First off, my thoughts and prayers are with the people of Ukraine. I hope the war ends swiftly and in their favor.
The world is on edge about how more aggressive Russia might get. Will Putin push it to the brink of a major World War? Let us pray, too, that that will never happen.
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Now a reminder that the contest at Booksweeps that I’m sponsoring with 30+ other authors is winding down to the last couple of days – it ends at midnight March 9. Many of my writer friends are like me in having a tension about promoting ourselves while people on the other side of the world are face-to-face with a deadly enemy. As one Twitter friends said, “How can I hawk my books while Ukraine is under attack?”
A tough question. Do we all put our lives and business on hold? Another Twitter friend said, “No. If we all freeze in fear and dismay, Putin wins.”
So I am rousing from my sadness and dismay this Monday morning to have my life resume as normally as possible. One normal thing is to go have lunch with a friend now that COVID restrictions have eased, giving us one less thing to worry about.
The other normal thing is to do the kind of promoting that is my least favorite part of the writing business, but so necessary if I want to sell a book or two now and then. Part of promoting is sponsoring contests like the one at Booksweeps, so this is a gentle reminder to enter. Two lucky folks can win books from 30+ fantastic authors who are giving away a huge collection of Literary, Historical & Women’s Fiction novels. The first place winner also gets a new Kindle Fire.
You can win my novel, Evelyn Evolving: A Story of Real Life, plus books from authors like Susan Slater and Nicole Evelina. All you have to do is follow the authors on Bookbub to be entered in the random drawing to win.
The top two winners can receive either a signed paperback of my book, if they live in the U.S., or an e-book.
Enter the giveaway by clicking here https://www.booksweeps.com/giveaway/february-2022/literary-historic-and-womens-fiction/ Good Luck!
The following is an excerpt from Evelyn Evolving. Considering the world situation today, I though a reminder of what pulled the United States into WWII might be appropriate.
Later, sitting at the table with Russell, Juanita in a high chair between them, Evelyn played some more with the fantasy, creating a mental picture of what her family might look like ten years from now. Juanita would be a young lady, and maybe there would be other children. They would live in a red brick—
“Listen.” The outburst shattered the peacefulness of that daydream.
There was an unmistakable urgency in Russell’s voice, but Evelyn had no idea why. “What?” she asked.
“On the radio.”
She had been only half aware of the radio playing in the living room, and the fact that the music had stopped had not penetrated her musings. “What’s happening?”
“A news bulletin. I think a man said there was an attack. On an American naval base.”
“What? Where?”
Russell held up his hand to quiet her and they both heard, “The naval base at Pearl Harbor was attacked by Japanese planes early this morning.”
“Oh my God,” Evelyn said. “That can’t be true.”
“Wait.” Russell got up from the table and went into the living room to turn up the volume on the radio.
“Details are sketchy,” the reporter said. “Stay tuned to World News Today for updates. I repeat this news bulletin just in. The Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor today, sinking several ships and killing hundreds of people.”
Evelyn walked over to stand beside Russell. “Do you suppose this could be a hoax? Like that one a few years ago. When that actor tricked us about an invasion from Mars?”
Russell shrugged. “Nobody should joke about something like this.”
Evelyn thought nobody should have joked about an alien invasion, either, but she didn’t voice that opinion.
After a few moments of static and garbled transmission, the reporter came back on air. “Ladies and gentlemen, I have the first eyewitness account of the horror that is happening in Hawaii. This comes from an NBC Blue Network reporter who climbed to the roof of a building in downtown Honolulu, microphone in hand. He said, ‘This battle has been going on for nearly three hours… It’s no joke, it’s a real war.'”
“Oh no.” Evelyn sank into a nearby chair.
They listened to the report for a few more minutes as the announcer said that their country needed all able-bodied men to join up to fight the Japanese.
Russell stood. It was as if he needed to do that for this declaration. “First thing tomorrow, I’m going to enlist.”
“Enlist?” She looked at him, aghast. “You could get killed.”
“Don’t think that way.”
“How should I think?”
“That I will do my duty and make it out alive.”
“But what about me. The baby. The house?”
“That can wait.”
“You would just leave me and maybe never come back?”
Russell grabbed her gently by the shoulders. “Evelyn. Don’t you understand what has just happened? Our country has been attacked. We have to defend ourselves.”
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That’s all for today folks. Whatever your week ahead holds, I hope that it is a safe and productive time.