Traveling Tuesday: What’s the Big Deal about the Suez Canal?

Traveling Tuesday: 

What’s the Big Deal about the Suez Canal?

The North African Campaign began in June 1940 and continued for three long years as the Axis and Allied troops pushed each other back and forth across the desert. Did you ever wonder why this area of the world was so coveted? The answer lies in transportation. Both forces wanted to control the Suez Canal, an artificial waterway that connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea through the Isthmus of Suez.

Before its completion, seafarers would have to travel around the southern tip of Africa to get from the Atlantic Ocean to the Indian Ocean. A huge project, the Canal was built between 1859 and 1869 and shortened the trip by 4,300 miles.

Although never a British colony, Egypt was occupied by United Kingdom troops beginning in 1882 and remained under British control even after formal recognition of Egyptian independence in 1922. In the mid-1930s the headquarters of the British Navy’s Mediterranean fleet was moved from Malta to Alexandria.

Fighting began when the Mussolini declared war on the British and French. Knowing his 500,000 men outnumbered the 50,000 British contingent, he sent his troops into Libya. A series of camps were set up but proved to be too far apart to support each other, and while the Italians waited for further instructions, British General Archibald Wavell took the initiative and performed a large-scale raid that led to the near collapse of Italy’s hold on North Africa.

By early March 1943, the British Eighth Army crossed into Tunisia and within eight weeks had crushed the Axis Powers who surrendered on May 13 yielding 275,000 POWs. Certainly a huge success for the Allies, the campaign came at the cost of nearly 400,000 men.

Talkshow Thursday: Meet Alice K. Arenz

Talkshow Thursday: Meet Alice K. Arenz

Linda:  Alice, it’s so nice to have you. Thanks for joining me today. You’ve got a new book out which is always exciting. This one is titled The Wedding Barter. Where did you get the inspiration for the story and how did you come up with the title?

Alice: Hi, Linda, thanks for inviting me to join you.

Late last August I was asked if I would like to join a group of authors from my publishing house, Forget Me Not Publishers, in writing a novella for boxed set (now available on Amazon—Trying Out for Love). In the beginning, the stories were going to be joined together under the idea of a “bridesmaid’s auction,”—inspired by an article one author found in the paper. Not only had I never done a “piece of the story” like this before, but my genre has been mystery/suspense, so writing a romance was really a stretch for me. Though I found the idea intriguing, I really didn’t think it would be the right venue to pursue. But, after the scope of the novellas changed to stand alone books, I softened. Within a few weeks, the germ of an idea was gifted me after some time in prayer, along with the title. Gotta love how God works!

LM: Research is an important part of writing any book. What sort of research did you conduct for this book?

Alice: For a short novel—49,000 words—there was more research than I’ve ever done before. And it was mostly on the fly as I dictated—cold turkey, no notes or forethought—to my husband. It’s the first time I could actually call the Internet my friend! From the Army, to PTSD, IEDs, traumatic brain injuries in general, to getting the correct name for Avon pieces my children and I owned in the past, we were constantly looking things up and trying to learn all we could. I even got four or five books on barn architecture from our local library so I could learn a little about both the interior and exterior of the structures. I’d always wanted to know what to call my favorite style and quickly learned about the “gambrel roofed barn.” My publisher found the perfect example of it for Barter’s cover!

LM: You’re a prolific writer. How do you decide what project or genre to start next?

Alice: Honestly, I don’t know any other way than to let God lead me. If He isn’t on board, it’s not going to happen. Right now—after almost ten years—the third in The Bouncing Grandma Mysteries is on the agenda.  

LM: What is your favorite childhood book?

Alice: Books—The Black Stallion series

LM: Here are some quickies:

Favorite Color: most blues

Favorite vacation spot: Multnomah Falls, OR

Favorite season: any that isn’t too hot!

LM: What else would you like readers to know about you?

Alice: A good deal of what Riley—the lead character in The Wedding Barter—describes about her brain injury is from personal experience.

LM: What is your next project?

Alice: A cozy mystery called The Case of the Stolen Identity, a Bouncing Grandma Mystery.

LM: Where can folks find you on the web?

Alice: http://www.akawriter.com

About Alice: Though Alice K. Arenz is known for her cozy mysteries and romantic mystery/suspense novels, the Carol Award winning author has branched out with her newest release, The Wedding Barter, a romance that is both serious and funny.  Arenz is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. Her first three novels were honored by two finals and one win in ACFW’s Carol Awards: cozy mysteries The Case of the Bouncing Grandma (a 2009 finalist), The Case of the Mystified M.D., (2010 winner), and mystery/suspense Mirrored Image (a 2011 finalist). These novels have been followed by An American Gothic, Portrait of Jenny, and short story, Home Cookin’.

About The Wedding Barter: Riley Carr has been best friends with Amy Lawton since they were toddlers.  While Amy awaits her discharge from the Army, Riley's been left in charge of helping to arrange "a very small, intimate ceremony with no fanfare" for Amy and her fiancé. But, Riley has something else in mind.

With the aid of two other friends, Riley presents her “wedding barter” idea to groom, David Herron. He agrees, providing best man, Mike Todd, stays in the loop to keep things from getting out of hand.

It doesn't help that the giant of a man is threatening, overbearing, and just doesn’t seem to like her or her ideas. But, when Todd gives Riley an ultimatum of producing results in three weeks or he’ll take over, she’s determined to prove him wrong. . .in more ways than one.

Purchase Link: www.amazon.com/dp/B077TT1SSN

Wartime Wednesday: Boomtowns!

Wartime Wednesday: Boomtowns!

One of the myriad ways WWII impacted America was the migration of huge numbers of people from farms and rural areas to the cities, mostly in search of well-paying defense jobs or to volunteer with one of the many organizations created as a result of the war. Already industrial centers, many cities grew at phenomenal rates to became "boomtowns."

For example, Richmond, California more than quadrupled in population from less than 24,000 to well over 100,000. Washington, DC was another city that exploded in growth as tens of thousands of workers joined the swelling ranks of bureaucracy. Mobile, Alabama burgeoned with humanity with the influx of workers to the shipyards.

One issue that arose in most of these boomtowns was the shortage of food; even if a person had the appropriate ration stamps required to purchase an item, it was difficult to find items. Why did this happen? Food allotments were made to areas based on the 1940 census (before the growth occurred)! Didn't see that one coming, did you?

Listen to what Melissa Meethe, Mobile, Alabama says about her experience: "There was no meat. If you found any it looked so bad...that you were afraid to buy it. After some months we found a farmer thirty miles up in the country who would sell us chickens and eggs. One of us women would drive up every couple of weeks and bring back a dozen chickens and a case of eggs to be shared among four or five families. Those with the plentiful shrimp and fish provided our protein for years."

According to Melissa there were lines everywhere and grocery shopping could take more than an hour to complete because of waiting. I dislike grocery shopping - a lot! I can't imagine adding the frustration of limitations, poor quality, and long lines.

Following the war, many of the people who relocated to the cities stayed in their new homes. How about your family? Did your parents or grandparents migrate as a result of the war and then remain in the new location?

Blog Tour: The Tempering Agent

Blog Tour: The Tempering Agent

About the Book

 Book Title: The Tempering Agent  
Author: Victoria Pitts Caine  
Release Date: February 14, 2014
Dr. Priscilla Hackling finds herself thrown back into the murder investigation of her fiancé, Trey Whittington. While she was a suspect three years ago, she’s now working with the police to find the murderer, Egyptian artifact trafficker, Zarka El-Din. During a sting operation in Siwa, she and Agent Donnie Barnes are drawn to each other but Priscilla, overcome by personal ghosts from her past, decides a relationship isn’t possible. Priscilla realizes she’s the bait in the ruse and uncovers others involved with El-Din. Will she and Donnie reconcile and unravel the reason behind Trey’s death before El-Din kills her, too?

Click here to purchase your copy!

My Thoughts

I have a mixed reaction to The Tempering Agent. This is the first Victoria Pitts-Caine book I read, and I enjoyed it enough to want to read the others in this series. The cover captured the essence of the series and the genre, and I was drawn into the story almost immediately. What I wasn’t crazy about – the relationship between Priscilla and Donnie developed too quickly for my taste, and when they were each struggling with whether to pursue the other person, most of what came to mind was memories of kisses and physical attraction. In addition, Priscilla is a British citizen, yet her word usage and mannerisms seem American. The few British references were cliché: greeting each other with “cheerio” and lots of tea drinking. The author seems more comfortable conveying Egyptian and Middle Eastern dialect, mannerisms, and customs and have obviously either done lots of research or had personal experience. Information about archaeology, digs, history, and government oversight is interesting and well-presented, sprinkled throughout rather than dumped onto the reader. The suspense and intrigue steadily increases as the book progresses to the point that I wasn’t sure who to trust, and I began to see “bad guys” in every corner. I loved that! The action sequences are exciting, and kept me reading. Each chapter heading includes information about a gemstone which I found very interesting, but the reference during a conversation to “the tempering agent” felt forced and dropped into the story as if to justify the book’s title.

I was given a copy of this book for free from CelebrateLit Publicity, and a favorable review was not required. All opinions expressed are my own.

About the Author

Victoria Pitts Caine is a native Californian and lives in the central portion of the state. Her varied interests include genealogy and exotic gemstone collecting both of which she’s incorporated into her novels. The author has received recognition in both fiction and nonfiction from: Enduring Romance top 10 picks for 2008, William Saroyan Writing Conference, Byline Magazine, Writer’s Journal Magazine, Holt International Children’s Services Magazine, and The Southern California Genealogical Society. Her first novel was published in 2007 followed by two more as well as novellas and short stories in anthologies. Victoria is a former staff technician in air pollution control. She is the mother of two daughters. Now retired from the work force, Victoria and her husband enjoy travel, cooking, and are self-appointed “foodies”.

Guest post from Vicki Caine

Since childhood, I have been interested in genealogy and ancient Egypt. Two of my prior novels, Alvarado Gold and Cairo, let me follow my fantasies into those two areas. Donnie the hero in The Tempering Agent is also in the other two books, and it was his turn to find his own romance. When archaeologist Dr. Priscilla Hackling finds herself drawn back into the murder investigation of her fiancé and the missing breast plate of the high priest, Agent Donnie Barnes, is just the man to help her out, even if she doesn’t think so. Traveling along with Priscilla and Donnie, I discovered some interesting facts about ancient Egypt, from the ruins in the Siwa Desert to the mystery of the Valley of the Kings. The genealogy factor in my novels is Donnie is loosely based on my cousin. Alvarado Gold tells the story of my family while Cairo and The Tempering Agent fueled my inquisitiveness about Egypt.

Blog Stops

Here are Victoria's remaining blog stops:

March 25: Big Reader Site

March 26: A Greater Yes

March 26: Just the Write Escape

March 27: A Baker's Perspective

March 28: Margaret Kazmierczak

March 28: Janice's Book Reviews

March 29: Jeanette's Thoughts

March 29: Carpe Diem

March 30: Pause for Tales

March 30: Red Headed Book Lady

March 31: Mary Hake

March 31: Simple Harvest Reads

April 1: Tell Tale Book Reviews

April 1: Two Points of Interest

April 2: Among the Reads

April 2: Pursuing Stacie

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Victoria is giving away

Grand prize: Murano type heart necklace with lampwork bracelet and $25.00 Amazon gift certificate

1st Place: Green and white lampwork pendant and earrings

2nd Place: Set of three lampwork earrings

3rd place: Set of three holiday themed earrings

4th place: One ten $10 Amazon gift card

5th place: One ten $10 Amazon gift card!!

Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/c9e1

Blog Tour: The Heart's Appeal

Blog Tour: The Heart's Appeal

About the Book

Book Title: The Heart’s Appeal  
Author: Jennifer Delamere  
Release Date: March 6, 2018
Genre: Inspirational Historical Romance

Strong-minded and independent, Julia Bernay has come to London to study medicine and become a doctor–a profession that has only just opened up to women. When she witnesses a serious accident, her quick action saves the life of an ambitious young barrister named Michael Stephenson. It’s only later that she learns he could be instrumental in destroying her dreams for the future. Coming from a family that long ago lost its status, Michael Stephenson has achieved what many would have thought impossible. Hard work and an aptitude for the law have enabled him to regain the path to wealth and recognition. His latest case puts him in the middle of a debate over the future of a women’s medical school. He’s supposed to remain objective, but when the beguiling and determined Julia reappears with an unexpected entreaty, he begins to question what he’s made most important in his life. But Julia may be hiding her own motivations. As the two are tangled into spending more time together, will their own goals be too much to overcome?

Click here to purchase your copy!

My Thoughts

Starting off slowly with what feel like lots of backstory, The Heart’s Appeal gains traction and tells an entertaining story of two people who struggle to get out of their own way trying to achieve their goals while fighting their growing attraction. The story is set in England, but at times the dialogue feels modern and American which I found distracting. The character development is well-done, and the relationship between Julia and Michael realistic and enjoyable. They are drawn to each other by more than physical attraction. Each appreciates the other’s intelligence, humor, and integrity which creates a solid foundation and authentic bond. Descriptions about attire and social customer immersed me in the era of the latter part of the 19^th century. I enjoyed the fact the author used the real location of the London ­School of Medicine for Women and its founder Dr. Elizabeth Garrett Anderson, and the information about them was interesting. I like a book that makes me want to do further research about a topic, and The Heart’s Appeal successfully intrigued me to find out more.

I was given a free copy of this book by CelebrateLit Publicity, and a positive review was not required. All opinions expressed area my own.

About the Author

Jennifer Delamere’s debut Victorian romance, An Heiress at Heart, was a 2013 RITA Award finalist in the inspirational category. Her follow-up novel, A Lady Most Lovely, received a starred review from Publishers Weekly and the Maggie Award for Excellence from Georgia Romance Writers. Jennifer earned a BA in English from McGill University in Montreal, where she became fluent in French and developed an abiding passion for winter sports. She’s been an editor of nonfiction and educational materials for nearly two decades, and lives in North Carolina with her husband.

Guest Post from Jennifer Delamere

Power couples?

Perhaps that’s not a concept that initially comes to mind when one thinks of Victorian England! And yet, they did exist. I love to include real people from history in my books, and in The Heart’s Appeal, Julia Bernay meets two inspiring real-life couples who will make a positive impact in her life.

In 1865, Elizabeth Garrett Anderson became the first woman to qualify as a physician in Britain. She did this through a legal loophole, but soon the laws were changed to open the medical field to all women. In 1874, Dr. Anderson co-founded the London School of Medicine for Women. She remained involved in the school in various capacities for the rest of her life, even as she continued to run her own busy practice. In The Heart’s Appeal, she becomes a mentor for Julia, opening doors for her education and introducing Julia to people who can help her succeed in medical school.

Dr. Anderson’s husband, James Anderson (Jamie), was the joint-owner of a successful shipping line and also served on the boards of several organizations (including a children’s hospital). He was a handsome man, very much in love with his wife, and fervent in supporting her choice of a career.

In a letter he wrote to her while they were engaged, Jamie explained his vision for their future—how they could keep their professional and private lives separate, yet still give each other plenty of love and support:

“I think we had better lay it down once for all as a rule that I am under no circumstances to bring people ‘favorably under your notice’ or ‘exert any influence’ or anything of the sort. It will give people a wrong idea of you unless I take a decided line in this matter — and as I mean to be if I can a successful man of business, neither interfering with your pursuits nor being interfered with by you (but having our confidences on all feasible subjects at off times of the day and week and mutually advising and fortifying one another), I must let people know unmistakably not to come bothering me about your public affairs. Will you think about this, dearest?” 

Who couldn’t love a man like that?

Jamie Anderson’s outlook on life comes into play later on in The Heart’s Appeal, when he provides advice and aid to Michael Stephenson, the book’s hero, at a critical time.

Julia also has an inspiring encounter with Dr. Anderson’s sister, Millicent Fawcett. Millicent was married to a Member of Parliament and actively supported her husband’s career in many ways, including acting as a scribe for him since he was blind. She is most remembered for her role in the women’s suffrage movement. In fact, a statue of her will be placed in Parliament Square in London this summer. She was not a militant suffragette, but rather campaigned for suffrage under the banner “Law-Abiding Suffragists.”

Both couples raised families, too, and their children’s successes in life show they were raised to have the same energetic and “can-do” attitudes that their parents had.

Julia initially believes she must remain single to achieve her life’s goals. But soon she finds her heart drawn to successful barrister Michael Stephenson, who admires Julia’s intelligence and ambition. She learns that love and the freedom to pursue her dreams do not have to be mutually exclusive. A meeting of minds to spark a true romance? Yes, please! I hope readers will agree this can be the most satisfying of all.

Blog Stops

Here are the remaining blog stops:

March 24: Redheaded Book Lady

March 24: Debbie's Dusty Deliberations

March 25: The Power of Words

March 25: Mary Hake

March 25: Remembrancy

March 25: Janice's Book Reviews

March 26: Cordially, Barbara

March 26: Genesis 5020

March 26: Moments Dipped in Ink

March 26: Jeanette's Thoughts

March 27: Kat's Corner Books

March 27: Fizzy Pop Collection

March 27: Maureen's Musings

March 27: Carpe Diem

March 28: Reflections from My Bookshelves

March 28: Seasons of Opportunities

March 28: Singing Librarian Books

March 28: A Baker's Perspective

March 29: Baker Kella

March 29: All of a Kind Mom

March 29: Inklings and Notions

March 29: Simple Harvest Reads

March 30: Pause for Tales

March 30: Cafinated Reads

March 30: Have a Wonderful Day

March 30: Pursuing Stacie

March 31: Looks, Hooks, and Books

March 31: Reflecting on Days Gone By

March 31: Book by Book

March 31: Big Reader Site

April 1: Book Bites, Bee Stings, and Butterfly Kisses

April 1: Neverending Stories

April 1: Ladybug Chronicles

April 2: Smiling Book Reviews

April 2: Two Points of Interest

April 2: Vicky Sluiter

April 3: Kaylee's Kind of Writes

April 3: Proud to be an Autism Mom

April 3: Bibliophile Reviews

April 4: Karen Sue Hadley

April 4: Live Love Read

April 4: Stories Where Hope and Quirky

April 4: Faery Tales are Real

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Jennifer is giving away a grand prize package of that includes All four March Bethany House historical releases (The Heart’s Appeal, plus A Most Noble Heir by Susan Anne Mason, A Chance at Forever by Melissa Jagears, In Places Hidden by Tracie Peterson) and a $20 Starbucks gift card!!

Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/cacd

Talkshow Thursday: A Guest Post by Donna Schlachter

Talkshow Thursday: A Guest Post by Donna Schlachter

Transformation: a chronological walk through the Bible in a year

Have you ever noticed that the voice of God often comes in the most unexpected moments asking the most unexpected things of us? This happened to me early in January of 2017 during my daily reading. Without a doubt, He stood beside me and said, “Write this book”.

Now, normally when God tells me to write a book, I don’t have any problem. I mean, I have so many stories floating around inside my head, I don’t think I’ll live long enough to get them all written down.

So, naturally, I asked, “Which book?”

“This book.”

“This isn’t a book.” Like I need to tell God that, or anything for that matter. “It’s just my daily journal.”

“Yes. That book.”

Honestly, that was the last thing I wanted to hear. Like I said, I have plenty of other books to write without God adding a devotional to the list. But I couldn’t escape the instruction.

So, here are three things I learned while writing this book:

1. Because it was also my daily reading and quiet time, I had to be honest with my own thoughts, feelings, and understandings, but also be willing to be completely transparent with my reader. In fact, when I transcribed this book into my computer, I only changed about three words, and that’s because I’d written the wrong word in my journal.
2. I waited until almost the end of the year to transcribe the book. Stupid me. I could have started almost immediately. The lesson learned is never put off what God is telling you to do.
3. The process of writing a book kept me on track so I couldn’t skip days or skim the reading. At the end of every reading, I asked God what He wanted me to learn, and what He wanted the reader to learn. As a result, I didn’t use any of the “usual” verses we see in devotionals, and God gave me fresh insight every single day.

So this book has been a true transformation for me. The way I read was different; I expected God to show up every day; and I was able to be more real in what I wrote. As I transcribed, I saw days where I was upbeat; days where I was discouraged; days where I was angry. And yet God used every one of those days.

If we let Him loose in our lives, He is faithful to change us—to transform us into His likeness and image.

Answer this question for the opportunity to win a free print (US only) or digital copy of Transformation: How would knowing you were writing a book change the way you journal your quiet time?

About Donna:

Donna lives in Denver with husband Patrick, her first-line editor and biggest fan. She writes historical suspense under her own name, and contemporary suspense under her alter ego of Leeann Betts. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Sisters In Crime; facilitates a local critique group, and teaches writing classes and courses. Donna is also a ghostwriter and editor of fiction and non-fiction, and judges in a number of writing contests. She loves history and research, and travels extensively for both. Donna is proud to be represented by Terrie Wolf of AKA Literary Management.

Visit Donna on the Web:

Blog: http://www.HiStoryThruTheAges.wordpress.com

Website: http://www.HiStoryThruTheAges.com (receive a free ebook just by signing up for our free newsletter.

Facebook: http://www.Facebook.com/DonnaschlachterAuthor

Twitter: http://www.Twitter.com/DonnaSchlachter

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2ci5Xqq

Smashwords: http://bit.ly/2gZATjm

Wartime Wednesday: A Bicycle Built for Two (or not!)

Wartime Wednesday: A Bicycle Built for Two (or not!)

Anyone who has read about WWII knows that rationing played a major role. One of the many challenges associated with rationing was that the alternatives were also rationed or found in limited supply.

Civilian car production ceased, and gasoline was rationed based on an individual’s needs. “A” was the most common and issued to the general public. It was worth four gallons per week. “B” was given to business owners and worth eight gallons per week. “C” was for professionals such as doctors, nurses, ministers, farm workers, etc. “M” was for motorcycles and “T” was for truckers. “X” was for individuals who held high mileage jobs such as traveling salesmen, however, many rich people and politicians also received X stickers.

Walking was one alternative to driving, but was not realistic if the individual had far to go.

Enter the bicycle.

Many people already owned bicycles and took to them in droves. However, many more people had to purchase bicycles, and it was difficult to find them as the government had put a freeze on bicycle sales and allocated over 10,000 bikes to war production plants. The remaining bikes available were rationed by the OPA and an adult who was gainfully employed or contributed in some way to the war effort or public warfare had to cite a compelling reason (such as inadequate public transportation or responsibility for delivery service) in order to purchase one.

New bikes under production had to adhere to the manufacturing requirements imposed by OPM – weighing no more than thirty-one pounds and made of steel only (no copper or nickel parts). Chrome plating was limited and most of the accessories such as chain guards, bells, and luggage racks were eliminated. Tire size was also reduced and whitewalls were abolished.

And in keeping with the times, they were called Victory bikes.

Do you still ride a bike?