Wartime Wednesday: World War II's Youngest Sailor

 

Wartime Wednesday: WWII’s Youngest Sailor 

By law, individuals must be at least seventeen years old to enlist in the U.S. military. During World War II, one could enlist at sixteen with parental consent. However, by all reports, underage enlistment was common during the two world wars. So common that the non-profit organization Veterans of Underage Military Service has more than 1,200 active members. There are many reasons why boys would enlist at such a young age. Some came from large families who didn’t have enough food to go around. Others were caught up in the excitement of fighting, and others such as Calvin Graham were in difficult family circumstances. 

One of seven children who lived with an abusive stepfather in Crockett, Texas, Calvin moved into room house with an older brother. He sold newspapers and delivered telegrams to earn income. Seeing the headlines and knowing that some of his cousins had died in battles, he decided he wanted to enlist. In an effort to look older, he began to shave and practice speaking in a deep voice. 

After telling his mother he was going to visit relatives, Calvin dressed in his older brother’s clothes,

donned a fedora, and set out for the recruiting station. Clutching the paperwork that included his mother’s forged signature notarized by a stamp stolen from a hotel, he lined up behind five young men who didn’t look much older than him. 

 

During his exam, the dentist took one look at his five-foot-two, 125 pound body and into his mouth announcing that he was twelve years old, but Calvin insisted he was seventeen. The dentist didn’t buy the lie, but after the young recruit told the man he knew for a fact the boys in front of him weren’t seventeen yet and had been let through, the dentist said he “didn’t have time to mess with him.” 

 

Calvin was sent to San Diego for basic training, where he later claimed the drill instructors were aware of the underage recruits and made them run extra miles or lug heavier packs. Finally assigned to the USS South Dakota, he served as a loader for a 40 mm anti-aircraft gun. In October 1942, the ship was part of the Battle of Santa Cruz and received a unit citation. A month later, they participated in the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, and Calvin was wounded. Shrapnel had knocked out his front teeth and he sustained flash burns. 

The damaged ship made its way to the Brooklyn Navy Yard for repairs, and the crew were honored for their heroic deeds. Calvin received Purple Heart, and a Bronze Star for distinguishing himself in combat. However, he was unable to participate in the celebrations. His mother had recognized her son in newsreel footage and reported him to the authorities. Taken into custody, he was returned to Texas where he spent three months in the brig. 

 

Word got out ill treatment of the “baby vet,” so the Navy released Calvin after stripping him of his medals and giving him a dishonorable discharge. He was treated as a celebrity in Houston, and reporters clamored to tell his story. Eventually, excitement about the young man dissipated, and he faded from view. 

 

Three decades later, after an extensive letter writing campaign, he received his honorable discharge and his bronze star, but his purple heart was not returned until two years after his 1992 death. 

____________________________

About Love at First Flight

Can two people emerge from the clouds of past hurt to find a silver lining of love? 

 

Evelyn Reid would rather fly than do anything else, so when war engulfs the U.S., she joins the Women’s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron. One of the program’s top pilots, she is tapped for pursuit plane training...the dream of a lifetime until she discovers the instructor is her ex-fiancé, Jasper MacPherson. 

Collecting enough points to rotate stateside, fighter pilot Jasper MacPherson is assigned to teach the WAFS how to fly the army way. Bad enough to be training women, but things take a turn for the worse when his former fiancée shows up as one of his students.

Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/336lL9a

Talkshow Thursday: Welcome David Harder

Talkshow Thursday: Welcome David Harder 

Linda:  Welcome to my blog. Congratulations on your latest release, Persuaded: The Story of Nicodemus. What made you decide to try your hand at biblical fiction and what was your inspiration for the story?

David: I was reading the gospel of John and the time when Nicodemus came to visit Jesus. As I continued to read, I saw that Nicodemus was mentioned three times. In each case, Nicodemus shifts his perspective from doubter, to defender, to caretaker. I couldn’t find the name, Nicodemus, mentioned anywhere else in the New Testament. John wrote his gospel long after Matthew, Mark, and Luke wrote their versions of the Jesus story. John was reluctant to write his gospel because he felt he couldn’t add anything, but eventually he did complete his story of Jesus. Jon took a completely different style when he wrote about Jesus and covered many events that we will not find in the other gospels. I felt the mention of Nicodemus was significant, especially since John covered three separate events. John’s style of writing wasn’t extravagant, but he focused on important elements that highlighted the love of Jesus. The risks that Joseph and Nicodemus went through, to care for Jesus’ body after the crucifixion, spoke about their commitment to Jesus. My studies led me to believe there was a story about Nicodemus that readers needed to hear. Over the course of two years, I developed the material covered in Persuaded.

LM: What sort of research was required to write Persuaded and did you stumble on any tidbits you knew you had to include?

David: Countless hours were spent searching for related material to the Persuaded story. My bookmark for research contains over 100 tabs for the material alone. I read extra Biblical books, history records, research papers, and dissertation papers in an attempt to piece this puzzle together. When I covered the burial of Jesus, I could not find anything related to first century Jewish burials (Tahara in Hebrew). The information I did find indicated the process took several hours and longer than the time afforded Joseph and Nicodemus. It was rushed, which explains why the women rushed to the tomb to finish the job after Passover was complete on Monday. I devoted more than one chapter regarding this event because it needed to be told. 

Joseph and Nicodemus were both associated with the Sanhedrin and part of the powerful and wealthy organization. To care for Jesus after the Sanhedrin had dishonorably condemned Jesus to death, indicated these two men risked their reputations and possibly their lives to perform the Tahara. The second tidbit about this event covers the Jewish law regarding being unclean. According to Mosaic Law, touching a corpse prevented an individual from participating on religious services or functions without first a cleansing ritual (which included a sacrifice on the alter in the Temple). On Friday at around 6-6:30 pm (sundown), was the beginning of the Sabbath. It would end at Sunrise on Sunday. Friday was also the beginning of the Passover, a highly regarded holiday for Hebrews. Passover would last seven days. 

This means that Joseph and Nicodemus could not participate in Sabbath, nor could they attend Passover because they were unclean. Once they atoned for their actions in the Temple, everything would be right again. For two highly educated men in the Sanhedrin to remove themselves from a Sabbath and holy holiday, and care for a man condemned of breaking the Law, meant this was an important event.

LM: In addition to being an author, you are also an artist. How do you balance the two creative careers?

David: At present, my clay art is on hold. My latest back surgery required rods and screws where they fused my lower spine. Once I’m healed, I hope to return to the potter’s wheel, but I suspect

my projects will be smaller. For me, spending time on a wheel is centering. I disassociate with the world and get lost in the creativity with my hands. It’s no wonder there are plenty of references to clay and potters in the Bible.

I use my wheel in churches where I present my personal testimony and cover the parable about the prodigal son. The visual demonstration, connected with the words from the Bible, leave a lasting impression on people’s minds. It’s a form of ministry for me.

Writing allows me a different form of creativity and I can participate in the medium anywhere and anytime. I take notes on my phone and set down with my laptop and start new books all the time. I have four or five stories started in my computer for the future and at least five completed manuscripts. I’m always tinkering with my stories whenever I learn new information about the craft of writing, and receive inspiration for individual manuscripts.

LM: Can you tell us a bit about your journey to publication? What advice do you have for fledgling writers?

David: Never quit writing. If you feel inspired to write, then write. I started writing for my own sanity. Personal stress and calamity left me in a dark place of depression. When I wrote my first book, it was after I clawed my way back to the normal world. I wrote about that journey and it’s called, Carving Hope Out of Depression (non-fiction). Once you do start writing, realize your work may not appeal to a wide audience and it will contain many, many more errors than you realize. Be humble and accept the criticism, learn from your mistakes, and hone your craft.

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

David: For me, becoming an author is pretty quirky. Looking back at the dismal grades achieved in English classes of high school, I'm sure my teachers would find this news rather earth shattering. My careers revolved around high-tech computer gear. After my back injury in 1995, I realized that I would need to find different hobbies. I’ve made huge adjustments to physical activities and spare-time projects since then. With a creative mind and lots of energy, I need an outlet and writing has fulfilled this for me.

LM: Here are some quickies:

Mountains or Ocean for a vacation?

David: Mountains. The smells, the quietness, the beauty – nothing compares to the majesty of the great outdoors.

Sweet or Salty for a snack?

David: Oh, definitely both! In fact, Celtic sea salt caramels from the company Bequet (out of Montana) are divine. For some reason, salt and sweet work well together and probably why so many coffee houses offer drinks associated with these flavors.

Coffee or tea as your “go-to” drink?

David: I gave up caffeine years ago for health reasons. I switched to decaf teas and like the different flavors. Teas with an earthy taste appeal to me.

LM: What is your next project?

David: Currently I have two complete manuscripts which I’m putting the final touches on for publication.

The first, Adage Lake, is about a man name Sol King. When fire reduces his cherished wife and home to ashes, he travels to a different area to avoid the grief. Driven forward, his desperate intentions fail when life pushes back two-steps with harsh life-lessons. His heart hungers for peace, but he cannot get a break. Sometimes grasping for optimism is the sole enduring human strength that survives life’s challenges. This story examines the depths of a man’s character and his inner demons. Unwarranted tribulations shadow Sol’s journey, but he persists in the faith of a happier future. With wisdom, he redeems his situation, gains more than he expected, and finds restoration for his spiritual relationship. Adage Lake is Christian Fiction, Drama/Suspense.

The second project is Nazareth’s Craftsman:The Story of Joseph. We know so little about Jesus’ earthly father, and known as the husband of the Virgin Mary. While Biblical records provide limited information, oral traditions and extra Biblical texts provide more. A careful examination of the gospels provides additional insight about Joseph—his kindness, generous nature, and how devoted he was to God’s calling.

Nazareth’s Craftsman takes the reader on a journey through time and brings the Biblical characters alive. Joseph’s obedience and wisdom would prepare his adopted son for the world. Jesus wasn’t a soft, work-free individual, he rolled up his sleeves and pulled fishing nets into a boat. When Jesus sets off to start his ministry, his half-brothers and sisters are upset because as the oldest son, it was Jesus’ responsibility to care for the family and its business. In the formative years of Jesus, Joseph imparts his work ethics and a devotion to his mother.

LM: Where can folks find you on the web?

David: 

Website: https://www.davidharder.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbtCGKPiLuBOaE5esnQcsLg

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DavidHarderAuthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidcharder

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidcharder/

LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-harder-52393865/

WattPad: https://www.wattpad.com/user/davidharder

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19739604.David_Harder

AllAuthor: https://allauthor.com/author/davidharder/

FamilyFiction: https://www.familyfiction.com/authors/david-harder/

About Persuaded: The Story of Nicodemus:

Escaped narrowly after the fall of Jerusalem...

Pursued relentlessly by the Sanhedrin...

Entrusted covertly with a mission more significant than he had imagined...

 

From the prison colony on Patmos, the Apostle John entrusts Nicodemus with manuscripts for the Christian fellowships increasing throughout the Roman Empire. While transcribing the manuscript, Nicodemus is prompted to recall his former life and his encounter with Yeshua – a man of mystery, a healer, a teacher, and a prophet. It is an encounter that changes everything.

 

Under the cover of darkness, risking his reputation and endangering his life even further, it is here that Nicodemus realizes the world-changing power of the Good News...and what being a follower of Yeshua truly means.

Purchase Links: 

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Apple Books

Ambassador International

Talkshow Thursday: Welcome back, Allison Wells

Talkshow Thursday: Welcome back, Allison Wells

Linda:  Welcome back! It’s such a pleasure to have you visit again. Congratulations on your latest release, Bell of the Night.  What was your inspiration for this story?

Allison: Thank you so much for having me back. It’s always a pleasure. Bell of the Night was inspired by the photos of Mr. EJ Bellocq, who photographed many of the girls in Storyville, New Orleans’ legal red-light district, over 100 years ago. One photograph simply captured my attention and I knew I had to tell her story. (But I will give a warning, many of the photos do depict the ladies in stages of undress, so proceed with caution.)

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

Allison: There is a good bit of information about Storyville out there, which was very handy. But there wasn’t much on daily life, so much of that was made up. I looked up the names of actual madams and lawmen of Storyville, incorporating them where I could. I used maps from 1915 to show me the layout of the town and how easy it was for people to come and go to New Orleans. It was a lot of fun, research is always one of my favorite parts of writing a book.

LM: You write fiction and nonfiction. How is your process different for the two genres? The same?

Allison: The only non-fiction I write is in the form of magazine and news articles, so the process is

totally different. For those, I’m usually interviewing people for their expertise or experience, getting direct quotes, and I’m on a much tighter deadline. The hardest part is trying to condense my writing down to under 500 words because I have a space limit. I guess the similarity is that I write better under pressure, so knowing I need to get something done helps me buckle down and finish.

LM: How do you decide what to write about next?

Allison: I get inspired by so many things. A photograph, scripture, a song, a colorful family tall tale. Something will strike me as a story worth telling. I was watching a YouTube video the other day and someone was telling the story of a family member who refused to go west with her husband during the westward expansion - and she shot herself instead of getting in the wagon. I was floored, and I thought it would make a wonderful novel. Maybe one day!

LM: Have you ever struggled with writer’s block? What did you do to overcome it?

Allison: All the time. There are six people in my house and I work from home, so I’m constantly thinking I need to fold laundry or sweep the floor or something else instead of writing. Then I do sit down and nothing happens. The best way to overcome writer’s block, for me, is to spend time in prayer, focus on the story at hand, and just struggle through it. It may come out terrible, but at least I got through it and I can always go back and edit later.

LM: Here are some quickies:

Allison:

Ocean or lake? Lake, all the way.   

Walk, bicycle, or drive? Drive, I need the AC.

Sweet or salty snacks? Ooo, can I mix the two?

LM: What is your next project?

Allison: I’m currently working on a series of books set in the mid-1800s in South Carolina. The idea was a complete God-send, and He has really been directing my steps with it. I also have been working on a contemporary fiction novel loosely based on the Woman at the Well from John 4.

LM: Where can folks find you on the web?

Allison: All over the place!
Website: http://www.allisonwellswrites.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/allisonwellswrites
Instagram: @orangealli
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/orangealli
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18239522.Allison_Wells

________________________

About Bell of the Night:

Bluebell was sold to Victoria Knight, a well-known Storyville madam, at the tender age of eleven. Now at nineteen, Bell is numbed to her life—until an optimistic preacher named Teddy Sullivan comes to New Orleans, intent on saving the sinful souls of the South.

Teddy is instantly drawn to the petite brunette with sad eyes and longs to rescue her. Bell, however, decides that saving her friends from selling themselves in the Storyville cribs is more important than saving herself. In a fit of selfless desperation, Bell convinces Teddy to marry her best friend, which Teddy agrees to do while cooking up plans of his own.

When a handsome and rich client offers to take Bell from the brothel, Bell thinks all her prayers are finally answered, until she is forced onto the street with nowhere to go.

If Bell isn’t able to see that God loves her regardless of the path her life has taken, and Teddy can’t help Bell get even more of her friends out of Storyville, both risk not only losing sight of God’s plan...but each other.

Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3hcvYF3

Release Day: Love at First Flight

Release Day: Love at First Flight 

I'm excited to announce the release of Love at First Flight. I've been fascinated with the Women's Air Service Pilots since I first learned about them many years ago. I can't imagine what it must be like to fly a plane and admire anyone who can do so. The WASP program lasted less than sixteen months (with the Women's Auxiliary Flying Squadron starting the year before), yet made a great impact on WWII. Freeing men for combat these 1,074 women ferried planes, towed targets, and tested new aircraft. I hope this story honors them, especially the thirty eight who lost their lives in service.

Amazon

Love at First Flight is an Amazon exclusive. You may purchase the book or read it through your KU subscription.

 

Can two people emerge from the clouds of past hurt to find a silver lining of love?

 

Evelyn Reid would rather fly than do anything else, so when war engulfs the U.S., she joins the Women’s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron. One of the program’s top pilots, she is tapped for pursuit plane training...the dream of a lifetime until she discovers the instructor is her ex-fiancé, Jasper MacPherson.

 

Collecting enough points to rotate stateside, fighter pilot Jasper MacPherson is assigned to teach the WAFS how to fly the army way. Bad enough to be training women, but things take a turn for the worse when his former fiancée shows up as one of his students.

Talkshow Thursday: Meet Carol James

Talkshow Thursday: Meet Carol James

Linda:  Thanks for joining me today. Congratulations on the release of your novel Season of Hope. What was your inspiration for the story and why did you choose this particular era to set your story?

Carol: Linda, thanks so much for letting me visit and share about Hope and Josh’s story.

Season of Hope has been ten years in the making. It was the first manuscript I wrote. The plot was born out of the strife, rebellion, and uncertainty of the late nineteen-sixties and early nineteen-seventies (my high school and college years). While, to me, it seemed like a natural era in which to set the story, as I began to pitch the novel to agents and publishers, I quickly learned the Vietnam era was considered no-mans-land. It was not long ago enough to be nostalgic nor recent enough to be contemporary. A wise author friend told me to pack the novel away for a few years and work on other manuscripts while I waited. So, ten years later, I brushed it off, tweaked it, and here it is. Just like Hope, I had to wait for the right season.

LM: The age old question for writers – are you a planner or a “pantster,” and what is your favorite part of the writing process?

Carol: That’s a great question. I consider myself a hybrid…a Plantser. I do minimal planning prior to writing. I always choose a Bible verse (or two) and a song as my inspiration. For Season of Hope I chose Song of Songs 2:11-12: 

11 For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone;

12 The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is hear in our land;

 

And Aaron Keyes’ song Not Guilty Any More for my inspiration.

Once I’ve done that, I design three to four major plot points (usually the beginning, ending, point of commitment, and the black moment). As I write from point to point, I often let the characters lead. And that is my favorite part—being surprised in the direction we go. Sometimes my characters amaze me!

LM: How do you prepare yourself for writing?

Carol: I feel I am always writing—although I might not be putting any words down on paper. I’m always looking for ideas and inspiration. One of my favorite habits is my daily walk with my dog. Our small town park has a lovely walking trail surrounded by trees, flowers, birds, and a flowing stream. As Zoe ambles along and sniffs every inch, it’s the perfect time for me to slow down, too, and think. I can pray over my work. Maybe the surroundings will call up a song I’ve just heard, or a Bible verse I’ve just read. For me, being still mentally in creation stimulates my creativity. Oftentimes I’ll come home from our walks filled with inspiration for my current work or for a future story.

LM: You have several books out. Can you tell us a bit about your journey to publication?

Carol: I would be honored to share. I consider writing my ministry. The idea of writing came into my life in a season of big changes. I knew God was doing a new work in my life, but it took me a while to find out what it was. I never had a desire to be a writer until I read some of Karen Kingsbury’s novels. Her work showed me that Christian authors can, and should, tackle the big issues today’s readers are facing. For Mother’s Day, my oldest daughter took me to one of  Karen’s book signings. I remember standing in line thinking about what to say in the few seconds while she signed my book. When it was our turn, I blurted out, “I just love your books. In fact, your work has encouraged me to start writing. But I’m sure everyone tells you that.”

She shook her head and smiled. “No one’s ever told me that before.”

She was kind and warm and asked me questions about my work and my professional affiliations. Then she wrote a phone number on one of her cards and said, “Tell them Karen told you to call.” It was through her connections, my first novel, Rescuing Faith, was published. And that’s how it all started. An amazing story. Sometimes I still can’t believe it really happened.

LM: Here are some quickies:

Carol:

Favorite childhood book: Little House on the Prairie

Favorite food: Anything Mexican, or chocolate

Favorite vacation place: the English Lake Country

LM: What is your next project?

Carol: I have a Christmas novella entitled Redeeming Christmas releasing later this year, a new novel releasing in the next year entitled No Longer a Captive, and I am currently writing a novel with the working title of A Time for Singing. It’s the story of a man and woman who are both recovering from heart-breaking rejections and learning to trust and love (themselves and God) again. The two write secret, anonymous letters back and forth, and leave them in the drawers of an old inn. The idea is based on the Secret Drawer Society at Longfellow’s Wayside Inn. My husband and I stayed there a few years ago. When we discovered the drawers filled with letters, I knew I’d include that idea in a novel one day.

LM: Where can folks find you on the web?

Carol:

Website: www.carol-james.com

 

Social media links:

Facebook: Facebook.com/CarolJamesAuthor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caroljamesauthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CarolJamesAuth

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19149238.Carol_James

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/carol-james

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3duHqKc

 

About Season of Hope:

Hope Stockton’s life is dead, frozen in a winter of guilt, deceit, and fear. When handsome young pastor, Josh Lewis, comes to serve in her church, she wonders if she can trust him with her past. Will he be able to help her answer the questions that have been buried in her heart for years? Or will his own secrets drive them apart and prevent him from helping Hope find her spring of forgiveness?

           

Set in small town Texas in the years during and following the Vietnam war, Season of Hope is a story of forgiveness and restoration.

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

The History of Labor Day

 The History of Labor Day

 

Unless you work in the retail industry (which ironically causes the longest working hours for its employees), you’ll have the day off today in honor of Labor Day thanks to the labor movement and President Grover Cleveland. For many, Labor Day means the end of summer, and in non-pandemic times, returning to school. When it was created, the idea was to celebrate the contributions and achievements of American workers.

 

The late 1800s was the height of the Industrial Revolution, an interesting chapter in our country’s history. The period was marked by significant inventions, the development of time saving processes, and great financial success. However, these came at the cost of the average American who worked twelve-hour days and seven-day weeks for a pittance. Child labor was also rampant, with youngsters working in mills, factories, and mines, earning even less than the adults.

 

Manufacturing began to surpass agriculture as a means of employment, and labor unions appeared. As

working conditions worsened, the unions became more vocal, and gained hundreds of thousands of members. Strikes and rallies were organized as a way to protest poor conditions and compel employers to renegotiate hours and pay. Unfortunately, some of these events turned violent, with the Haymarket Riot of 1886 in Chicago being particularly violent.

 

On Tuesday, September 5, 1882, the Central Labor Union held its first Labor Day. In New York City, ten thousand workers marched in a parade from City Hall to Union Square. A picnic, a concert, and speeches marked the event. The second Labor Day was held on September 5, 1883. Several states passed legislation recognizing the day, but Congress wouldn’t legalize the holiday until 1894. The Uniform Monday Holiday Act of 1968 changed several holidays (including Labor Day), to ensure they would always be observed on Mondays so that federal employees could have more three-day weekends.

 

Enjoy your day!

________________________

About Love at First Flight:

Can two people emerge from the clouds of past hurt to find a silver lining of love?

 

Evelyn Reid would rather fly than do anything else, so when war engulfs the U.S., she joins the Women’s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron. One of the program’s top pilots, she is tapped for pursuit plane training...the dream of a lifetime until she discovers the instructor is her ex-fiancé, Jasper MacPherson.

 

Collecting enough points to rotate stateside, fighter pilot Jasper MacPherson is assigned to teach the WAFS how to fly the army way. Bad enough to be training women, but things take a turn for the worse when his former fiancée shows up as one of his students.

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

 

 

 

Fiction Friday: September New Releases!

 Fiction Friday: September New Releases!

Lots great new Christian and Clean-N-Wholesome books coming out in September. 

Love's Pure Light (Historical Romance, 09/01/20): Susanne Dietze, Janine Rosche, Deborah Raney, Shannon McNear: Be transported to unique time periods as you follow a treasured family nativity set through four generations of the Shepherd family. 

Purchase Link

Target for Ransom (Christian Romantic Suspense, 09/01/20): Laura Scott: Can he rescue the daughter he never knew he had?

Purchase Link

Something Worth Doing (Historical Fiction, 09/03/20): Jane Kirkpatrick: Based on a true story, a suffragist demonstrates resilience.

Purchase Link

Pam's Christmas Kisses (Contemporary Christian Romance, 09/07/20): Laura Domino: Love is more than meets the eye.

Purchase Link

Matching Points (Contemporary Christian Romance, 09/09/20): Nancy J. Farrier: She doesn't hold his past against him...can he forgive hers?

Purchase Link

Love at First Flight (Historic Romance, 09/15/20): Linda Shenton Matchett: Can two people emerge from the clouds of past hurt to find a silver lining of love?

Purchase Link

Hiding the Billionaire (Sweet Contemporary Romance, 09/18/20): Macie St. James: They have it all...except the one thing that matters most.

Purchase Link

Talkshow Thursday: Meet Christy Distler

Talkshow Thursday: Meet Christy Distler

Linda:  Thanks for joining me today. Congratulations on your book A Cord of Three Strands. The premise is fascinating. Where did you find your inspiration for the story?

CHRISTY: Thank you so much, and thank you for hosting me, Linda! My inspiration actually came from a dream. I know, cliché, right? But it’s true. Years ago I was working on the genealogy of my maternal grandmother’s family and came across a name—Seneca Lukens—that made me question the family’s connection to the Seneca tribe. That night Isaac Lukens—a man born to a French trader and a Lenape woman—showed up in a dream. From there I started writing his story, and it ended up intertwining with historical happenings and people.

LM: Research is an important part of the writing process. What sort of research did you do for A Cord of Three Strands? Did you unearth anything that was totally unexpected that you knew you had to include?

CHRISTY: ACTS required sooo much research. I had some general knowledge already since I love historical fiction and I attended Horsham Friends Meeting (the Quaker meeting in the book) for a couple of years when I was a young adult. That said, a lot of research was still necessary, especially since all the places in the story, as well as several people and the Friendly Association (the group of Philadelphia Quakers who attempted to act as a liaison between Pennsylvania and its Indian tribes) aren’t fictional. But I love research, so I didn’t mind it.

As far as unearthing something unexpected, yes—two things, actually. The first was the Friendly Association. I didn’t know about that until I started researching, and when I learned the group formed at exactly the time the book was set, I knew I had to include it. The other thing I learned didn’t end up in the book, but it gave me some real insight into what life was like in the eighteenth century. About a year after ACTS’s prologue takes place, Gwynedd Friends Meeting (the nearest meeting to Horsham) was hit by an epidemic, probably diphtheria, that took the lives of about sixty of the children—almost that entire generation—in two months’ time. Just inconceivable. Several of the children were cousins to my ancestors, and I’d love to find a way to somehow write a tribute to those children and their families. But wow, what an emotionally intense undertaking that would be.

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

CHRISTY: For ACTS, seeing it all come together in the end. I didn’t plot this novel like I did the one I’m working on right now, so seeing the way everything fell into place just perfectly (in my eyes, anyway) just amazed me. Of course, I know better than to take credit for that. God planted this story in my heart, and even though I tended it, he caused it to grow.

LM: You are a professional editor in addition to being a novelist. How do you balance the two roles? Is it difficult to turn off your internal editor as you’re drafting?

CHRISTY: It’s definitely a balancing act. Editing is a more right-brained activity while writing is more left-brained, and switching from one to the other on the fly doesn’t always go smoothly for me. I’ve found it’s best to set aside days for just writing (not editing my work or anyone else’s). Turning off the internal editor can be difficult too, which is why I’m probably one of the slowest writers I know. I tell my authors to get the story down on paper and worry about the more challenging details later, but I’m not so good at taking my own advice with this. I’m working on that. 😊

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

CHRISTY: The most challenging part for me has been believing I’m a “good-enough” writer. A lot of authors deal with some degree of impostor syndrome (doubting your talents or accomplishments), and that was the biggest hurdle for me. I love writing fiction so much that I could be happy writing only because I enjoy it, but then I came to the realization that, no matter my doubts, God has called me to write stories that bring glory to him, and that by not sharing them with others, I’m not being obedient. My deepest desire is to be obedient to him, so I had to get out of my own way and let him lead.

My advice: Ask God’s blessing and direction as you write, and study fiction craft. And enjoy the ride!

LM: Here are some quickies:

CHRISTY:

Favorite season: I love spring. I love fall too, but fall leads to winter, so spring wins.

Favorite vacation spot: Brant Beach, New Jersey

Favorite place to write: On the couch, with my dogs next to me.

LM: What is your next project?

CHRISTY: I’m almost finished a novel that checks two of the boxes on my (now defunct) Things I’ll Never Write list: romance and Amish—although it’s not really Amish since it takes place in an Old Order Mennonite community. It’s a pretty big jump from historical fiction, but I still have the Plain community connection. I also plan to do more with the Lukens family. Several of my ancestors were involved with the Underground Railroad, and I’d love to bring their stories to light.

LM: Where can folks find you on the web?

CHRISTY:
Website: https://christydistler.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChristyDistlerAuthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christydistlerauthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/christydistler
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/christydistler/a-cord-of-three-strands/
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/christy-distler
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/335328.Christy_Distler

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About A Cord of Three Strands:

Born to a French trader and a Lenape woman. Reared by Quakers. As the French & Indian War rages, one man strives for peace—between Pennsylvania and its Indian tribes, and between his own heart and mind.

As 1756 dawns, Isaac Lukens leaves the Pennsylvania wilderness after two years with the Lenape people. He’s failed to find the families of his birth parents, a French trader and a Lenape woman. Worse, the tribe he’s lived with, having rejected his peacemaking efforts, now ravages frontier settlements in retaliation. When he arrives in the Quaker community where he was reared, questions taunt him: Who is he—white man or Lenape? And where does he belong?

Elisabeth Alden, Isaac’s dearest childhood friend, is left to tend her young siblings alone upon her father’s death. Despite Isaac’s promise to care for her and the children, she battles resentment toward him for having left, while an unspeakable tragedy and her discordant courtship with a prominent Philadelphian weigh on her as well.

Elisabeth must marry or lose guardianship of her siblings, and her options threaten the life with her and the children that Isaac has come to love. Face with Elisabeth’s hesitancy to marry, the prospect of finding his family at last, and the opportunity to assist in the peace process between Pennsylvania and its Indian tribes, Isaac must determine where—and to whom—the Almighty has called him.

Purchase Link: http://amazon.com/dp/B088N8D1LK