Patriotic Service Leads to Victories in Romance Part 3 and Part 4

Homefront Heroines Novella Collection

continued from May 14

Part 3    "Blue Moon" by Johnnie Alexander

               1943, Oak Ridge, Tennessee

After humiliating each other, a WOOPs officer and an Army Intelligence agent team up to protect a top-secret atomic bomb facility from sabotage.

You may have noticed our stories are named for song titles from the 1940s. The lyrics to “Blue Moon” inspired the opening of my story, which occurs on a blue moon night. My heroine, Kathleen, serves with the Women Officers of Public Safety (WOOPS), tasked by the Tennessee Valley Authority to guard the dams and other important facilities in the area.

My story was also inspired by Oak Ridge, also known as the Secret City and the Atomic City. I toured a museum dedicated to preserving the town’s unique history and listened to hours of recorded interviews with people who had lived in and worked at the government-built town.

My hope is that my characters’ fighting spirit honors the courageous men and women who sacrificed so much to protect our country both in the battlefields and here at home.

Johnnie Alexander creates characters you want to meet and imagines stories you won't forget. Her award-winning debut novel, Where Treasure Hides, is a CBA bestseller and has been translated into Dutch and Norwegian. She also writes contemporary romances, cozy mysteries, light-hearted suspense and historicals. A fan of classic movies, stacks of books, and road trips, Johnnie shares a life of quiet adventure with Griff, her happy-go-lucky collie, and Rugby, her raccoon-treeing papillon. Connect with her on her website and on Facebook.

Part 4     “Dream a Little Dream” by Amanda Barratt

               

               1945, Palm Springs, California

When an army nurse and a former film star are reunited at a wartime hospital, can they move beyond their past and into a future together?

Dream a Little Dream was inspired by the courage and tenacity of the men and women who served in WWII in a variety of capacities. From nurses caring for the wounded in veterans hospitals (like my heroine), to fighter pilots in the Pacific Theater (like my hero), to entertainers like Bob Hope who brought laughter into places rife with grim realities, each had a role to play.

I especially loved exploring the stories of the actors and actresses who gave up safe careers in Hollywood to fight for victory alongside their fellow countrymen, as well as those of the brave nurses who served overseas and on the home front. Their dedication and willingness to devote themselves to a greater cause inspires me. 

Amanda Barratt,  ECPA best-selling author, fell in love with writing in grade school when she wrote her first story—a spinoff of Jane Eyre. Now, Amanda writes romantic, historical fiction, penning stories of beauty and brokenness set against the backdrop of bygone eras not so very different from our own. Her novel My Dearest Dietrich: A Novel of Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Lost Love, released from Kregel Publications in June 2019. Amanda lives in the woods of Michigan with her fabulous family, where she can be found reading way too many books, plotting her next novel, and jotting down imaginary travel itineraries for her dream vacation to Europe. Connect with her on Facebook and visit her online at amandabarratt.net. 

Jumping Into Writing, Part One

By Lynn U. Watson

After publishing three devotional collections, I’ve jumped with passion into writing my first novel. A true story from the life of my great grandmother stirred my imagination and my compassion. But my WIP is rough at best.

During the recent Mid-South Christian Writers Conference, I enrolled in the “First Chapter Critique Group” led by award-winning novelists, Johnnie Alexander and Patricia Bradley. Other members of the group also based their work on family stories, both contemporary and historic. Not allowing the specifics we know about our story to control the fictional account we create isn’t always easy. It requires us to write with the backdrop of the facts we know, while developing memorable characters, great scenes, and a riveting story that’s mostly all made up.

To gather more insight into this, I also attended Johnnie and Pat’s workshop: “Creating Characters with Personality and Pizzazz.” They loaded their mini-class with reminders of what it takes to bring our characters alive on the page. From both groups here are hints I brought home with me:

1. Ask your character what motivates him/her?
2. Ask your character what he/she fears?
3. What can’t your character do in the beginning? How will that change by the end?
4. Develop your character’s personality (Myers-Briggs helpful here)
5. Elicit emotions that deepen the connections of your characters with your readers.
6. Get to know your characters better by channeling them. Tap into your own emotions – (For the protagonist you might close your eyes and imagine; for the antagonist, think “evil.”)
7. Develop your character’s point of view.
8. Incorporate strong and realistic dialogue to move the story along. (That may include sentence fragments, slang, dialect.)
9. Always be a student of the craft of writing and learn it well. Read successful author’s books on the topic of writing. Here’s a list of Johnnie and Pat’s suggestions:

-The Emotion Thesaurus:A Writer’s Guide to Character Expression by Angela Ackerman & Becca Puglisi (There are six in this excellent series. I own four and am eager to add the others.)

-The Emotional Craft of Fiction: How to Write the Story Beneath the Surface by Donald Maass (I’ve just begun this one – two chapters in, and I know he has much to teach any author.)

-Getting into Character:Seven Secrets a Novelist Can Learn from Actors by Brandilyn Collins (Another great little volume already in my author’s library.)

-Self-Editing for Fiction Writers: How to Edit Yourself into Print by Renni Browne & Dave King

-Story Trumps Structure:How to Write Unforgettable Fiction by Breaking the Rules by Steven James (Now that sounds interesting. Know the rules but break them.)

-Writing Deep Viewpoint:Invite Your Readers into the Story by Kathy Tyers,

-Writing with Emotion,Tension & Conflict: Techniques for Crafting an Expressive and CompellingNovel by Cheryl St. John

Part Two of Lynn’s post will appear on Monday.

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Lynn U. Watson combines many years' experience in women's ministry, love of essential oils, and her passion for God's word to bring her readers freshly inspired encouragement for their walk with Jesus. Her devotional, The Essence of Courage, was recognized as a 'must read' by regional publishing industry leaders. Married since 1973, Lynn and Steve have filled their Bartlett, Tennessee home with handmade treasures and lots of love for family, especially their five beautiful (of course) grandchildren. Aromas of freshly baked bread often fill Lynn's kitchen. Jasmine, her tuxedo kitty, enjoys sleeping in Lynn's lap while she writes. Here is my website link: https://lynnuwatson.com/

Serendipitous Symbolism

By Johnnie Alexander

For a reason I no longer remember, I decided my characters, a British soldier and an American actress working as a spy for the Allies, needed to visit Plymouth Sound in England. Perhaps for a little R&R from the rigors of enduring World War II.

As I researched the area, I stumbled across a landmark known as Smeaton’s Tower. Originally, the monument was the third or fourth lighthouse built on a rock called the Eddystone in the mid-1700s.

The Yorkshire designer, John Smeaton, based his design for the lighthouse on an English oak. Though made of stone instead of wood, the lighthouse symbolized strength. Over the years, the unique design withstood the sea’s wild waves, but the tower’s foundation was weak. You see, the Eddystone rock was a cave.

In the 1880s, another lighthouse was built on a nearby rock. The base of Smeaton’s Tower remained on the Eddystone, but the tower, now situated on dry land, became a memorial to its designer.

Voila!

Without intending to, I discovered more than a mere landmark for my characters to visit. Instead the tower’s story became a symbol within their story.

The American actress had just learned her brother was killed on D-Day. Another brother was missing in action. The British soldier relates the tower’s history then gestures toward the surrounding city.

“Plymouth has been ravaged by the Blitz, but this tower is still here. We’re still here.”

Several chapters later, the soldier compares the actress to the tower.

“In a way, you’re like Smeaton’s Lighthouse. Strong, yet resilient. But what do you rely on when the storm is ravaging?”

“How do you stay strong in your faith, Ian?” she asked. “You, who have lost so much.”

“My faith is built on solid rock. There’s no cave weakening my foundation. I wish you’d accept that, too.”

A little bit of research provided a historical detail that quietly resonated with a message of faith and hope.

Smeaton Tower provides a universal lesson, but often an object becomes a symbol because of its unique and individual meaning.

For instance, I once drove by myself from Florida to Ohio during a winter storm warning. While driving through the Appalachian foothills, my car’s reading of the outside temperature dropped from 16 to 0 in only a few minutes.

A little scared (and a lot distressed for other reasons), I prayed for safety and wisdom.

Soon after, a cardinal flitted across my path, surprising me with its bright red appearance against the snowy backdrop.

 A cardinal? Flying around in this weather?

Though I’d lived most of my adult life in Florida, I’m a native Buckeye. The cardinal is Ohio’s state bird. To me, this regal bird was a gift from God and a reminder that I was not alone on my journey.

A character in one of my stories could easily experience something similar.

Serendipitous symbols.

Sometimes they appear when you’re looking for something else, and sometimes they appear when they’re least expected.

Sometimes their meaning is universal, and sometimes it’s extremely personal.

Either way, symbols add depth to a story and uniqueness to a character.

Author’s note: The manuscript I quote from is unpublished, but the British soldier is the hero of my debut novel Where Treasure Hides.

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Johnnie Alexander writes inspiring stories that linger in the heart. Where Treasure Hides, her debut novel, won the American Christian Fiction Writers Genesis Contest (2011) and Golden Leaf Award (2014). Her first contemporary romance, Where She Belongs (Misty Willow Series; Revell), and her first novella, “The Healing Promise” (Courageous Bride Collection; Barbour), release in 2016. She also has won Best Novel and Best Writer awards (Florida Christian Writers Conferences), and Bronze Medalist (My Book Therapy Frasier Contest). She volunteers as a category coordinator for the ACFW Genesis Contest, judges various contests, and serves as marketing director for the MidSouth Christian Writers Conference. A graduate of Rollins College (Orlando) with a Master of Liberal Studies degree, Johnnie treasures family memories, classic movies, road trips, and stacks of books. She lives in the Memphis area with a small herd of alpacas and Rugby, the princely papillon who trees raccoons. Her social media links are: Website ~ Facebook (Profile) ~ Facebook (Author Page) ~ Twitter