book a lot quicker than the first—which is a good thing since I was on deadline.

LM: Tell us about your road to publication.

Crystal: I want to start off by saying, no one’s road is the same because God has a unique plan for each

Pixabay/Larisa Koshkina

of us. That being said, I never wanted to be a published author. I loved writing stories for myself, but I had no desire to send my book babies into the world. But as is usually the case, God had other plans. I’ve always loved to learn and improve myself, and my husband sent me to a local writing conference for a major birthday. It was there that God made it abundantly clear (quite forcefully I might add) that I was to pursue this publishing journey. 

He did this first through Ralene Burke introducing me to this organization called American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). Then Ralene introduced me to Gregg Bridgeman who very bluntly indicated that God had given me this gift of writing for a reason. I’m stubborn, so I just nodded and ran away as quickly as possible. Then God managed to cancel all but one of the writing craft classes I wanted to attend and forced me to attend two or three different publishing classes. I left there knowing what God was calling me to do, but I fought Him for six months before joining ACFW to begin the journey. If I was going to do this, I was going to do it right—through a ton of education before I ever submitted to anyone. 

I spent the next four or five years learning from lots of great teachers and authors. I won’t bore you with all the details, but when I felt God pushing me to take the next step and submit to an agent, I met with two agents at an ACFW Conference. Instead of pitching my book, I asked them questions to determine if we’d be a good fit, and then did a rushed pitch in the last two minutes. They both requested me to submit to them (which I think was them just being nice), and I decided I would only do one at a time. I was blessed in that the first agent, Tamela Hancock Murray, signed me on. We submitted Counterfeit Love to lots of places. Most were quick rejections, and then it was dead silence for a year. When we finally decided to shelve it and I started working on another project, that’s when I got the call from her that Kregel wanted my book. It’s been a whirlwind ever since.

LM: What is it about this era that draws you?

Crystal: The Gilded Age is so multilayered and rich with history. When most people think Gilded Age, they think of the uber-rich like the Astors and the “Four Hundred.” However, it was much more than that, and rife with political upheaval, social change, labor riots, gigantic leaps in technology, and so much more. I just love the complexity of it all and showing the underbelly of that gilded world. The term Gilded Age actually came as a sarcastic remark from Mark Twain in his novel by the same name, and was reflective of the United States at that time. It looked all glittery and fine from the outside, but if you scratched beneath the surface, you’d find greed and corruption. It’s the perfect playground for setting novels.

LM: You’ve accomplished quite a lot. What is one thing you wish you could do?

Crystal: Honestly, learn to balance and find rest. I’m also a caregiver so I feel like every moment of my day is either taken up with writing or figuring out the nuances of our new normal—which changes without warning frequently. It’s a wearying pace, and I am working on creating rest in my life, so that I can live for the glory of God the best way I can. Writing-wise? I’d love to make writing a career and continuously improve with each book.

LM: What is your advice to fledgling writers?

Crystal: Learn the craft and don’t be too eager to just get your book out there. Writing is a journey, one that takes a lot of time, looks different for each person, and is meant to draw you ever nearer to God. Be patient. Study. Study. Study. Write. Write. Write. Take classes from those who have successfully gone before you, and don’t submit anything to anyone until you think you have reached the best you can be on your own. You never stop growing, but there does come a point where you need the influence and help of those around you to grow beyond what you ever imagined you’d be. Also, and definitely the most important, never stop seeking God through this process. This is a knock-out beat-you-down industry. You need to be able to lean into God on those hard days and even the good ones.

LM: What is your next project?

Pixabay/Enrique

Crystal: I’ve actually got two books already written with Kregel and going through the editing process. Counterfeit Faith, book 3, will release in 2024, and a yet unnamed novella in the We Three Kings Christmas collection will release fall 2023. Currently, I’m brainstorming a new series to pitch to Kregel later this month that has some cross-over characters from Counterfeit Love but deals with three women finding their place in a man’s world amidst lots of danger and art. For now, I’m calling the series The Art of Love and Danger.

LM: Where can folks find you on the web?

Crystal: If you want the inside information on my life, publishing, Secret Service trivia, and even a free Hidden Hearts of the Gilded Age novella called Counterfeit Truth, you can sign up for my newsletter at bit.ly/CaudillNews. Everything else is listed below for easy reference.

Website:  https://crystalcaudill.com/ (Author & Character interviews, book reviews, and monthly book challenge with prizes)
Newsletter: bit.ly/CaudillNews (Free novella, see above)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/crystalcaudillauthor
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/crystalcaudillsreadingfriends (This is where I hang on a day-to-day basis.)
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crystalcaudillauthor/
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/crystal-caudill
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/crystalcaudillauthor

About Counterfeit Hope

Trapped by their pasts, is there hope for a future?

When Secret Service operative Andrew Darlington is brought in to support a US Marshal case involving counterfeiters in rural Indiana, he thinks it's simply the next rung on his climb to the top of his career. But liars can only climb so high--and Andrew is keeping a dangerous secret he doesn't ever want to get out. When he clashes with the criminal family that took over the town of Landkreis and killed the Marshal he was sent to assist, his past life is in danger of being exposed.

Widow "Lightning Lu" Thorne has only one goal: escape the clutches of the Thorne family with her son. Her decision to be an informant and testify against the Thornes looked like the perfect answer. Until the Marshal ended up dead. Now the tether keeping her tied to her felonious family is tightening, and a forced marriage to someone else in the Thornes' clutches threatens to kill any hope of escape.

Andrew and Lu find themselves on the same team--unwillingly. They each believe the other to be the enemy of their future plans. And even if they could learn to work together, the secrets they hold could shatter all hopes and dreams. Despite the encouragement of the local preacher, they're not even sure God can be trusted--much less other humans. Can either of them escape their past--and the family that is willing to kill their own when they smell betrayal?

Pre-Order Link: Coming February 2023

Traveling Tuesday: Westward Expansion

Traveling Tuesday: Westward Expansion

American Progress, 1872
by John Gast

The move into the American West began around 1810, about seven years after President Thomas Jefferson purchased the territory of Louisiana from the French government for $15 million. Nearly doubling the size of the United States, the area stretched from the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains and from Canada to New Orleans. Jefferson keenly believed that the health of the republic depended on the independence of its citizens, and that land ownership was a key to that independence. He wrote, “Those who labor in the earth are the chosen people of God.”

By 1840, almost forty percent of the U.S. population (about seven million people), lived in the trans-Appalachian West. Using the trail blazed by Lewis and Clark, these people sold most of their worldly goods to purchase a wagon, a pair of oxen, and enough food (hopefully) to get them across the country. Most were searching for economic opportunity, but many were looking for adventure.

Americans weren’t the only people to trek the trails. Europeans came in droves, and the reasons are as

Courtesy National Geographic

numerous as the people themselves. Like the Americans, some hoped to earn a living. Others fled religious or political persecution. Still more were escaping starvation (such as when the Irish came between 1845 to 1849 because of The Great Famine). The California Gold Rush and subsequent Alaskan Gold Rush also brought thousands of people.

In 1845, journalist John O’Sullivan espoused that westward migration was “Americans’ manifest destiny to carry the great experiment of liberty to the edge of the continent: to overspread and to possess the whole of the [land] which Providence has given us.” He may have coined the phrase, but it was a belief long held within the U.S.

The Preemption Act of 1841, The Donation Land Act of 1850, and the Homestead Act of 1862 enticed spurts of mass immigration. There were two wagon-based transportation networks, one starting in Missouri, the other in the Mexican province of Santa Fe de Nuevo Mexico. Known as the Emigrant Trails, the Oregon, Mormon, and California trails began in Missouri, and historians have estimated that at least a half-million people traversed these three trails between 1843 and 1869 (the height of expansion). The Gila Trail, Sante Fe Trail, and Old Spanish Trail were the “southern routes.”

No matter what trail was used, the journey was arduous and slow and fraught with dangers. Infectious diseases, dehydration, malnutrition, injury, and inclement weather caused the deaths of as many as one in ten travelers. Most settlers paid to be led by a wagon master who was in charge of a large party or “train” of up to several hundred wagons. Some of these masters wrote trail guides or memoirs, and it wasn’t until 1859, the government published The Prairie Traveler, written by Capt. Randolph Marcy who'd spent most of his career in the American West.

Competition among the territories was fierce, and some offered “incentives” to lure settlers, such as Wyoming which was the first state to give women the right to vote. Once the journey was complete, the danger wasn’t necessarily over, but immigrants built “soddies,” homes made of dirt and grass, then set about carving a living out of the plentiful and fertile land of the West.

______________

Dinah's Dilemma

Will she have to run from the past for the rest of her life?

Dinah Simpkins has no chance of making a good marriage. Her outlaw brothers and her father’s gambling addiction have ruined the family’s reputation. Then the Westward Home and Hearts Matrimonial Agency provides an opportunity for a fresh start. After Dinah arrives in Nebraska, she discovers her brothers played a part in the death of her prospective groom’s first wife.

As a former Pinkerton detective Nathan Childs knows when someone is lying. The bride sent by the matrimonial agency may be beautiful, but she’s definitely hiding something, and he has no intention of marrying her until he uncovers the truth. But an easier solution may be to send her packing. Then his young daughter goes missing. He and Dinah must put aside their mutual hurt and mistrust to find her.

Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3TrdXqc