Welcome back, Terri. God
has really been moving in your writing life. What do you see on the horizon?
My family genealogy influenced the first book in my WWII
series. I have another World War II book not under contract. I’ve started a WWI
era series, the third book influenced by family history. Eventually, I’d like
to write about some of my immigrating ancestors.
My second and third
book had events from my immigrating ancestors. Tell us a little about your
family.
I never married, no children. My dad started Classic Boating magazine in 1984. I was
a librarian at the time, but as the business grew, I left the library in 1986
to work full-time with my folks and brother on the magazine. That’s still my
day job, working with Dad and Jim.
Has your writing
changed your reading habits? If so, how?
Definitely. I critique whatever I read. This one tells, not
shows, or that one lacks a deep point of view. I don’t read as many novels as I
once did. Because I write historical, I read a lot of nonfiction based on the
eras I’m researching.
I know what you mean.
When a story can turn off that internal editor, I know it’s a very good book. What
are you working on right now?
From World War II, I’ve backed up to the time of World One
I. Presently I’m working on one set in 1915, to be followed by 1917-18, and a
third in the postwar years.
What outside
interests do you have?
I’m on the email list for Historic Milwaukee and often join my brother in touring old homes
or buildings. I used to travel overseas frequently, and I miss that, but in
today’s security conscious world, it’s stressful. I flew home from Switzerland in
2006, two days after an incident (I think the shoe bomber). The airports were
in turmoil.
How do you choose
your settings for each book?
For my WWII series, I selected the air base at Ridgewell
because it was easy to pronounce. For my new book, Soar Like Eagles, I used
the Queen Mary because its well-known and easy to research. For my current
series in progress, I chose Milwaukee
because it’s close by and deep in my family history.
If you could spend an
evening with one historical person, who would it be and why?
One of my foremothers. Eight of my ancestors immigrated to New France as “daughters of the king” in the seventeenth
century, sent to the new world to marry the soldiers and other men who were
here. What was that like to leave everything known and go to a frontier land
and marry a stranger? Many of their fathers were either dead or too poor to
provide a dowry.
What is the one thing
you wish you had known before you started writing novels?
How slim the chances of being published are. Or all the
rules―deep point of view, floating body parts, active instead of passive voice,
don’t use “looked,” its weak.
I like to think of
some of those things as suggestions, instead of rules. There are occasions when
each of those things is acceptable to make your story better. What new lessons
is the Lord teaching you right now?
Patience, or maybe forbearance. I started writing in 2008
and signed my first contract in 2015. Finally, I’d made it. My first two books
were published in January and May of 2016. Then the publisher went out of
business and my books were immediately unavailable. That was devastating. I am
very fortunate. Celebrate Lit picked up my series.
What are the three
best things you can tell other authors to do to be successful?
Be prepared to wait a long time before landing a contract.
Have a hefty expense account. I’ve spent thousands of
dollars on conferences and research.
Join a critique group and enter contests. They keep you from
being isolated and serve as measuring sticks of your growth as a writer.
Tell us about the
featured book.
Carol becomes a Red Cross doughnut girl, serving GIs and
boosting their morale. Believing wartime romances are doomed to disappointment,
she attempts to avoid entanglements and transfers to France , away from Chet, the airman
she’s falling for.
Chet’s father always belittled him. Now a well-regarded
navigator, he longs to prove him wrong. After he’s ditched in the North Sea,
parachuted into France ,
and been called before a review, his focus changes to staying alive, and
winning the Red Cross girl he keeps crossing paths with.
Please give us the
first page of the book.
Wednesday, December
29, 1943
Carol Doucet unscrewed the bolt and wrestled the meat
grinder off the table’s edge. As she scraped the last of the ham sandwich
spread out of the grinder, her friend Fran laid out slices of bread.
Fran blew a wisp of hair out of her eyes. “I still can’t
believe you gave up your job.”
Carol pursed her lips. Why couldn’t Fran understand her
desire? They’d been over this countless times since she’d received notice from
the Red Cross to report to Washington .
“Giving up my job as a society reporter can hardly be
considered a sacrifice.” She twirled her spoon in the air. “‘Olive Sullivan
wore a crimson gown trimmed with antique lace to last night’s Rotary Christmas
party.’” The spoon hit the table with a clank. “That is so frivolous. Who
cares, with a war going on? I’m determined to do my part in the war effort, no
matter how insignificant it seems.”
“What do you call this?” Fran waved her hand around the
train station’s back room before grabbing the bowl of ham salad. She slopped
the spread onto the slices of bread. “We’re volunteering our time, our food,
and our thanks to the servicemen coming through Ohio . Carol, you don’t have to go overseas
to serve coffee and doughnuts.”
Carol added top slices of bread, cut the sandwiches in half
diagonally, and stacked them on a platter. “No, but I want to go. The war is
having a profound effect on our generation and I want to be part of it, to see
it. I want to help. I’m sure I’ll still have opportunities to write while
overseas, maybe not as a reporter, but about my own experiences.”
“Wars are deadly, Carol. You could be killed.”
“The Red Cross won’t send us to the front. I’ll be safe.”
“Are you sure you’re not just running away from Sally and
Mike?”
Fran’s quiet question stopped Carol’s hand from draping a
tea towel over the sandwiches. “I can’t believe you would think that.”
Someone started a phonograph record, and the melancholy
strains of “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” flooded the train station. Carol
winced. A song about a soldier dreaming of being home with his loved ones for
the holiday was not going to cheer the soldiers and sailors crisscrossing the
country in training and preparation for shipping out to the war zones.
How can readers find
you on the Internet?
www.terriwangard.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AuthorTerriWangard
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/terriwangard/
Soar Like Eagles: http://amzn.to/2dMEDNJFacebook: www.facebook.com/AuthorTerriWangard
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/terriwangard/
Readers, leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book (print in US, ebook if foreign winner). You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)
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The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.
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15 comments:
I love the cover of this book and would love to win a copy. Thank you for the chance.
Blessings,
Cindy W. from Indiana
Thanks so much for the interview, as Terry is a new to me author - and I greatly enjoy books set during WWII. I have been reading both fiction and nonfiction as I am also trying to do more family genealogy during that time period. My parents were married during the War, and I grew up hearing many stories from them regarding the difficult Depression before the War and then the War years. Appreciate the chance to participate and the fellowship with other readers and authors. Cathy - TX
Hi Terri! I'm so excited your third book is out in paperback. I love your stories. Hope all is well with you.
Sounds awesome! Thanks so much for the chance!
Ashley from North Carolina.
Thank you, Cindy. The covers were designed by Roseanne White. I am so pleased with them.
Hi Cathy, I hope you have an opportunity to read my books. I think they're good!
Thank you, Linda. The print copies are coming soon.
Sounds like a winner to me!
Thank you for the opportunity!
Melanie Backus, TX
I LOVE stories set in WWII! The cover is beautiful! Hope I get a chance to read it!
Stephanie
Binghamton, NY
mybabyblessings AT gmail DOT com
This book looks so good!
Abigail in Clarksville VA
I am anxious to read Soar Like Eagles. Thank you for sharing.
Connie from KY
cps1950(at)gmail(dot)com
Terri, Soar Like Eagles sounds like a wonderfully researched WWII novel. Thanks for the opportunity to win a copy.
Sandy Q. from TX
I like the idea that Carol and Chet keep running into each other. This sounds like and interesting read. Thanks for the interview and the giveaway!
Loraine in TX
My Dad served during World War II and I always look for books set during this time period. This book sounds amazing!
Beth from Iowa
Your book looks and sounds so good, Terri! I haven't read any of your books yet, but I've heard great things about them. Thanks for the chance to win.
Winnie T from Utah
Congrats on the new release, Terri! Although I haven't read this series, I have followed your releases and definitely intend to. I am so impressed with all of the great reviews.
Terrill - WA
Enter me in your awesome giveaway!!
Conway SC.
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