Well, my big news is that back in June I finished writing my third novel, Red Clay Ashes. It’s a tale set during the Vietnam War and will be released on November 1. Currently it’s going through round 1 of editing. Here’s the official synopsis of it: Present-day: Who was Hazel Cerny? That’s the question her daughter Bee asks herself after her mother’s death upon discovering that Hazel was not the long-time recluse Bee had always thought her to be but actually an award-winning Vietnam War journalist. And that Bee’s earliest years were completely different from what she had believed them to be.
1967: Hazel Cerny has always wanted more in life, more than what her small Pennsylvania town and societal norms of 1960s America were willing to offer her. Following her graduation from college, she decides to throw caution to the wind and travels to Vietnam, determined to pursue her journalistic aspirations. Through grit and luck she becomes a war reporter, making her mark in a field predominantly male, breaking down the psychological barriers and mindsets that for too long had said, “you don’t belong here.” From the chaotic streets of Saigon, to the tunnels of Cu Chui, to the Tet Offensive, Hazel covers it all. She becomes the type of journalist most people only dream about becoming. And encounters a love that most people only dream about finding. But with love comes loss and everything else that war often brings. And just like the covers of my first two books, I’m absolutely in love with the one for Red Clay Ashes as it so perfectly captures the heart and essence of the story. The eBook is currently available for pre-order on Amazon by clicking here. It will also be available in paperback. Why write a novel about the Vietnam War you might ask. Well, for starters I knew so little about it. One of the main reasons I read and write historical fiction is to receive an education, to become knowledgeable on an event or period in history where there’s a missing gap. And with all the background historical research I undertook in writing Red Clay Ashes, I discovered just how big a gap that was. Even with this being my third historical fiction novel that I've written, not to mention its period setting was the most recent of the three, I found this one to be the most nerve-wracking to undertake, namely since the Vietnam War was the first ‘television war.' By that I mean everything was that much more documented and so maintaining historical accuracy was even more vital. And this quote from the 37th president of the United States perfectly sums it up and one that I love- “No event in American history is more misunderstood than the Vietnam War. It was misreported then, and it is misremembered now. Rarely have so many people been so wrong about so much. Never have the consequences of their misunderstanding been so tragic.” |
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I haven’t read any books this year that truly bowled me over as in past years but these two titles did stand out- The Secrets We Kept by Laura Prescott A historical fiction novel inspired by the real-life story of the CIA plot to infiltrate the hearts and minds of Soviet Russia, with a book that the Soviet Union had banned—Doctor Zhivago. I had only ever seen the screen adaptation of it so it was extremely fascinating to read the book’s backstory and see how much the mighty and powerful and ruthless Soviet Union feared a…book. A testament to the sheer power and force of words on a page. When Time Stopped: A Memoir of My Father’s War and What Remains by Ariana Neumann Another one of those books I’ve dubbed “historical non-fiction that reads like fiction.” In this memoir, Neumann plays the part of detective, delving into her father’s past, one that as a Holocaust survivor he had never told her about. What was of particular interest to me was that her father was Czech and so I was familiar with many of the sites featured and discussed in the book from having visited Prague and Terezin Ghetto/Concentration Camp during my trip to the Czech Republic in 2016. |
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Travel For my birthday this year, I celebrated it in the Upper Keyes, staying in Key Largo and Islamorada. I had fresh seafood, taste tested numerous key lime pie, and saw the most beautiful sunsets each night. I also soaked up so much wonderful rays of sun, it was truly a sublime time. I also just got back from Budapest, Hungary. It was my first time traveling abroad since I returned home from Southeast Asia in March of 2020 as well as being country #34 for me. I had long since wanted to visit Budapest, those iconic images of the beautiful and majestic Parliament building along the banks of the Danube always drawing me in, fueling my never-ending wanderlust. I packed in a lot during my rather limited time there but some of my favorite things were my private walking tour of the Buda side (it reminded me a lot of Prague's Castle District which I also loved), my delicious dinner at the restaurant, Hungarikum Bisztró, and as sad as it is to say it (that such places exist), the many Holocaust related sights and memorials. As a student of the Holocaust, it's quite a meaningful experience when you see this places first-hand. And as trips to Berlin and Vietnam inspired two of my novels with visits there, I can perhaps see Budapest serving as my muse for my fourth. As for future travels, later this year I'm headed to the Middle East (a new region of the world for me), to a country known for a famous wonder of the world. Stay tuned! |
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And I know I say it every time, but if you have read either of my novels, The Tears of Yesteryear and/or The Dead Are Resting, please leave a review for them on Amazon and Goodreads. It needn’t be long or eloquent, a sentence or two is perfect. But as someone who is independently published, reviews, not just ratings, are everything and help in spreading the word out about my books. So, if you enjoyed either or both of them, please let fellow bibliophiles know by writing a review. |
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