Category: My Journey
The True Story of General Patton’s New Boots
My last blog explained the process of expanding and fictionalizing the true stories Herman told me. This imagining and expanding of Herman’s memories was great creative fun. Far more difficult, but equally important, was culling redundant or irrelevant sections so the novel maintained a momentum to keep the reader engaged. …
Truth vs Fiction: A Book Group Question about Immigrant Soldier
When I am speaking with book clubs who have read Immigrant Soldier, one of the questions I am most often asked is: “What parts are true and what bits are totally from the author’s imagination?” Naturally in the limited time we usually have, and in the limited space of a blog post, I cannot go through the…
The Ritchie Boys and D-Day
I have just returned from a trip to France which included almost a month in a Brittany village and a tour with Road Scholar. Because of my interest in World War II, the highlight of the tour was the two days dedicated to learning about the Normandy Landings on D-Day. We visited…
The Battle of Saint-Malo in World War II
Ever since I first visited Saint-Malo with my daughter in 1998, I have wanted to return. It is a beautiful old walled city on the Brittany coast of France where extreme tides create a dynamic backdrop. However, it was not until last year when I read All the Light We Cannot See, by Anthony Doerr, that I realized this beautiful city was decimated…
The Archivist of the Ritchie Boys
Whenever I need statistics about the Ritchie Boys, I contact Dan Gross. I have come to call him “The Archivist.” I don’t know if this title is original to me, or if I heard it somewhere, but it is well-deserved. For the last decade, Dan has spent countless hours researching the Ritchie Boys at the…
Book Groups Read Immigrant Soldier Together
In the last few months, several book clubs have let me know that they have read or are planning to read Immigrant Soldier together as a group. Most of the groups are located near me, in Southern California. In some cases, they have invited me to attend their discussion evening, a prospect both intimidating and exciting. Recently…
World War II Veterans Are In Their 90s
Last week, I read an article in the Smithsonian Magazine , titled, “Lone Star,” a tribute to a 91 year old WWII veteran. Written by Al Reinert, the story touched my heart with its description of the wartime experiences and current struggles with aging experienced by Ray Halliburton of Luling, Texas. Illustrated with poignant photos of Ray, the…
On The Road With Herman
Herman and I have been on the road for two weeks. First in Florida, now in Arkansas, I have been visiting dear friends and making presentations at several community venues. It has been at the same time, pleasant, enlightening, and occasionally frustrating. Never entirely comfortable with public speaking, I have surprised myself by how much…
Finding My Radio Voice
I have been on the radio twice and it still makes me nervous. We in Laguna Beach (California) are lucky to have our own radio station, KX 93.5 FM. It is a commercial-free, community station that plays music from the 1960s forward, interviews local personalities, and announces area events. Though it has only been in operation…
Happy Days at The Wilderness
One of the unexpected bonuses that came with the publication of Immigrant Soldier has been a connection between myself and my English cousin. In the novel, Hazel is the un-named baby who is trundled in her pram to the underground shelter each night by Edith and Clara. Raised in different continents, separated by wartime, the Atlantic Ocean,…