Suzy Henderson

Discover The Beauty Shop: A WWII Novel of Courage and Hope #books #book...

2025-03-04T18:59:00.000+00:00

New Book For Pre-Order: Her Darkest Hour: A WW2 Historical Fantasy

2025-03-04T18:58:00.001+00:00

📖✨ Her Darkest Hour is officially on NetGalley (Advance Reader Copies) and available for pre-order ahead of its May 8th release! If you love historical fiction with a supernatural twist, now’s your chance to dive into Eliza MacLean’s world—where magic and war collide, and a single choice could change the fate of Britain.

A Witch. A War. A Spy Hiding in Plain Sight.

In 1939 England, Eliza MacLean has spent her life denying her magic. But as war looms and a deadly spy threatens Britain, she’s forced into a world of espionage, deception, and occult warfare. With the fate of the nation at stake, she must embrace the power she’s always feared—before it’s too late.

Book Description:

England, 1939. A young witch. A nation at war. A spy hiding in plain sight. As war looms over Britain, Eliza MacLean wants nothing more than an ordinary life. Raised on the Isle of Mull, she’s spent years denying her gifts—just as her mother insisted. But her grandmother taught her differently, whispering ancient knowledge of herbs, charms, and spells. When her grandmother dies, Eliza seeks refuge in Cambridge with her cousin and the women of the WVS. But beneath its spires and blacked-out streets, Cambridge hides more than just scholars and soldiers. A secret network of witches is working to protect Britain from an enemy who knows magic is real—and seeks to weaponise it. Drawn into the fight, Eliza is thrust into a world of espionage, deception, and occult warfare. Her rare abilities catch the attention of MI5 agent Alex Fletcher, who needs her help to unmask a deadly spy before it’s too late. As she learns to harness her power, Eliza finds herself torn between duty and love, risking everything for Jim, a fighter pilot whose fate seems written in the stars. But war is ruthless, and magic has a price. With the spy closing in and the war reaching new heights of peril, Eliza’s only hope of saving those she loves is to embrace the very magic she’s spent a lifetime hiding—no matter the cost. But some powers were never meant to be used. Perfect for fans of A Discovery of Witches and The Rose Code, Her Darkest Hour blends historical fiction with supernatural intrigue in a gripping tale of war, witchcraft, and sacrifice.

🔮 Think: A Discovery of Witches meets The Rose Code, with a dash of espionage, romance, and historical intrigue.

How to Get an Early Copy:

📚 If you're a NetGalley reviewer, you can request an early copy now.
Pre-order is now live for the May 8th release—so if wartime spies, magic, and high-stakes secrets sound like your kind of read, you won’t want to miss this.

👉 NetGalley
👉 Pre-Order

I’m beyond excited to share Eliza’s story with you all. If you check it out, I’d love to hear your thoughts!

💬 Do you enjoy books with a mix of history, magic, and espionage? Let’s chat in the comments!

#HerDarkestHour #HistoricalFantasy #NetGalley #BookRelease #PreOrderNow #HistoricalFiction #witchcraft #witch #realstory #book #booktok #reading

The Writing Desk: Special Guest Interview with Author Suzy Henderson...

2024-10-10T10:29:00.001+01:00

The Writing Desk: Special Guest Interview with Author Suzy Henderson...: Available on Amazon UK and Amazon US May 1940. The French and British armies are in retreat as Hitler's blitzkrieg storms through Franc...

LEE | Official Trailer | Starring Kate Winslet

2024-09-06T12:57:00.000+01:00

2024-06-05T19:07:00.005+01:00

The Remarkable Life of Nancy Wake: From Adventurous

Youth to War Heroine

Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Nancy Wake's story is one of extraordinary courage, resilience, and a relentless pursuit of freedom. Known as the "White Mouse" for her ability to evade capture, Nancy Wake's life before, during, and after World War II is a testament to the indomitable spirit of one of the most decorated women of the war.

Early Life: An Adventurous Spirit

Nancy Grace Augusta Wake was born on August 30, 1912, in Wellington, New Zealand. Her family moved to Sydney, Australia, when she was just two years old. Nancy's early years were marked by a strong sense of independence and adventure. As a teenager, she ran away from home, worked as a nurse, and eventually traveled to Europe, fueled by her desire to experience the world beyond the confines of her upbringing.

Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

In the 1930s, Nancy moved to Paris and worked as a journalist. Her assignments took her across Europe, where she witnessed the rise of fascism and the grim realities of Nazi brutality. This exposure ignited a fierce anti-Nazi sentiment within her, setting the stage for her future resistance activities.

War Breaks Out: Nancy Wake Joins the Resistance

When World War II erupted, Nancy Wake was living in Marseille, France, with her wealthy French industrialist husband, Henri Fiocca. As the Nazi occupation of France began, Nancy's disdain for the Nazis transformed into action. She joined the French Resistance and used her charm, wit, and courage to aid the cause.

Nancy began her work by helping to smuggle people out of Nazi-occupied France, including downed Allied airmen and Jewish refugees. Her home became a safe haven and a hub for resistance activities. The Gestapo quickly became aware of her activities, and she was placed on their most-wanted list, earning her the nickname "White Mouse" for her ability to evade capture.

The SOE and Heroic Acts

In 1943, with the Gestapo closing in, Nancy had to flee France. She made a perilous journey over the Pyrenees into Spain and then to Britain, where she joined the Special Operations Executive (SOE). The SOE was a secret British organization that conducted espionage, sabotage, and reconnaissance in occupied Europe.

Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

After rigorous training, Nancy was parachuted back into France in 1944. Her mission was to coordinate Resistance activities and supply them with arms and equipment ahead of the D-Day invasion. Nancy's bravery and leadership were unparalleled. She led attacks on German installations, disrupted communications, and played a crucial role in the Resistance's efforts to undermine the Nazi regime.

One of her most famous exploits involved cycling over 500 kilometers through enemy territory to replace lost radio codes, a journey that took her 72 hours. Her determination and fearlessness in the face of danger became legendary.

After the War: A Life of Recognition and Legacy

Following the war, Nancy Wake was celebrated as a hero. She received numerous awards, including the George Medal from Britain, the Medal of Freedom from the United States, and the Croix de Guerre from France, among others. Her wartime efforts had not only been crucial to the Allied victory but had also showcased the vital role of women in warfare.

Nancy's post-war life saw her briefly entering politics, though she never achieved the same success as in her wartime endeavors. She married again, moved to Australia, and later returned to Britain. Nancy lived to the age of 98, passing away on August 7, 2011, in London.

Her ashes were scattered near Montluçon, over the mountains of the Auvergne, where she'd lived and fought alongside her beloved Maquisards and colleagues.

Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Nancy Wake's life is a compelling narrative of bravery, resilience, and unwavering commitment to freedom. From her adventurous youth to her heroic acts during World War II, she remains an enduring symbol of resistance against oppression. Nancy Wake's legacy continues to inspire, reminding us of the power of courage and determination in the face of tyranny.

Nancy was deeply affected by the death of her husband, Henri Fiocca, who was tortured and killed by the Nazis for refusing to reveal her whereabouts. Her feelings about his death and her sense of guilt were profound and long-lasting. In her own words, Nancy once expressed the heavy burden she carried:

"When Henri died, I felt terrible. I feel it was my fault. I don't think I will ever get over it."

This statement captures the immense sorrow and guilt that haunted her. Henri's sacrifice and unwavering loyalty left an indelible mark on her, and she carried the emotional scars for the rest of her life. Despite her extraordinary bravery and numerous accomplishments, the personal cost of her involvement in the Resistance, particularly the loss of her beloved husband, was a source of deep pain and regret. But she always said, "If I had my time again, I'd do it all over, despite everything."

Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons: Henri & Nancy Fiocca circa 1939

Quotes

I was a flirt, and I loved good-looking men. In truth, I was a dizzy young thing, but I never went searching for love.

I loved my dad. Adored the bones of him.

I don't see why we women should just wave our men a proud goodbye and then knit them balaclavas.

She is the most feminine woman I know until the fighting starts. Then she is like five men.

The only good German is a dead one, and the deader the better.

Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Madame Fiocca: A Gripping WWII Novel available via Amazon and all online retailers. Paperback, audio and ebook.

Buy Here

Geoffrey Wellum DFC - Battle of Britain Pilot

2021-09-13T18:22:00.002+01:00

This is an interview with the youngest pilot to take part in the Battle of Britain, Geoff Wellum, filmed in 2014 at Mullion Cove, Cornwall by dai4films.com. Hope you enjoy. Lest we forget.

2021-04-09T14:31:00.005+01:00

Finding Nancy Wake

by Suzy Henderson, Author of Madame Fiocca.

I first read about Nancy Wake and her role in World War Two several years ago, while researching another story. I recall thinking how commendable, but I read on, discovering other heroines of SOE including the American, Virginia Hall, the first female operative in France. What is even more remarkable is that she had a prosthetic leg. While working with the Special Operations Executive in France, Virginia had to escape over the Pyrenees, quite literally at one-point crawling part of the way. It was an incredible achievement and so courageous.

One day I came across an article about Nancy Wake, and it mentioned her husband. That caught my interest, so I bought a biography of Wake written by Russel Braddon. Suddenly, Nancy was on my mind and I wanted to know more, such as where she grew up, and her life before France. Braddon’s book was wonderful, but it didn’t cover much of Nancy’s life in Australia. I then bought Nancy’s own biography, written at a later stage in her life. Once again, not much in there about Australia, so I decided to go digging on the internet, turning to genealogy sites as I looked for family ties. Well, after many hours of searching and triple checking the facts, I discovered her family tree, unearthing British, Maori and French roots.

I discovered through Nancy’s own words in her books and tv interviews, that her father had abandoned her and her family at an early age. And there was something else that stood out every time Nancy spoke of her war times. She vehemently denied ever being afraid, saying things such as she was far too busy to be scared. I found this interesting, because I’ve also heard of soldiers and airmen who have said exactly the same. And then I’ve heard dozens more state that any man who said he wasn’t afraid in war is a liar!

The fact is, Nancy was the consummate actress, quite forward, openly flirtatious with German soldiers in order to bluff her way through check points for instance. She could probably do just about anything and so painting on a brave face was a simple task. Like a chameleon, Nancy was changeable and adaptable to any situation or environment.

The French men she fought with and led loved her. They thought she was amazing, and formidable. Nancy made many firm friends for life, and one of them, Henri Tardivat, once stated: “She is the most feminine woman I know, but when the fighting starts she is like five men.”

Food for thought indeed. My take was that Nancy would have been afraid. Fear is a natural response after all, but Nancy had a strong spirit and the strength to push on, doing what she needed to do despite the risks.

There’s a lot to consider when writing about a real person, and the fear factor was important to me because I knew it existed, and I didn’t wish to write a person who was completely without it.

Re-reads of the biographies gave me more insight – it’s funny what you miss when reading something the first or even the second time. Piece by piece Nancy was emerging before my eyes.

Having gone from learning about a New Zealander, raised in Sydney, who became a guerrilla fighter with the Maquis in France – a great leader of some 7000 men, I was suddenly facing a woman who bore her own emotional scars, who did admit to feeling worried at times during the war, and who was a true lady with the heart of a lion. She was a born leader, involved in dangerous courier work for Resistance groups from the very beginning in France, and well before she joined the Special Operations Executive. It was during this time that the Germans became aware of a woman operating in southern France, and they dubbed her “The White Mouse”, offering a bounty for her capture.

Her real story reads like something out of Hollywood, and I was hooked, and I knew I had to write about her, to enable people to see the real Nancy. She was a wonderful human being, kind, incredibly generous, the greatest friend to have, and incredibly patriotic and brave.

Nancy Augusta Wake began life with very little, and went on to marry a wealthy man, Henri Fiocca, living a millionaire’s life, only to lose it all through war. At the end of it all she had to start again. It’s a tragic story, but she eventually found happiness and perhaps some peace, later, when she met and fell in love with John Forward. They married and settled eventually in Australia.

Nancy never got over the loss of Henri. He was, as she often remarked, the greatest love of her life, and his selfless sacrifice was her one regret from the war years.

Henri was arrested in May 1943 and tortured by the Germans, but he refused to give up his wife’s location. On October 16th, 1943, Henri Fiocca was executed by firing squad. And to the end of her days, Nancy always declared that “the only good Nazi is a dead one”.

Nancy Grace Augusta Wake 30 August 1912 – 7 August 2011

Book Link: Mybook.to/MadameFiocca

The Coffee Pot Book Club: We are so excited to be taking The Custard Corpses...

2021-04-06T13:11:00.001+01:00

This sounds like a great new WW2 book & mystery. Worth checking out so do follow the link below:

The Coffee Pot Book Club: We are so excited to be taking The Custard Corpses...: Publication Date: March 25th 2021 Publisher: M J Publishing Genre: Historical Mystery A delicious 1940s mystery. Birmingham, England, 1943. ...

The Forgotten History of the Radium Girls By Historical Fiction Author Samantha Wilcoxson

2020-06-07T17:09:00.000+01:00

I have loved reading about history for as long as I can remember. On more than one occasion, I was asked what class I was reading a book for and I had to admit that it was something I had selected to read for enjoyment. Yet, I was not familiar with the story of the “radium girls” until I listened to Kate Moore’s excellent book.

It was one of those snippets of history that seems unbelievable. When you think things are changing for the better, something happens and everything gets worse. Then you realize that events just like it continue to occur to this very day.

Called radium girls because of the luminescent paint they used to make watch and instrument dials glow in the dark, the young working-class women who were exposed to radium on a daily bases began sickening and dying in the years immediately following World War I. The companies they worked for denied liability, rejected the idea that radium was the cause of the women’s problems, and made any excuse at their disposal to avoid a decrease in profits.

The women had little help from the outside. Doctors, who had been using radium as a sort of miracle cure, were reluctant to admit that it might be dangerous. Most lawyers had no interest in taking on the case of women with little ability to pay fees and insufficient support to win their case. Worker’s compensation laws varied by state and often didn’t include the women’s situation. They were left at the mercy of the corporations that had caused their health to fail and then often fired them when they were unable to work.

When women began to die of radium poisoning, the symptoms were attributed to all manner of diseases. Diphtheria, tuberculosis, and even syphilis were documented causes of death for some of the poor girls. Some of the results of radium poisoning, such as sarcoma and infections, were listed as the cause of death without an understanding of the underlying cause. Some doctors were in the pocket of the radium industry. Others simply didn’t know any better.

In Luminous, I have focused on the story of Catherine Donohue, an employee of Radium Dial in Ottawa, Illinois. Catherine was a typical small-town girl, who counted herself lucky to obtain a good-paying position at the dial studio until she developed a limp that never healed. Then she watched one of her friends collapse at work and another die of an infection that spread like wildfire. Catherine stood up for the Ottawa dial painters, even as her own health failed. Luminous is her story, and I hope that it is one that inspires curiosity about the past as well as a hunger for justice in the present.

Samantha Wilcoxson

Samantha Wilcoxson is a history enthusiast and avid traveller. Her published works include the Plantagenet Embers series with novels and novellas that explore the Wars of the Roses and early Tudor era. Luminous is her first foray into 20th century American history, but she suspects that it will not be her last. Samantha enjoys exploring the personal side of historic events and creating emotive, inspiring stories.

BUY YOUR COPY OF LUMINOUS HERE:

Universal Amazon Link for Luminous

Discover more about Samantha here:

The Avid Reader: Blog Tour + Review + #Giveaway: Madame Fiocca by S...

2020-03-12T09:57:00.001+00:00

The Avid Reader: Blog Tour + Review + #Giveaway: Madame Fiocca by S...

On Tour with Madame Fiocca

2020-03-09T14:09:00.002+00:00

This week I'm on tour with my latest release, Madame Fiocca. For those who don't know, it's about Nancy Wake, the infamous SOE heroine, journalist and French Resistance courier. Here's a piece I wrote for Viviana Mackade's fabulous book blog today. For the entire piece click the link below:

https://viviana-mackade.blog/2020/03/09/on-tour-with-madame-fiocca-by-suzy-henderson-and-meet-the-author/comment-page-1/?unapproved=32162&moderation-hash=684d3ec31090c1487941ac2f9acc95e1#comment-32162

Finding Nancy

by Suzy Henderson, author of Madame Fiocca.

There’s a lot to consider when writing about a real person, and the fear factor was important to me because I knew it existed, and I didn’t wish to write a person who was completely without it.

Re-reads of the biographies gave me more insight – it’s funny what you miss when reading something the first or even the second time. Piece by piece Nancy was emerging before my eyes.

Nancy Augusta Wake began life with very little, and went on to marry a wealthy man, Henri Fiocca, living a millionaire’s life, only to lose it all through war. At the end of it all she had to start again. It’s a tragic story, but she eventually found happiness and perhaps some peace later when she met and fell in love with John Forward. They married and settled eventually in Australia.

Nancy never got over the loss of Henri. He was, as she often remarked, the greatest love of her life, and his selfless sacrifice was her one regret from the war years.

Henri was arrested in May 1943 and tortured by the Germans, but he refused to give up his wife’s location. On October 16^th, 1943, Henri Fiocca was executed by firing squad. And to the end of her days, Nancy always declared that “the only good Nazi is a dead one”.

Nancy Grace Augusta Wake 30 August 1912 – 7 August 2011

Book Link: mybook.to/MadameFiocca

From March 11th, the book will be available worldwide from all sellers including Kobo & Apple.

Free Book Alert

2020-01-24T14:21:00.000+00:00

This weekend only: Grab a copy of Madame Fiocca FREE e-book until January 26th.

Universal Link: mybook.to/MadameFiocca

Latest Review 5 Stars:

From the first paragraph of this enthralling biography that reads like a memoir, my attention was firmly grabbed and it never once flagged, even when it looked like Nancy’s life would be all love and roses. I had never heard of Nancy Wake, the independent, adventurous woman who seized life with both hands, living fully, embracing all it had to offer. But I immediately fell under her spell, tagging along as she made her way into adulthood and headlong into some of the most tumultuous times our world has ever known.

It took no time for Nancy to land plum assignments in Europe, where her love of food and culture bloomed. She lived a dazzling life as she made her way across the continent, reporting news of the emerging monsters—Mussolini, Franco and Hitler—as they cut a swath of misery and destruction across Europe. And in the middle of all the turmoil, Nancy fell in love with a man whose heart she had captured at first sight.

I can see why author Suzy Henderson was drawn to Nancy Wake, and the woman she would become, Madame Fiocca. As far as personalities go, Nancy was indomitable. She didn’t think twice about jumping into the fight against Hitler with both feet, regardless of the fact that she was a woman and had only minimal time to train.

Nancy relinquished her own happiness to help others to safety, to take up the fight, putting all she held dear at risk. She used her intelligence, her righteous hatred of Hitler and his goon squads, and her ability to slip past the enemy using her unique mixture of femininity, cunning and skills to her advantage. But it was her refusal to ever give up—regardless of pain or exhaustion or heartache—that makes her such a fascinating character. I absolutely loved this incredible account of a legendary woman—Madame Fiocca.

Book Review: The Evening Chorus

2020-01-23T12:40:00.002+00:00

Paperback, 304 pages

Published February 3rd 2015 by Mariner Books (first published January 26th 2015)

Description:

Downed during his first mission, James Hunter is taken captive as a German POW. To bide the time, he studies a nest of redstarts at the edge of camp. Some prisoners plot escape; some are shot. And then, one day, James is called to the Kommandant’s office.

Meanwhile, back home, James’s new wife, Rose, is on her own, free in a way she has never known. Then, James’s sister, Enid, loses everything during the Blitz and must seek shelter with Rose. In a cottage near Ashdown forest, the two women jealously guard secrets, but form a surprising friendship. Each of these characters will find unexpected freedom amid war’s privations and discover confinements that come with peace.

Review:

Well, it's no secret that I love WW2 books, although not all of them of course. But this book caught my attention, late in the day as it was published a few years ago. Still, there's nothing more wonderful than discovering a new book and I'm so glad I found this one. I'm still not completely certain how to sum it up in all honesty, except for what I write below and to say that it is a startlingly beautiful read.

James Hunter is shot down on his first mission with the RAF. Having baled out of his aircraft, he's fished out of the sea by a German patrol. For him, the war is over. He is taken to a pow camp. Meanwhile, his new wife, Rose, is left alone in their cottage on the edge of the Ashdown Forest in Sussex. While James turns to birdwatching at the camp to pass the time, his letters home are filled with such talk, something Rose struggles to connect with, her husband becoming ever more distant. She develops a friendship with someone else and begins an affair. When Jame's sister Enid is bombed out and loses everything, it's Rose she turns to and comes to stay. Rose, desperate to continue seeing this other man, closely guards her secret.
As James studies the birds - Redstarts, keeping a journal, his 'hobby' catches the attention of the camp Kommandant, a man who shares his passion.
The story really pursues the three characters who are all imprisoned, James literally, and Rose and Enid figuratively. The story is beautifully written with almost meditative prose, poetic, and well-plotted. A truly enjoyable book and well recommended and I award it five stars.

Available to buy from Amazon UK here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0544348699/ref=x_gr_w_bb_sin?ie=UTF8&tag=x_gr_w_bb_sin_uk-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738

Available also worldwide and in various online stores.

Nancy Wake- Codename 'The White Mouse'(1987) Part 2 of 6

2020-01-15T12:56:00.001+00:00

The next instalment and the inspiration behind my latest novel, Madame Fiocca: The Remarkable True Story of Nancy Wake.

Nancy Wake- Codename 'The White Mouse'(1987) Part 1 of 6

2019-12-15T12:06:00.000+00:00

I hope you enjoy watching the first instalment of Nancy Wake, SOE heroine who helped hundreds of people flee the Germans in Nazi-occupied France while she lived in Marseille. In 1943, she became an evader, fleeing across the Pyrenees into Spain. From there, she travelled to Gibraltar and sailed to England where she eventually joined SOE. The rest, as they say, is history.

New Release: Madame Fiocca

2019-12-15T11:54:00.001+00:00

February 1933: Nancy Wake is a gregarious twenty-year-old looking for adventure. Having fled her unhappy family home in Sydney, she becomes a journalist and is thrilled when she is posted to Paris. The city is glamorous, brimming with journalists, artists, and a growing number of refugees.

Later, in the French Riviera, she uncovers more than news following a chance encounter with wealthy industrialist, Henri Fiocca. Their relationship blossoms as Hitler makes waves across Europe. While on an assignment in Vienna in 1938, she witnesses Nazis whipping Jews on the street and she vows to fight for justice if ever the opportunity arises.

When Henri is called to the Front to fight, Nancy, determined to help the war effort, joins the Red Cross as an ambulance driver. Every day she witnesses atrocities. When Paris falls, Nancy flees the German oppressors and returns to Marseille. France is a nation defeated; its people are in despair.

A chance encounter with a British officer draws Nancy into the heart of the Garrow escape network, despite Henri’s reservations. Armed with wealth and charm, she convinces Henri that the Germans will never suspect such a woman. But soon she finds herself caught up in a deadly game of espionage.

As the iron fist of the enemy tightens, neighbours denounce neighbours. No one can be trusted. When the enemy closes in, Nancy and Henri face an impossible choice. Has she done more harm than good?

Based on a true story of love and a gripping adventure, Madame Fiocca weaves an extraordinary tale of survival and redemption in wartime.

Available from Amazon in e-book format. Read for free on KindleUnlimited.

Myths, Legends, Books & Coffee Pots: Historical Fiction author, Suzy Henderson, is taki...

2019-08-31T15:30:00.001+01:00

Myths, Legends, Books & Coffee Pots: Historical Fiction author, Suzy Henderson, is taki...: Becoming acquainted with your character: Writing Historial Fiction By Suzy Henderson People often ask why I write h...

Myths, Legends, Books & Coffee Pots: #CoverReveal — Madame Fiocca, by Suzy Henderson #H...

2019-02-11T09:58:00.001+00:00

Myths, Legends, Books & Coffee Pots: #CoverReveal — Madame Fiocca, by Suzy Henderson #H...: --> Madame Fiocca By Suzy Henderson Marseille, September 1939. War is coming. Nancy Wake is a gregarious twe...

Nursing in The Great War

2018-08-31T00:29:00.000+01:00

Image courtesy of copyright IWM (Art.IWM PST 0318)).

So often when we talk of war, we discuss the fighting, the aerial or sea battles and the men who fought so courageously for peace. What of the women? I've often read about the home front and of women who worked in munitions factories, or those drafted to work the land. But what of the bloody side of battle? What of the nurses and the thousands of women who went to nurse wounded soldiers overseas?

The Great War would bring significant change in so many ways. It was widely anticipated that this war would be short. Wartime propaganda began with a kick and helped to spread patriotic fever far and wide. Thousands of young men answered Kitchener's call to arms, but their fever was to calm very quickly. Once placed in the heart of battle the weeks rolled into months and then a year and disillusionment stepped in as many realised that all seemed endless, hopeless.

The wounded sustained injuries never seen before. What was worse was the lack of treatment available and the lack of expertise in treating specific injuries. It would become a time of pioneering treatment, a lengthy and innovative process which would continue throughout the years and into the next war. But aside from medical advancements and failings, what was life like for the thousands of women who answered the call to nursing?

Florence Nightingale made waves during the Crimean war and implemented great change in nursing care and practice. She was a revolutionary in her field and caused a stir back then, but it was worth it. Her efforts improved practice and contributed to saving the lives of men who would undoubtedly have died without her. Times were changing....warfare was changing....women were changing.

Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Women have always nursed. At the beginning of WW1, nursing was unregulated which meant that anyone could call themselves a nurse and offer their services. However, in 1919, this changed.
Life was very different back then. Women still did not have the vote. Few had jobs, but those who did or had to work would usually be employed in domestic service.

When WW1 was declared, women were keen to do what they could for the war effort, for their men and their country. In the beginning, women were asked to wait at home and "keep the home fires burning." It was generally anticipated that the war would be short-lived. Women from all ranks stepped forward and volunteered to work alongside nurses as Voluntary Aid Detachments - VADs. The VAD organisation began in 1909, and by the beginning of WW1, many VADs were already serving.

The war began brutally and continued, and by early spring 1915, both the government and military quickly realised the need for more workers and nurses. Women were then called upon to work in various roles, such as medics, farmers, teachers, munitions factories and VADs. The pristine, clinical image of the VAD dressed in her starched blue dress and white apron is almost a romanticised version of the reality they lived through. The work itself was rough, gruesome, dirty and undoubtedly shocking to many until they became accustomed to it. They were often exhausted, working long hours with little rest or time off.
The regime itself could be harsh with rules and procedures to follow, and heaven help those who wandered from the rigidity of it all!

Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

The injuries the men endured had never been seen before - a consequence of changing warfare and of aerial battles. Medicine had not yet evolved well enough to cope with the severest of wound infections, and gangrene was rife. There were no antibiotics, and disinfectant was in short supply. As the war rolled on, medicines and dressings were running out too, especially in field hospitals at the front.

Of the existing qualified and experienced nurses, some had already seen war and its effects, having worked through the first or second Boer War (1880-1881; 1899-1902). Many nurses were eager to go abroad and nurse the injured at the front. However, the British Medical Military Services viewed female nurses as unsuitable for the front, presuming them unable to cope with the ugly face of war and so they were reluctant to send nurses to field hospitals overseas.

The British Red Cross formed the Joint War Committee with the Order of St John following the declaration of war on August 4th, 1914. The committee supplied services to the war effort while also organising nursing staff at home and abroad. It assumed control of the trained nurses and all VAD's and then proceeded to allocate them to the capable direction of Sarah Swift, the ex-matron of St Guy's Hospital.
In 1916, Sarah set up the College of Nursing, later to become the Royal College of Nursing, the professional body that continues to this day. Sarah was made a dame in 1919 for her services to nursing.

Between 1914 and 1918, around 90,000 male and female volunteers worked in Britain and abroad. The VADs carried out a range of duties from transport, organising rest stations, to patient care. They had to pass exams to achieve their first aid and home nursing certificates. The men were trained as first-aiders in the field and also worked as stretcher bearers.

One nurse, Violet Gosset, kept a diary of her nursing time during the war, something that was strictly forbidden. When her diaries were discovered in an attic many years later, they revealed the grim truth of what she had witnessed. She writes, “We had a fearful lot of head cases about this time as the tin helmets were not in use. Imagine a ward full of men with their brains oozing out of bad head wounds.” She gave accounts of life-saving amputations performed without the proper equipment and talks of "stretchers packed like sardines everywhere." However, it was not just war and its injuries which posed a threat but diseases such as cholera, typhoid, and tetanus.

Around 200 nurses were killed or died during the Great War.

Edith Cavell 1865-1915. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Notable voluntary aid detachment nurses who volunteered during the Great War :

Agatha Christie – served as a VAD nurse at a hospital in Torquay. She said it was “one of the most rewarding professions that anyone can follow.”
Edith Cavell - She is celebrated for saving the lives of soldiers from both sides without discrimination and aiding around 200 Allied soldiers to escape from German-occupied Belgium during the First World War, for which she was arrested. She was accused of treason, found guilty by a court-martial and executed by a German firing squad on October 12th, 1915.
Vera Brittain – most famous for writing Testament of youth: an autobiographical study of the years 1900–1925. She became a VAD in 1915 and was posted to France in 1917.
Enid Bagnold – author of National Velvet and The Chalk Garden. She served in London as a VAD.
Clara Butt – superstar singer of the Victorian era, Dame Clara Butt lived in Bristol and was a legend in her lifetime, performing to packed concert halls all over the world.
Violet Jessop - British ocean liner stewardess, trained as a VAD nurse after the outbreak of World War I. She had been a stewardess aboard the RMS Titanic when it sank in 1912 and was also aboard the hospital ship HMHS Britannic (the Titanic's sister ship) as a Red Cross nurse when it sank in 1916.

Agatha Christie

Free WW2 Fiction

2018-05-10T11:52:00.000+01:00

If you love WW2 fiction, you'll be able to grab a Free copy of my book, The Beauty Shop, which is based on real events, including the work of plastic surgeon, Sir Archibald McIndoe and the Guinea Pig Club. This promotion runs from May 10th -14th.
Click here to view: Amazon

Spring Into A Fantastic Book Giveaway This April

2018-04-02T16:49:00.000+01:00

If you're looking for a great new book this spring, look no further.

With so many wonderful authors and books available, it's imperative to have a reliable and trustworthy place that can help you choose what to read. It's even better when you get a chance to win free books through a giveaway!

Every month, enter to win free books from multiple authors via N. N. Light's Book Heaven. Several authors are offering their books throughout the upcoming year in this innovative and collaborative approach to building a new and immersive online reading community. Authors, bloggers and book reviewers are partnering to share fantastic reads, quality reviews and powerful connections all in one place.

My debut novel, The Beauty Shop, is included this month so for your chance to win free e-books/paperbacks and other prizes, head on over to N.N. Light's Book Heaven and enter the giveaway. See the links below. Good luck!

April Giveaway: https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/92db775011/?

Literary Giveaway Portal: https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/literary-giveaway-portal

What I'm Reading Now

2018-03-23T20:54:00.000+00:00

Right now I'm reading "All The Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr. Published in 2015, it won the Carnegie Medal for Fiction and the Pulitzer Prize in 2015.

Blurb:

A beautiful, stunningly ambitious novel about a blind French girl and a German boy whose paths collide in occupied France as both try to survive the devastation of World War II
‘Open your eyes and see what you can with them before they close forever.’
For Marie-Laure, blind since the age of six, the world is full of mazes. The miniature of a Paris neighbourhood, made by her father to teach her the way home. The microscopic layers within the invaluable diamond that her father guards in the Museum of Natural History. The walled city by the sea, where father and daughter take refuge when the Nazis invade Paris. And a future which draws her ever closer to Werner, a German orphan, destined to labour in the mines until a broken radio fills his life with possibility and brings him to the notice of the Hitler Youth.
In this magnificent, deeply moving novel, the stories of
Marie-Laure and Werner illuminate the ways, against all odds, people try to be good to one another.

It's a tomb of a book and comprises a non-linear form, jumping back and forth in time up until a particular point in the story. There are multiple viewpoints from the main characters and it's written so eloquently to paint an epic story of war in 1940s France.

I'm also reading "Mademoiselle Chanel: A Novel" by C.W. Gortner, also published in 2015.

Blurb:

For readers of The Paris Wife and Z comes this vivid novel full of drama, passion, tragedy, and beauty that stunningly imagines the life of iconic fashion designer Coco Chanel—the ambitious, gifted laundrywoman’s daughter who revolutionized fashion, built an international empire, and become one of the most influential and controversial figures of the twentieth century.
Born into rural poverty, Gabrielle Chanel and her siblings are sent to orphanage after their mother’s death. The sisters nurture Gabrielle’s exceptional sewing skills, a talent that will propel the willful young woman into a life far removed from the drudgery of her childhood.
Transforming herself into Coco—a seamstress and sometime torch singer—the petite brunette burns with ambition, an incandescence that draws a wealthy gentleman who will become the love of her life. She immerses herself in his world of money and luxury, discovering a freedom that sparks her creativity. But it is only when her lover takes her to Paris that Coco discovers her destiny.
Rejecting the frilly, corseted silhouette of the past, her sleek, minimalist styles reflect the youthful ease and confidence of the 1920s modern woman. As Coco’s reputation spreads, her couturier business explodes, taking her into rarefied society circles and bohemian salons. But her fame and fortune cannot save her from heartbreak as the years pass. And when Paris falls to the Nazis, Coco is forced to make choices that will haunt her.
An enthralling novel of an extraordinary woman who created the life she desired, Mademoiselle Chanel explores the inner world of a woman of staggering ambition whose strength, passion and artistic vision would become her trademark.

The Betrayal by Award-Winning Author Anne Allen.

2017-10-19T00:30:00.000+01:00

Blurb

Treachery and theft lead to death – and love
1940. Teresa Bichard and her baby are sent by her beloved husband, Leo, to England as the Germans draw closer to Guernsey. Days later they invade…
1942. Leo, of Jewish descent, is betrayed to the Germans and is sent to a concentration camp, never to return.
1945. Teresa returns to find Leo did not survive and the family’s valuable art collection, including a Renoir, is missing. Heartbroken, she returns to England.
2011. Nigel and his twin Fiona, buy a long-established antique shop in Guernsey and during a refit, find a hidden stash of paintings, including what appears to be a Renoir. Days later, Fiona finds Nigel dead, an apparent suicide. Refusing to accept the verdict, a distraught Fiona employs a detective to help her discover the truth…
Searching for the rightful owner of the painting brings Fiona close to someone who opens a chink in her broken heart. Can she answer some crucial questions before laying her brother's ghost to rest?
Who betrayed Leo?
Who knew about the stolen Renoir?
And are they prepared to kill – again?

Review

Source: Advanced reader copy received from publisher.

Having read Anne’s last book, 'Echoes of Time', I couldn’t wait to read her latest, and I wasn’t disappointed. The novel alternates between WW2 and 2011 and is set on the beautiful island of Guernsey. 'The Betrayal' features twins, Fiona and Nigel, who discover a Renoir within the walls of their antique shop in 2011. When Nigel is found dead, and suicide is suspected, Fiona refuses to believe that her brother would end his own life and she sets out to uncover the truth. Unravelling the mystery will carry her on a journey back to 1940, and to the dark days of the German Occupation and the deportation of Jews.

The story is well crafted with beautiful scenes of the island of Guernsey springing to life and all things WW2 perfectly portrayed. Historical facts are seamlessly interwoven into the story which is well paced with realistic, well-developed characters set within a fascinating plot with twists and turns. All in all, it’s an engrossing read and one that will sweep you away to war, mystery and romance. I can highly recommend it.

About Anne

Anne Allen lives in Devon, by her beloved sea. She has three children, and her daughter and two grandchildren live nearby. Her restless spirit has meant a number of moves which included Spain for a couple of years. The longest stay was in Guernsey for nearly fourteen years after falling in love with the island and the people. She contrived to leave one son behind to ensure a valid reason for frequent returns.

By profession, Anne was a psychotherapist, but long had the itch to write. Now a full-time writer, she has written The Guernsey Novels, five having been published and the sixth, 'The Betrayal', is out now in paperback and ebook format. Follow the universal buy link below.

For all the latest book and writing news, be sure to follow Anne here:

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Universal Buy Link: Amazon

My Tribute To Guinea Pig Club Member Jack Perry

2017-08-16T23:44:00.000+01:00

I'm very sad to share the news that RAF veteran and member of the infamous Guinea Pig Club, Jack Perry passed away on August 7th, aged 92.

He was an amazing man, a friend to so many, a husband, father and grandfather. His outlook on life, given his own horrific injuries sustained during WW2, was simply incredible. He was helped so much by the plastic surgeon, Sir Archibald McIndoe and the men in the Guinea Pig Club whom he referred to as a 'band of brothers'. In return, Jack has given so much back, helping others similar to himself, suffering with life-changing injuries as a result of burns. Just as he was shown the pathway back to the living, he too has always tried to help others follow that path.

Jack left school at the young age of fourteen and joined the Air Training Corps at sixteen. At eighteen he volunteered as air crew but was chosen for pilot training initially, before training as a flight engineer. Jack was then seconded to 6 Bomber Group and flew with a Canadian crew.

On 31 August 1944, Jack reported an issue with the fuel warning light on the control panel to the pilot and the control tower. However, they were instructed to continue with their mission. As the Halifax took off and climbed to 300 feet it exploded over RAF Topcliffe, North Yorkshire. Jack was thrown clear and when he came too, he returned to the burning wreckage to try and save the tailgunner, but his actions were in vain.

Halifax Bomber Image via Wikimedia Commons

He later discovered that the cause of the accident was a nut which had not been properly sealed on a fuel outlet pump.

Of the eight crew members, the tail gunner was killed and several others, including 19-year-old Jack Perry were terribly injured. His hands were badly burned along with his face and ears and he would go on to have 31 operations and skin grafts over the years.

Of his early treatment and recovery period, Jack once recalled how people reacted to him outside. "People coming towards you saw your face and they couldn't stand it. They would either weep and cry or walk on the other side of the road." But of McIndoe, he said, "McIndoe was a wonderful man and a brilliant surgeon. He was very protective over us."

Sir Archibald McIndoe with the 'Guinea Pigs'

Jack and his fellow guinea pigs offered their support to modern-day servicemen injured in the wars in the Falklands, Iraq and Afghanistan. His club tie became quite shortened and frayed over the years because when ever he heard that somebody he knew had been in a bad accident, he would snip off a piece and post it to them.

In a previous interview Jack said, "I am very proud to be a guinea pig and I try to help anybody I can. It means everything to me. I’m proud to be associated with such a fine body of men and wonderful surgeons and nurses. I would do everything again."

"Being a Guinea Pig to me is something I've always cherished. It's been my life for the last 45 years. We are a band of brothers!"

Jack Perry married after the war and went on to have a successful career as a draughtsman. He and his wife Mary were married for over 66 years and had three children, two grandchildren and a great grandchild.
He worked tirelessly for the Guinea Pig Club and was the Social Secretary, organising many things including social functions.

Jack Perry

Thank you for your service. Blue Skies, Sir.

Dunkirk: Thank Grace, Chamberlain, And Hitler!

2017-07-22T11:27:00.001+01:00

In continuation of this epic Dunkirk week, please welcome author Jeremy Strozer who has written a fantastic guest post. Welcome Jeremy and thank you so much for being here.

When the German tanks approached within a few miles of the almost empty and undefended port city of Dunkirk, they halted. General Rundstedt, in charge of the German forces in the area, ordered them to halt to resupply and rearm, and prepare for the next leap into France. Not satisfied with the pace at which he was advancing his army, German High Command ordered Rundstedt to attack. Hitler, asserting his authority over the General Staff, rescinded the attack order, demonstrating he, not the Generals, was in control of the German Army. Hitler’s need to demonstrate he was in charge was one factor in saving the British Expeditionary Force (BEF), as well as many of its allies, allowing them to escape through a soon to be defended and evacuated port of Dunkirk.

What Hitler and his underlings did not expect is the will of the one they thought to be a dupe because of his actions in Munich less than two years earlier. Neville Chamberlain, still the head of Government in the UK until May 10, played a key role in both choosing Winston Churchill as the next Prime Minister, and deciding to evacuate the BEF from the Continent. When Chamberlain met with the King to provide his resignation, he advised the king to invite Churchill to become Prime Minister instead of Lord Halifax (the man already looking for a way to reach out to Italy for mediation with Germany). Then, in a momentous War Cabinet meeting on the night of May 28, Chamberlain sided with Churchill, against Halifax, as the key vote, to fight on, against the odds.

These two actions, by the man history has tarred with the moniker “Appeaser” allowed Churchill to lead The British Empire and its Dominions through the dark years before The United Nations banded together to tear down The Third Reich, Fascist Italy, and Imperial Japan.

Hitler did not believe the British could save their army. He was wrong.

Hitler thought the British would sue for peace. They almost did, and would have, had it not been for Neville Chamberlain’s key vote on the 28th.

Hitler failed in one key component of war: When you capture the enemy’s army, destroy it.

Thank grace Hitler made that fateful error. Thank Chamberlain for laying the groundwork for Churchill. Thank Churchill for leading the Allies to Victory! (Oh, and thank The Soviet Union for ripping the guts out of the Germans, as most of the losses were on that front, lest we forget.)

Early on the morning of June 5, 1940, two high-level officers from Germany’s Luftwaffe made their way along the broad, sandy beaches near the northern French port of Dunkirk. It was the morning after the last of an eclectic armada of naval and civilian vessels, large and small, from across England carried off the remnants of the British Expeditionary Force before the Germans captured Dunkirk.

The two officers were General Hoffmann von Waldau of the Luftwaffe General Staff and General Erhard Milch, the administrator of the German air forces and the Inspector-General of the Luftwaffe, as well as deputy to its chief, Field Marshal Hermann Goring. That morning they met with Goring, convincing him that England needed to be invaded at once to take advantage of the low British morale and vulnerability from having left all its military equipment in France. Goring was convinced, but he was not the man who made the ultimate decision. The halting of the tanks before the capture of Dunkirk had made that very clear.

What is below has been extracted from Threads Of The War, Volume III by Jeremy Strozer. This is the third book in the Threads of The War series. The first two books in this series are on sale for $0.99 right now.

Debris

I squint my eyes to protect against the snowstorm of torn paper shreds and airborne stitches of discarded soiled clothing blowing in every direction by the brisk dawn breeze. I scan across the flotsam and jetsam of the defeat-littered beach.

They are literally naked now.

Heavy guns, lines and lines of disabled trucks, hundreds of abandoned and broken bicycles, countless mounds of inoperable rifles just tossed onto piles, and thousands of discarded warn-out shoes are strewn across a beach touched at water’s edge by dozens of sunken ships and boats.

An army lost everything here.

Vast piles of both consumed and untouched canned goods intermingle with haphazardly deposited eating utensils, trash, and rotting food. We approach a huge pile of empty wine and whiskey bottles, most likely taken from an officer’s mess and downed by the men desperately and impatiently awaiting rescue from calamity.

“Here is the grave of British hopes in this war!” von Waldau declares as his polished boot, now covered in sand, kicks a bottle out of the pile.

Fanning his right arm in an arc across our sightline of the bottle pile, he pronounces, “And these are the gravestones!”

Shaking my head, I stare through the mist at wrecked British ships in the shallows and at evidence of the British Army’s disarray all around.

Is he mad? This is debris and discarded detritus of war, but there are few bodies here. They may be unarmed now, but that can change quickly.

“They are not buried yet,” I declare in a soft voice before pausing for a moment. In an even softer voice, almost imperceptible to myself, I let escape, “We have no time to waste.”

British equipment left at Dunkirk
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2060969/Remembrance-Day-2011-Dunkirk-photos-German-soldiers-album-seen-1st-time.html

With the opening of Christopher Nolan’s movie Dunkirk this Friday, I’m pleased to share with you the news of the Dunkirk Week WWII Epic Book Sale. From 7/21-27, more than 50 authors of the FB Second World War Club have joined together to offer you their WWII novels, most at 99c.

Our novels range from military war tales, home front drama and sagas, harrowing accounts of the Holocaust, gripping spy thrillers, moving wartime romances, and much, much more. To see our great selection of WWII books, go to: http://www.alexakang.com/dunkirk-book-sale/

We’ve also got some great giveaway prizes, including the Grand Prize of a paperback copy of Joshua Levine's Dunkirk: The History Behind the Motion Picture. No purchases are necessary to enter the drawing. Come visit our book sale page to find out more details about our prizes and how to win.

We’re also bringing to you:

1. A two-part blog series about the Dunkirk. You can read the excellent blog posts to learn more about this historical event by two of our authors, Suzy Henderson (The Beauty Shop) and Jeremy Strozer (Threads of War), here: https://lowfellwritersplace.blogspot.co.uk/

2. Readings by The Book Speaks podcast of excerpts from All My Love, Detrick by Roberta Kagan plus another novel, both of which are part of the Dunkirk Week Book Sale: https://thebookspeakspodcast.wordpress.com/

3. Our authors’ pick of the Top 40 WWII Movies: http://alexakang.com/40-recommended-wwii-films-english/

The Second World War changed our world forever. In our stories, we strived to bring you a glimpse of what happened and how everything happened through the eyes of our characters and to let you share their feelings, emotions, fears, and hopes. We are thankful that director Christopher Nolan is bringing this important part of history to the attention of the wider public, and we will try to continue what he had done through the stories we tell.

We hope you enjoy our books and this experience.

Jeremy Strozer

Author of:

Threads of The War: Personal Truth-Inspired Flash-Fiction of The 20th Century's War, Volumes 1-3

Receive a free copy of Threads of The War