September 3 On this day, Britain and France officially declared war against Germany in 1939. Germany invaded Poland on September 1st and through their “lightning” attack, reduced the country to rubble in a short time. For the month of September, I will highlight World War II stories and more – including an interview with author Sarah Sundin, a World War II historical fiction writer.
An incredible journey…
The story of how the infamous B-17 Bomber ended up off the highway in Milwaukie, Oregon…(excerpts from thebomber.com) While Lacey’s retired war bird is a familiar landmark in Milwaukie, Oregon, few realize the incredible chain of events that actually landed it there. As a young flier and gasoline station owner, he had a vision of a novel combination of both. His subsequent quest for a retired war plane took him to the U.S. Air Force’s Altus Air Base in Oklahoma. The stranger from Oregon told them he wanted to buy the plane to be used as an advertising gimmick back home. Put it up over his gas station, he said....
ACFW meeting last night…
Last night, I was reminded exactly why I work so hard to become a published author. The Portland/Vancouver Chapter of the American Christian Fiction Writers group met yesterday and amongst other great news and camaraderie, one of the members, Christina Berry, is celebrating the release of her first book, The Familiar Stranger. The pure joy on her face was priceless. This is a woman who worked on this novel for more than ten years, with more than 45 rejections. Now, the book, published by Moody, is a striking figure for any bookshelf. Congratulations, Christina! The hard work was well worth it! In the writing group, there are writers of all...
The value of non-fiction, for a fiction writer
At the Oregon Christian Writers Summer Conference, an agent I spoke with commented journalism is a great place for novelists – fiction writers – to start. I agree in many ways. In journalism, you learn to write concisely, use vivid, moving quotes, hook your reader from the very start, and follow the stylebook to the letter. One problem, however, is the differences in writing style. For instance, journalists use the AP Stylebook while CBA publishers use the Chicago Manual of Style. There are many key differences that after four or five years as a journalist, I find difficult to switch to. Spelling out all numbers, among other things, are habits...
Living History
For the typical resident of the Pacific Northwest, Fort Vancouver is a distant memory from your third-grade field trip. The tall, towering palisades, the blacksmith shop and carpentry shop. Then, that tall bastion in the corner you can climb all the way up. For me, this National Park Service site is a treasure. For two summers, I worked as a fee collector (wearing the whole uniform getup! – Please, hold the Smokey-the-Bear jokes – that is the Forest Service, folks, not the NPS). In watching tour after tour, family after family enjoying the exhibits and demonstrations, I realized the true value of living history. Reading history from a book is...