What To Write ♦ Story Background ♦ Terri Wangard ♦ Giveaway

What To Write?

A guest blog post by Terri Wangard

with a Giveaway (see below)

After eight years of thinking, breathing, researching B-17s for my Promise For Tomorrow series, I was ready to disembark and concentrate on something else. But what? I had a vague idea of three friends who joined the WAC, the WAVES, and the WASPs, but nothing crystalized. Except for the WAC.

I didn’t want to completely turn away from flying, and I prefer topics that aren’t commonly known. How about a grasshopper pilot? My second character was on board.

I had toyed with the idea of a family generational series. A World War II story paired with a World War I story. But no, too unwieldy.

The WAC could have a sister, though, who stayed on the home front and did factory work. Oh, dear. I couldn’t completely stay away from B-17s. She’s building them.

She also needs a husband. He’ll be in the navy, and not on an aircraft carrier. A destroyer! I studied the list of Pacific destroyers and, oooh, the Spence. All kinds of possibilities there.

So there I had it: a sailor, his Rosie-the-Riveter wife, her WAC sister, and a grasshopper pilot. They’re all doing their part to help win the war, but sometimes the enemy isn’t obvious.

While researching the Pacific War, I came across the story of the USS Tabberer, a destroyer escort. I loved it, but I couldn’t use it in Wheresoever They May Be. It had nothing to do with my sailor.

When the opportunity to contribute a short story for a historical Christmas collection came, I immediately thought of the Tabberer.

A destroyer escort is among the smallest of warships, but the Tabberer has the heart of a giant. A typhoon threatens the US Fleet in the Pacific during World War II, days before Christmas. The men of the Tabberer stand tall as they rush to the aid of their fellow sailors. For Seaman Jerry Collier, the typhoon prompts a greater awareness of what he wants in life. First, though, they have to survive.

About Terri: 

Terri Wangard grew up in Green Bay, Wisconsin, during the Lombardi Glory Years. Her first Girl Scout badge was the Writer. Holder of a bachelor’s degree in history and a master’s degree in library science, she keeps busy as an associate editor of Classic Boating Magazine, a family business since 1984.

Connect with Terri:www.terriwangard.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AuthorTerriWangard
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/terriwangard/  
Twitter: @TerriWangard

About the Giveaway:
Terri is offering a free Kindle version of The Hope of Christmas to one of this blog's readers. Entering is easy ... Just leave your name and email address (disguised) in the comment section below, and answer this question:

Do you like to read WWII Stories?

Giveaway ends on Thursday, December 28 ... one week from today, at Midnight O'clock, CST. Spread the word!

Featuring Author Terri Wangard

Featured Book: Soar Like Eagles

Author: Terri Wangard

Publisher: Celebrate Lit Publishing Group

Released:  December 2016

Genre: Historical / Historical Romance

PLEASE WELCOME AUTHOR TERRI WANGARD AS SHE SHARES INFORMATION ABOUT THE WRITING OF THIS BOOK SET IN WWII. TAKE IT AWAY, TERRI . . .

For the third book of my World War II series, I needed something to involve my main character with. At first I considered the train canteens, where volunteers laden with food met troop trains crisscrossing the country. That wouldn’t work though, because my navigator was heading overseas and I didn’t want a correspondence relationship. Then I discovered the Red Cross clubmobiles.

The American Red Cross operated canteens on the home front and clubs and clubmobiles overseas during World War II to provide soldiers and sailors with a cup of coffee, a doughnut, and a bit of friendly conversation that gave the men a familiar connection with home.

The Red Cross operated canteens in World War I when thousands of service personnel were traveling by train between their homes and camps and then to the ships that took them overseas. With the United States’ sudden entrance into World War II in 1941, the American Red Cross once again cared for troops on the move. Stateside, the Red Cross operated canteens near military installations, at train stations, ports of embarkation, and at military airfields. Canteen volunteers worked tirelessly securing donated and purchased supplies, preparing food and drinks, setting up facilities, and serving the troops.

Around the world, the Red Cross staffed permanent service clubs, traveling clubmobiles, and other recreational facilities. Service clubs provided refreshments, accommodations, and comfort and recreational activities wherever American troops were located overseas. In major cities, they offered meals, recreational activities, overnight accommodations, and barbershops and laundries. Some also provided sightseeing opportunities, touring museums, castles and cathedrals, and attending local theaters and movie houses.

Smaller clubs provided food in outlying areas near American military camps. The Red Cross also operated rest homes, often in stately manor houses in rural, tranquil locations overseas, for service personnel needing respite from the pressures of war.

To serve military sites in isolated areas, the Red Cross used clubmobiles in Great Britain in 1942 and later, the continent. Staffed by three American Red Cross women and a local driver in England, they visited several sites in a day, bringing refreshments, entertainment, and a touch of home to the troops in a foreign land. They used converted half-ton trucks and single-deck London buses, which featured kitchen equipment for making and serving doughnuts and coffee. Some carried phonographs and loudspeakers to provide music for the troops, and the women often danced with the servicemen. On the continent, the women had to drive and service their trucks.

Many American servicemen had never traveled far from home. At Red Cross clubs and clubmobiles in far-flung places around the globe, they received a connection to home and civilian life through friendly American women and familiar food. The Red Cross served a basic purpose of raising morale.

 ♦ ♦ ♦

Carol Doucet of Soar Like Eagles was proud to be a Doughnut Girl. 

She wants to do her part for the war, but struggles to maintain her ideals.

He joins the air force, hoping to find peace.

            Carol becomes a Red Cross doughnut girl, serving GIs and boosting their morale. Believing wartime romances are doomed to disappointment, she attempts to avoid entanglements and transfers to France, away from Chet, the airman she’s falling for.

            Chet’s father always belittled him. Now a well-regarded navigator, he longs to prove him wrong. After he’s ditched in the North Sea, parachuted into France, and been called before a review, his focus changes to staying alive, and winning the Red Cross girl he keeps crossing paths with.

♦ ♦ ♦ 

Terri Wangard grew up in Green Bay, Wisconsin, during the Lombardi Glory Years. Her first Girl Scout badge was the Writer. These days she is writing historical fiction, and won the 2013 Writers on the Storm contest and 2013 First Impressions, as well as being a 2012 Genesis finalist. Holder of a bachelor’s degree in history and a master’s degree in library science, she lives in Wisconsin. Her research included going for a ride in a WWII B-17 Flying Fortress bomber. Classic Boating Magazine, a family business since 1984, keeps her busy as an associate editor.

Connect with Terri:
www.terriwangard.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AuthorTerriWangard
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/terriwangard/

Buy link:  http://amzn.to/2dMEDNJ

Soar Like Eagles won the ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) First Impressions contest as a historical, but could be considered a historical romance.

JENNIE: A character interview by Terri Wangard

PLEASE WELCOME author Terri Wangard as my Guest Blogger today. All set? Let’s go!

Getting to know Jennie, by Terri Wangard

• Title: No Neutral Ground  (2012 Genesis finalist)
• Publisher: HopeSprings Books
• Release Date: May 3
• Genre: historical romance, according to the sub-title
• Stand alone or Series: Book 2 of Promise For Tomorrow, but can stand alone

Buy he Book: http://amzn.to/1q6LFTt

♦ ♦ ♦

No Neutral Ground is the newly released, second book of my Promise for Tomorrow series.

After his father divorces his mother because of her Jewish ancestry, Rafe and the rest of his family flee Germany. As a B-17 navigator, he returns to Europe. Flying missions against his former homeland arouses emotions that surprise Rafe. Despite being rejected, he is troubled by the destruction of Germany and his heart still cries for his father’s love.

Sweden may be neutral, but it’s full of intrigue. Jennie assists the OSS at the American legation in Sweden. She thought she’d be doing passive, behind-the-scenes work. Instead, she’s pushed into an active role to gain intelligence and frustrate the Germans.

How can Rafe and Jennie succeed in their dangerous roles when they are so conflicted?

♦ ♦ ♦

Get to know Jennie Lindquist in this interview.

You traveled overseas in 1944. What did you do in the war years before that?

I worked at the Chicago art museum where I put together special exhibits like “Art in War: American Artists’ Record of War and Defense.” I also conducted tours through the museum for school groups.

What prompted you to go overseas?

Rumors of layoffs swirled around the museum, with the understanding that the last hired would be the first fired. I don’t know how true the rumors were, but my dad saw them as an opportunity to spread my wings and go to Sweden, where he was a military attaché.

My boss at the museum thought that was a great idea. He said, “Sweden is one of very few countries escaping the destruction of war. It represents a unique opportunity to be near the conflict but not involved. Think of it. You could have a ringside seat.”

Being ringside to a vicious war didn’t sound appealing, but he also said I could scout out possible exhibitions for after the war. Other countries wouldn’t be able to take part in exchanges, what with the mess they were in and their art stolen or destroyed. The possibility of scouting for the museum was enticing, and a job would be waiting for me when I returned.

Were you aware of what was happening to museums in occupied Europe?

Yes. We knew works of art had been taken from France, Belgium, and other occupied countries to Germany for what the Germans called safekeeping. An anonymous French museum official says they were quite capable of caring for their artwork, and they had grave fears of ever seeing it again. The Germans just took whatever they wanted.

You traveled across the Atlantic on the Queen Mary. Were you concerned about submarines?

By 1944, the U-boats weren’t having the success they enjoyed earlier in the war. Both of the Queens were supposed to travel so fast, the U-boats couldn’t set up a shot. I never heard of either ship having a torpedo fired in their direction. That gave me confidence I wouldn’t have had if I’d traveled on a Liberty ship.

How did you like being one of few women among all the troops making the crossing?

Over twelve thousand servicemen packed in, plus the nurses in a few medical units. But you know, being so crowded made it safer for us. There was no privacy. No man could be improper toward us without someone to rescue us.

You managed to have a shipboard romance.

Oh, I wouldn’t call it a romance. Rafe and I did spend a lot of time together, and I hoped to see him again after the war. I wondered about him often. Being part of a B-17 crew was so dangerous. And then his plane crashed in Sweden and there he was, covered in blood. My heart stood still.

You had a brief but intense training course for the OSS. You saw no danger there?

I was convinced I’d work behind the scenes. And I was going to Sweden. That was hugely different from being an agent in Germany. Still, when I was assigned to leave the legation and meet with agents, I definitely had qualms. Not until Rafe joined me did I start to enjoy our outings. They could still be nerve-wracking, but Rafe made it fun. Of course, as a former German national, the war was very personal for him.

Did you have any misgivings about Rafe being from Germany?

Never. I knew the day we met that he was angry with the Germans and with his father for rejecting him and the rest of their family because of Jewish ancestry. It hurt him to see Germany being destroyed. By war’s end, he came to understand how his father had been unable to cope with the belligerence of the Nazis. How would any of us react if we’d with a government turned so vicious? I’m so glad we found Rafe’s father in Cologne after the war and their relationship began to heal. Remembering their embrace still brings tears to my eyes.

 

Terri Wangard’s first Girl Scout badge was the Writer. These days she is writing historical fiction, and won the 2013 Writers on the Storm contest and 2013 First Impressions, as well as being a 2012 Genesis finalist. Holder of a bachelor’s degree in history and a master’s degree in library science, she lives in Wisconsin. Her research included going for a ride in a WWII B-17 Flying Fortress bomber. Classic Boating Magazine, a family business since 1984, keeps her occupied as an associate editor.

Getting to Know Terri Wangard: An Interview w/Giveaway

 

Terri Wangard’s first Girl Scout badge was the Writer. These days she is writing historical fiction, and won the 2013 Writers on the Storm contest and 2013 First Impressions, as well as being a 2012 Genesis finalist. Holder of a bachelor’s degree in history and a master’s degree in library science, she lives in Wisconsin. Her research included going for a ride in a WWII B-17 Flying Fortress bomber. Classic Boating Magazine, a family business since 1984, keeps her occupied as an associate editor.

 

Welcome to Whispers in Purple, Terri. I’m so pleased to meet you, learn a little bit about you, and talk about your book, Friends and Enemies.

**Note: Terri is giving away a digital copy of Friends and Enemies. See details below**

Okay, are you ready, Terri? Then here we go:

Tell us five random things about you.

• I’ve lived in all four continental time zones, in Wisconsin, Michigan, California, and Utah.
• I love chocolate, but it’s an allergy and a migraine trigger, so I have to be cautious.
• Many years ago, I attended concerts by the Osmonds and the Carpenters.
• I’ve been to 46 of the 50 states. I haven’t been to Delaware, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi.
• I have a Masters of Library Science degree.

Wow, that’s impressive! And I’m jealous that you’ve been to both Alaska and Hawaii.

List five things you must have in your life—people NOT included.

Books (does this count as one thing or would five books be five things??), apples ( preferably Cortland), Sudoku puzzles (I always do the puzzle in the morning paper while eating breakfast), music CDs, and birdsong.

Although ‘books’ is plural, I think they can be counted as ONE item

What do you do just for you?

I used to do a lot of cross-stitch until all the walls are filled with my “masterpieces.” I watch a lot of NCIS and Castle on the treadmill. My library card gets a regular workout.

Describe your writing process.

My research consists of lots of memoirs. I’m more of a pantster than a plotter, although I try to plan the gist of each chapter. After finishing a chapter, I’ll flesh out the next before writing. Since I work full-time and am highly prone to migraines, my writing is restricted to weekends. (Yes, it takes me a long time to finish a project.)

Fun question: If you were born into the animal kingdom instead of the human race, what would you be, and why?

Probably a small dog—Yorkie or Dachshund—because they’re cuddly.

Now, let’s get to the book we’re featuring today:

• · Title: Friends and Enemies
• · Publisher: HopeSprings, an imprint of Chalfont House
• · Release date: January 5, 2016
• · Genre: Historical. It’s subtitled A World War II Romance, but there’s just a touch of romance.
• · Stand-alone or series: This is Book One of the Promise For Tomorrow series.
• · Target Audience: Women who enjoy history. Some readers feel men would enjoy it because of all the B-17 action.

 

What’s the book about and how did you come to write it?

World War II rages across Europe, particularly in Germany, claiming the life of Heidi Wetzel’s husband. In a bid to escape the frequent bombings of German cities, Heidi and her sister flee Hagen to a farm in the German countryside, where they help care for orphaned children. While there, Heidi comes across an American airman, Paul, whom she knows from living in Milwaukee during her high school years. When Paul’s plane is shot down over Germany, his only thought is survival—until he hears God’s voice guiding him to his late wife’s friend.

Friends and Enemies was inspired by a batch of letters written in 1946-8 from distant cousins in Germany who were receiving care packages from my grandparents. The letters don’t share much about their experiences during the war or what they thought of the Nazis. So I created a story for them.

Give us the back cover blurb.

Widowed seamstress Heidi Wetzel finds new meaning in life by caring for evacuated children on a farm in war-torn western Germany. Never a supporter of National Socialism, she takes pleasure in passive resistance, but must exercise caution around neighbors who delight in reporting to the Gestapo. Having lived in the United States, she wonders about her friend Rachel.

Flying cadet Paul Braedel’s wife dies while he trains for the U.S. Army Air Corps. Following bereavement leave, he joins a navigation class. He’s lost his zest for life and heads to England, not caring if he lives or dies.

When he and his crew are shot down over Germany, he evades capture and, for the first time since Rachel’s death, hears the voice of God whisper guidance. “Find Heidi.”

Heidi meets a man she recognizes from her high school days in America. Aiding a downed airman is punishable by execution, but she agrees to help. Then they’re betrayed.

Where can folks find you on the Internet? (social media links, blog/website, etc)

• My website/blog is at www.terriwangard.com.
• I’m also at https://www.facebook.com/AuthorTerriWangard/
• and https://www.pinterest.com/terriwangard/

 

**About the Giveaway:

Terri is giving away one free eBook of Friends and Enemies. Entering is easy. Just leave a comment below with your name and email address (i.e. you-at-abcxyz-dot-com) so we can contact you if you’re the winner. Giveaway ends on Wednesday, February 10, at Midnight, Central Time. That’s it! But please feel free to ask Terri a question, either about the book, or about herself. She’ll be checking in regularly. Thanks!

Thank you so much for being my guest today, Terri. It’s been fun getting to know you, and a pleasure to be able to help promote your book. Many blessings.