Talkshow Thursday: Welcome Michelle Connell

Talkshow Thursday: Welcome Michelle Connell

Linda:  Thanks for joining me today. Congratulations on the release of your third novel Accident Encounter. What was your inspiration for the story?

Michelle: Unfortunately, Accident Encounter, is on hold. Due to the Corona Virus, I didn’t get the third reader copy back in time to get it published. And there are many more problems than at first thought. I am also unfortunately one of those writers who can’t concentrate and write right now. Accident Encounter may not be available until next year.

LM: The age old question: are you a plotter or a pantster, and what is your writing routine?

Michelle: I am definitely a pantster. I never planned to write novels until my writer’s group convinced me back in 2006 to try National Novel Writing Month (NanoWrimo). I thought they were crazy. I had three kids at the time and the youngest was 10 months old. But I found I could do it and I enjoyed it!

LM: Lots of research goes into writing a book. Did you unearth a particularly interesting tidbit you just knew had to be included in the story?

Michelle: I used to live in Kansas City where my book takes place, but it has been years, so I looked up some restaurants and parks in the area that are in my book.

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

Michelle: I would like to learn how to watercolor. Someday, in my spare time. Ha!

LM: In addition to your novels, you have written a non-fiction book to aid writers. How is writing

fiction vs. non-fiction different? The same?

Michelle: The non-fiction book was our writer’s group’s experience with writing prompts. That one was more personal experience, so it didn’t require any research. But like fiction, it still needed editing, and a logical order.

LM: If money were no object, where would you choose to vacation?

Michelle: I would either choose an around-the-world cruise, or a resort in someplace warm and sunny, with lots of sand and pretty water. We are praying right now we can go on our planned vacation next month to Myrtle Beach, if they open the beaches. But because of the virus, we aren’t sure yet.

LM: If you could interview anyone (living or dead), who would you talk to, and what is one question you’d ask them?

Michelle: One of my favorite authors is Agatha Christie, and I would ask her how she developed Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot so thoroughly, so that readers feel they know them as real people. At least I do!

LM: What is your next project?

Michelle: Once I get Accident Encounter out, I have another Chance Encounter novel or two to choose from to finish. One takes place in Lincoln, Nebraska, where I grew up, Love Letter/Mail Encounter (working title) or Bible Encounter (working title), where an airman puts a small New Testament in his pocket and it saves his life from shrapnel.

LM: Where can folks find you on the web?

Michelle: website: www.michelleconnellwrites.net

Twitter: @MCromancewriter

Goodreads: www.Goodreads.com/michelleconnell

Bookbub: www.bookbub.com/michelleconnell

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/mconnellwrites

Thanks so much, Linda, for having me!

Wartime Wednesday: The Crypt of Civilization

Wartime Wednesday: The Crypt of Civilization

Eighty years ago, a 2,000 square foot room in the granite basement of Phoebe Hearst Memorial Hall at Oglethorpe University was welded shut, not to be opened until the year 8113 A.D. Devised by Thornwell Jacobs, who is considered to be the father of the modern time capsule, the room contains hundreds of items including microfilm of more than 800 “authoritative books on every subject of importance known to mankind.”

A professor, writer, and clergyman, Jacobs refounded Oglethorpe after its devastation during the Civil War. While researching and teaching about past civilizations, he was struck with the lack of available information, giving him the idea to create a running record of everyday life. Inspired by the Egyptian pyramid and tomb openings in the 1920s, he wrote an article for the November 1936 issue of Scientific American proposing the creation of a time capsule.

The article solicited recommendations and aid from scientist, industry leaders, and philanthropists to supplement his own suggestions of books, films, phonograph records, food furniture, machines, toys, and cars. The final inventory is diverse, including items such as a wrist watch, plastic fork, lighting fixtures, beer, a pair of mannikins, cigarettes and a lighter, and recordings of Hitler, Stalin, Roosevelt, and Chamberlain, as well as the voices of Popeye the Sailor and a champion hog caller.

The target date of 8113 A.D. for the crypt’s future opening was determined by considering 1936 (the year the idea was devised) to be the halfway point to the future. By Jacobs’s calculations, six thousand one hundred and seventy-seven years had passed since the establishment of the Egyptian calendar in 4241 B.C.

In an effort to prevent the opening of the capsule before its prescribed date, a stainless steel plaque is mounted above the door assuring would-be “grave robbers” that the items are “encyclopedias, histories, scientific works, special editions of newspapers” and that “no jewels or precious metals are included.” The plaque goes on to appeal to their “sense of sportsmanship of posterity for the continued preservation of this vault until the year 8113.”

Today, the crypt remains sealed along with dozens of other time capsules under the watchful eye of the International Time Capsule Society headquartered at the university.

_________________________

All’s fair in love and war. Or so they say.

High school and college were a nightmare for Doris Strealer and being an adult isn’t much better. Men won’t date a woman of her height, and they don’t understand her desire to repair car engines rather than work as a nurse or a teacher. When her father’s garage closes, and no one will hire a female mechanic, she joins the Red Cross Motor Corps, finally feeling at home. Until she comes face to face with her past in the form of Ronald McCann, the most popular boy in school.

On the brink of a successful career as a surgeon, Ron’s plans crumble when he’s drafted and assigned to an evacuation hospital in England, the last place he expects to run into a former schoolmate. The gangly tomboy who was four years behind him in high school has transformed into a statuesque beauty, but a broken engagement in college leaves him with no desire to risk his heart ever again.

Will the hazards of war make or break a romance between this unlikely couple?

Pre-order Link: https://amzn.to/2Y89P4S

Talkshow Thursday: Welcome Back Amanda Cabot!

Talkshow Thursday: Welcome Back Amanda Cabot!

Linda:  Welcome back and thanks for joining me today. It’s always a pleasure to have you. Congratulations on your latest release Out of the Embers. For those who haven’t visited your website to read the Story Behind the Story, what was your inspiration for the plot?

Amanda: I’ve always been fascinated by the way that events of the past shape us, so I started brainstorming worst-case scenarios. What if a young girl’s parents were murdered and she never knew why? What if she still felt as if someone was watching her and planning to kill her too, even though it’s been ten years? What if she narrowly missed being inside her new home when it was destroyed and everyone died? These were the seeds of Out of the Embers.

LM: Sounds fascinating! Many of your books are set during the 1800s. What about that time period draws you?

Amanda: I’m drawn to what many think of as the simpler lifestyle of that time. Reality, of course, is that life wasn’t simple, but being able to portray close-knit communities with deep family values against the background of some intriguing historical events appeals to me. And, judging from readers’ reactions, stories with those elements appeal to them too.

LM: In addition to your historical novels, you’ve written a contemporary trilogy. How was the writing process different for those books? Did you need to do the same amount of research as for your historicals?

Amanda: The writing process was the same: synopsis, chapter-by-chapter outline, two drafts, and a final polishing stage. Those steps seem to be hardwired into me. As for research, it was probably the same amount, but what I researched was quite different. Instead of looking for historical events at the time of my books and obsessing over whether a word would have been in common usage then, I checked trademark databases to be certain that product and company names I was using weren’t protected. I also called various sites that I mentioned in the books to ensure that I had all the details as accurate as possible.

LM: What is the quirkiest thing you’ve ever done?

Amanda: That would be participating in the annual Treasure Hunt at a friend’s summer home. What’s a Treasure Hunt?  Picture twenty-five to thirty cars, each filled with six people, spending an evening driving down country roads at speeds we won’t mention, occasionally skidding to a stop. As soon as that happens, the passengers hop out, flashlights in hand, to run through fields, farms, ditches – you name it, we’ve been there – trying to find clues in coffee cans that have been buried in the ground. Whoever finds the clue runs away from the site (because no one wants to help a different team find the clue) and yells the team’s code word. That’s the signal for everyone on the team to race back to the car and start deciphering the new clue while the driver heads in what everyone hopes is the correct direction. Each clue leads to the next, with the car that reaches the final destination with all clues and the shortest elapsed time winning. What do they win?  Money?  Fame?  No. They have the privilege of running the Treasure Hunt the next year. Yep, the winner has to draw maps, decide where to hide the clues, write the clues (Did I mention that they’re supposed to rhyme?), obtain permission to use private property, notify the state and local police. You get the idea. It’s a ton of work. So, why would anyone do that?  Are we crazy?  That’s exactly what we say each time we win. But it’s fun, in a crazy kind of way.

LM: Here are some quickies:

Amanda:

Mountains or Ocean for a vacation: Ocean

Sweet or Salty for a snack: Sweet

Coffee or tea as your “go-to” drink: Tea

LM: You’ve got over thirty-five books published. What is one piece of advice you can offer to fledgling writers?

Amanda: Never give up. If you choose the traditional publishing route, rejection is a fact of life. I won’t sugarcoat it: rejection hurts. But if you let it defeat you, if you stop sending out your manuscript because it was rejected, you’re only hurting yourself. Believe in your book and in yourself.

LM: What is your next project?

Amanda: I’m currently in the first phase of edits for the second book in the Mesquite Springs trilogy, which will be released next March. In it, Dorothy, whom readers meet in Out of the Embers, gets her chance at a happy ending. It’s not easy, though, because the town is disrupted by the arrival of a man determined to establish Mesquite Springs’s first newspaper and an itinerant artist with an agenda of his own.

LM: Where can folks find you on the web?

Amanda: The easiest way is to go to my website: www.amandacabot.com I call it the “one stop shopping” site, because in addition to information about my books, it has links to my blog, Facebook, and Twitter.

About Out of the Embers:

A young woman with a tragic past has arrived in town . . . and trouble is following close behind

Ten years after her parents were killed, Evelyn Radcliffe is once more homeless. The orphanage that was her refuge and later her workplace has burned to the ground, and only she and a young orphan girl have escaped. Convinced this must be related to her parents’ murders, Evelyn flees with the girl to Mesquite Springs in the Texas Hill Country and finds shelter in the home of Wyatt Clark, a talented horse rancher whose plans don’t include a family of his own.

At first, Evelyn is a distraction. But when it becomes clear that trouble has followed her to Mesquite Springs, she becomes a full-blown disruption. Can Wyatt keep her safe from the man who wants her dead? And will his own plans become collateral damage?

Suspenseful and sweetly romantic, Out of the Embers is the first in a new series that invites you to the Texas Hill Country in the 1850s, when the West was wild, the men were noble, and the women were strong.

Purchase Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VNHD638

Wartime Wednesday: Britain's Wrens

Wartime Wednesday: Britain's WRENS

Did you know that during World War II, Britain implemented conscription for women? Beginning in December 1941, single women and widows without children between the ages of twenty and thirty were called up. Later, the age was raised to forty-three, and women who’d served in WWI could be conscripted up the age of fifty.

Unlike the men, women could choose whether they worked in industry or joined one of the military auxiliary services. There were three such services: Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) (which is the one Princess Elizabeth chose), Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF), or Women’s Royal Naval Service (WRNS).

The WRNS (nicknamed Wrens) were first formed in 1917 for the First World War, then disbanded in 1919. Revived in 1939, the organization remained active until being integrated into the Royal Navy in 1993. During WWII, Wrens could be stationed “shore-based” which released men for service at sea and was a key recruiting tactic using the slogan Join the Wrens-Free a Man for the Fleet, or sent overseas.

Jobs included cooks, clerks, drivers, wireless telegraphists, radar plotters, weapons analysts, range assessors, electricians, air mechanics, meteorologists, and transport pilots. A cadre of Wrens served at Bletchley Park operating machines used in code breaking. Members stationed at Derby House played a major part in the planning and organization of naval operations, including the Normandy invasion. Women with language skills worked in stationed around the coast to intercept and translate enemy signals.

Vera Laughton Mathews, who had served with the WRNS during WWI, was appointed Director. Born Elvira Sibyl Marie Laughton in London on September 25, 1888 to Sir John Knox, a British naval historian and his second wife Maria Josefa of Spain, Vera was highly educated. She married Gordon Mathews in 1924 and was widowed in 1943.

At its peak, the Wrens had more than 75,000 members, of which one hundred lost their lives. An interesting film about the Wrens can be seen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVETAP4LDiE. Check out this blog for sketches made by Gladys Reed who served with the Wrens during WWII: https://slate.com/human-interest/2014/02/gladys-reed-sketches-of-life-as-a-wren-during-wwii.html.

______________________

About The Mechanic and The MD

All’s fair in love and war. Or so they say.

High school and college were a nightmare for Doris Strealer and being an adult isn’t much better. Men won’t date a woman of her height, and they don’t understand her desire to repair car engines rather than work as a nurse or a teacher. When her father’s garage closes, and no one will hire a female mechanic, she joins the Red Cross Motor Corps, finally feeling at home. Until she comes face to face with her past in the form of Ronald McCann, the most popular boy in school.

On the brink of a successful career as a surgeon, Ron’s plans crumble when he’s drafted and assigned to an evacuation hospital in England, the last place he expects to run into a former schoolmate. The gangly tomboy who was four years behind him in high school has transformed into a statuesque beauty, but a broken engagement in college leaves him with no desire to risk his heart ever again.

Will the hazards of war make or break a romance between this unlikely couple? 

Pre-order Link: https://amzn.to/2ROvGu4

Talkshow Thursday: Meet JJ Gutierrez

Talkshow Thursday: Meet JJ Gutierrez

Linda:  Thanks for joining me today. Congratulations on your book Chickening IN-from FEAR to Courageous FAITH. It sounds like a wonderful book. Where did you find your inspiration for the story?

JJ: I imagine God having a good sense of humor because I struggle with fear daily, and it was my 6-year old daughter who gave me a new phrase that changed my life and led to this book. A new twist on an old idiom. At the moment it was spoken I was struggling with a VERY BIG, life changing decision that I had attempted to make multiple times. The kind of decision that gives your stomach butterflies; both excitement and anxiety at the same time. The kind of decision that requires a leap of faith into unknown territory. I was sitting at Panera Bread with my daughter and her tutor. I was explaining to the tutor that I was afraid of making this life changing decision and with a concerned tone I said, "I chickened out again!" We both giggled, knowing life decisions are difficult. From across the table a sudden confident, matter of fact voice came from my daughter and said, "Chicken IN mom, just Chicken IN!"

My thoughts stopped in their tracks...I had never heard of such a thing and I had to take it in and process what she just said. Did my daughter just invent a new idiom? The tutor and I both laughed at it, but the truth was, I had spent years struggling to make this one decision. With the help of that phrase, I was able to grow feet to my faith, and in one moment a wise 6-year-old inspired me to stop chickening out and rather to start Chickening IN by making this courageous decision.

From there Chickening IN grew from a silly phrase into a power word and a lifestyle. As I practiced Chickening IN, I realized there were 8 specific ways in which God was working to transform my fear into courageous faith. I call them the 8 Pillars of Transformation. I began to wonder about other women who struggle with fear, worry and doubt like me. That's when I realized the Chickening IN is not just for me...it was meant to be shared because fear is an emotion experienced by everyone. We live in an unpredictable and uncontrollable world where things change often (as the pandemic has shown us), and fear can plant itself deeply within our hearts. And now here are are, Chickening IN-from FEAR to Courageous FAITH was born into the world on March 24, 2020!

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

JJ: My entire life has been preparation for this book. My dysfunctional childhood and my broken early-adulthood led me straight to Jesus. It was there I learned of God’s love and His plan to restore my life. God used many methods to change me from the inside out and those methods provided the knowledge and wisdom to write this book. They include: 25-years of bible study, 10-years of counseling, 2-years of coaching with a life/career coach, my 17-year business sales career and reading multiple non-fiction books about fear, anxiety and courage. And though I felt ready to write a book I didn’t know anything about how to write a book. I worked with a writing mentor who helped me to learn a process for creating my manuscript. My biggest “Ah-ha” was discovering the joy I felt when I wrote. I finally understood that I am a writer…something I didn’t realize before. Writing makes me feel alive, gives me purpose and allows me to process life.

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

JJ: The creative process is my favorite part of writing. Coming up with the idea and then watching how it unfolds. My soul is filled with purpose and passion as I write. There’s nothing else like it. Writing is an outlet for processing the world and it draws my closer to God. I feel like I am living my “best” self when I am writing!

LM: Who are your literary heroes/heroines?

JJ: I am a non-fiction junkie and my favorite writers are those who focus on God and knowing Him more. While I enjoy many authors, here are a few of my favorites: Priscilla Shier, Pastor Tony Evans, Beth Moore and Jennie Allen.  

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

JJ: Waiting is the hardest part of writing. I am a go getter and a planner and I like to have control. Once I signed the contract with my publisher I had to wait. I was ready to move forward but they weren’t on my time schedule (LOL). My advice it to be prepared to wait and be patient. It will happen in the right time.

I will also add…be prepared for the unexpected by being rooted in God. I never imagined when I signed my publishing contract in April 2019 that I would be launching my book smack dab in the middle of the pandemic! All my plans for launch parties and speaking engagements have been canceled. I could easily have become depressed, worried and afraid, but God prepared me for this and I realized that releasing a book about fear during this most fearful time in our world is God’s perfect timing. More than ever people need a book like mine.

LM: Here are some quickies:

JJ:

Favorite season: Summer. I love the sun and the warm nights.

Favorite vacation spot: Cancun Mexico! My husband and I have gone every year for the last five years and we love it. We stay at all-inclusive resort and it’s the best way to travel!

Favorite place to write: Sitting on my couch in my living room. However, I wrote over half of my book in the car while my daughter attended homeschool classes!

LM: What is your next project?

JJ: I am in the process of writing a FREE facilitators guide so that women can circle up and study Chickening IN-from FEAR to Courageous FAITH together. In addition, I am working on recording my new podcast which will begin with episodes that will complement each chapter of the book. Look for that in late April.

Then, my plan is to continue writing under the Chickening IN brand. My next book is a Practical Courage Tips Devotional. My mission is to provide practical, manageable and repeatable steps to help loosen the power of fear in women’s lives. I am also considering a TWEENS version too!

LM: Where can folks find you on the web?

JJ:

Website: https://www.chickeningin.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chickening_in/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chickeningin/

About Chickening IN:

Like the flip of a switch, Chickening IN created an epiphany of “God Moment.” Where there was once hopelessness, fear, and doubt…now there is new found hope, courage, and strength.

We live in an unpredictable, uncontrollable world where things change often, and fear can plant itself deeply within our hearts. Chickening IN is a practical approach to defeating the fear and doubt that is preventing us from becoming brave, bold women of God.

Do you long to overcome the fear and doubt that is sabotaging the life God has for you? Are you ready to grown in courage and put feet to your faith? You’ve come to the right place! I’d like to invite you to join me on a transformation journey to stop chickening out and start Chickening IN.

By accepting my invitation you will embark into the land of transformation. A place where fear-filled lives can be reconstructed into courageous faith-filled lives. Chickening IN will require hard work and honest assessment, but I will lead you step by step through the eight pillars of Chickening IN that have changed my life and that can change your life, too!

Purchase Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B084HLBCJ4

Wartime Wednesday: Release Day!

Wartime Wednesday: Release Day!

What better day to release my latest World War II romance (with a hint of intrigue!) than on Wartime Wednesday? Spies & Sweethearts is the first book in my Sisters in Service trilogy about three American sisters, Cora, Doris, and Emily, who chose to serve their country by going overseas. A high school French teacher, Emily joins the fledgling Office of Strategic Services and quickly finds herself parachuting into occupied France where she uses her fluency in the language as a radio operator.

You’ll meet Doris in May when her book The Mechanic & The MD releases. Cora’s story The Widow & The War Correspondent releases in June.

Meanwhile, here’s the blurb for Spies & Sweethearts that is available in eBook and paperback. Click on the link below to purchase from your favorite online retailer.

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://books2read.com/u/m0Od9l

Traveling Tuesday: The Grand Risoux Forest

Traveling Tuesday: The Grand Risoux Forest

With over 2,200 continue hectares (nearly 5,500 acres or 22 square km), the Risoux forest is the largest forest in Europe. Forming a natural border between France and Switzerland, the forest lines the edge of the Vallée de Joux in the Jura Mountains. The Vallée is well-known for its watch and cheese making, but during WWII, the area became one of many routes used by fugitives from France into Switzerland. The border is a dry stone wall with Fleur-de-Lis decorating it and stands approximately three feet tall making escape was somewhat easy as long as German troops were avoided.

A group of French and Swiss friends became known as the Passeurs du Risoud and helped countless downed pilots, those in danger of deportation, and escaped prisoners make it over the border. In addition to smuggling humans, the group passed confidential documents about troop numbers and movements to the British Embassy in Lausanne as well as armaments.

To make it more difficult for the Nazis to track them, the Passeurs formed multiple routes through the forest, many of which are still apparent. Soldiers patrolled the French side of the forest twenty-four hours a day, and anyone found within the two kilometer forbidden zone was shot on sight.

After arriving in Switzerland, the group would hide in one the two wooden huts (L’Hôtel d’Italie and Le Rendezvous des Sages) in order to rest. Then the Passeurs would go home under cover of darkness, and the escapees would continue the ten kilometer journey from the border to the place where they registered as illegal foreigners, then to an internment camp for the remainder of the war. Many downed military personnel did not register and continued their escape to Allied soil.

 ______________________

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.

Pre-order link: https://amzn.to/2UZ537N

Couriers with the French Resistance

Couriers with the French Resistance

Signed by the French, the Armistice stipulated that “The French Government will forbid French citizens to fight against Germany in the service of States with which the German Reich is still at war. French citizens who violate this provision are to be treated by German troops as insurgents.”

Thousands of French men and women chose to ignore the mandate. The exact number of La Résistance members in France during WWII is unknown because many were never captured and even more never told their family about their involvement during the war. Activities included securing intelligence about German troop numbers and movements, sabotaging communication and train lines, blowing up bridges, kidnapped and killed German army officers, and ambushed German soldiers. Another important task performed by La Résistance was to courier downed airmen and escaped prisoners out of the country and into neutral Switzerland.

As mentioned in a previous post, several escape routes existed. However, rather than be given a map, the escapees were led out of the country by couriers, who were often natives of the area through which the route passed. Much like a relay race, the courier would take the individuals from Point A to Point B where the next courier would meet them and continue the journey. Both men and women acted as couriers.

With a fatality rate of 42%, couriers held a dangerous job. They came from all walks of life: housewives and mothers, society women, teachers, and shopkeepers. Couriers had to be in excellent physical condition because of the hundreds of miles they traveled back and forth over rough terrain, many of which went into the higher elevations.

_____________________

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.

Pre-order link: https://amzn.to/2UZ537N

Talkshow Thursday: Meet Allison N. Wells

Talkshow Thursday: Meet Allison N. Wells

Linda:  Welcome to my blog. It’s such a pleasure to have you. Congratulations on your latest release, When Waves Break.  What was your inspiration for this story?

Allison: Thank you so much! When Waves Break is the sequel to my first book, War-Torn Heart, so the timeline makes sense to follow the children of a WWII veteran. I chose Myrtle Beach as the setting as that is where I spent my teen years in the 1990s. I wanted to write a story that was very raw and gritty but focused on redemption. A Christian life doesn’t mean it’s free from despair, as we see with twins Eve and Juliette Nicholas.

LM: Research is an important part of writing any book. How do you go about doing research for your story?

Allison: It was interesting researching something that didn’t happen that long ago. I used my own mother as a research tool into fashion, social and societal norms and the like. So much of the story has to do with civil rights, so it was eye-opening to read about what happened in South Carolina in the late 1960s. There is one event that happens in Orangeburg that worked perfectly for this story, so when you read about it, know that it was a true event, only my character’s involvement is fictional.

LM: What do you do to prepare yourself to write (e.g. listen to music, set up in a certain location)?

Allison: I do like to listen to music that is appropriate for the time and setting. I grew up on those rock bands of the late 1960s, so I felt right at home and got into a good rhythm. I also find it easier to write if I don’t see a pile of dishes or laundry staring at me (so I turn away from them! Haha!).

LM: What was your favorite book or author when you were growing up?

Allison: When I was young, I would sit in the coat closet of my grandparents’ house and read books like Heidi and The Little Princess (both are some of my favorite Shirley Temple movies as well). As an only child, books were my constant companions.

LM: What is something you have always wanted to learn how to do?

Allison: Play piano. I was a trombone player through school and college, which I have always loved, but I wish I had learned piano. There’s something so magical and elegant about the piano.

LM: Here are some quickies:

Allison:

Favorite Season: Autumn. The colors, the crisp smells, the cozy sweaters. It’s perfection.

Favorite Movie: A League of Their Own. There’s no crying in baseball.

Favorite place to visit: Savannah, GA. It’s my happy place. You can’t be unhappy in Savannah.

LM: What is your next project?

Allison: My next book is called Bell of the Night and it again is a clean Christian book that takes a raw and edgy look at life in 1915 New Orleans’ Storyville District. Be looking for it later this year!

LM: Where can folks find you on the web?

Allison: My website is www.allisonwellswrites.com and you can find me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/allisonwellswrites or on Instagram and Twitter at @OrangeAlli.

About When Waves Break:

One summer, one night, one mistake, and everything changes for Eve and Juliette Nicholas.

For the Nicholas twins, life is just beginning, until one summer of misguided love forces the twins to doubt everything they've ever believed. Eve and Juliette are the daughters of a preacher, raised to hold love in high esteem, although they may disagree on how to share it. As high school graduation looms, they must question the cost of love, and what it may mean for their futures.

The summer of 1968 is one of change for both the Nicholas twins and the nation. With Martin Luther King, Jr.'s speed fresh in everyone' minds, racial tensions are high and threaten to shake the very foundation that once held the twins together. Through it all, will the bod that Eve and Juliette share be broken? Can love truly endure all things? OR will their mistakes always haunt them?

Set during a time of racial instability, When Waves Break sheds light on the equality ad redemption we all have in Christ.

Purchase Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B082LYC6DN

Traveling Tuesday: Escape Routes

Traveling Tuesday: Escape Routes

In my upcoming release, Spies & Sweethearts, my characters’ cover is blown, and they must escape from occupied France. Dozens of routes were in place all over Europe, and many were not for the faint of heart as they wound through deep forests, clung to the side of mountains, or snaked through heavily occupied cities and villages. Here are three of the most famous escape routes:

Pat O'Leary Line: Centered on the Mediterranean Coast, this route was used primarily to bring servicemen from the north of France to Marseille, over the Pyrenees Mountains into Spain. By crossing the mountains, official checkpoints were bypassed as well as contact with German patrols. The name of the route was taken from the alias of Belgium doctor Albert Guerisse who claimed to be French Canadian Pat O'Leary when he was picked up by the Vichy French Coast Guard during a 1941 mission. Ultimately taking over command of the escape route, Guerisse used the alias for the duration of the war. One report indicates that between 1940 and 1944, over 33,000 successful escapes were made along the Pyrenees (a mountain range over 300 miles long that reaches a height of over 11,000 feet)

The Comete Route: This line started in Brussels went through the south of France into Spain and then to Gibraltar. Created by a young woman from Belgium named Andree de Jonghe, the line was officially sanctioned by British intelligence in 1940 after Andree showed up at the British consulate with a British soldier. When France came under direct Nazi rule, the line became dangerous to use, and by 1942 it had begun to crumble because of betrayals and arrests.

The Shelburne Route: Created in 1944, Wikipedia claims this route is the only escape line not infiltrated by the Nazis. Perhaps because of its short-lived usage, perhaps because it began so close to the end of the war. From Paris, escapees made their way to the beach at Anse Cochat near Plouha where they were shipped across the English Channel to Dartmouth. The use of this line was suspended when preparations for the D-Day invasion began.

 

No matter which escape line was used individuals were given clothes, identity papers, and food before setting off on their journey. Guides took them to a location where the next guide would pick them up. Members who participated did so at great risk to themselves and their families.

__________________________

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/34ia2Dp