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Monday, May 29, 2023

THE GENERAL PRINCE AND THE NERD - Cami Checketts - One Free Book from this blog

Welcome, Cami. What are some of the spiritual themes you like to write about? I love redemption themes because we all need redemption and it’s so touching to be on a journey with a character as they feel the light of Christ and the joy of His redeeming power in their lives.

I also love the simplicity and power of prayer. I cannot get through one hour without prayer and am so grateful that my Father above is always there to listen to me and help me no matter how small or massive my problem is.

What other books of yours are coming out soon? I’m focused on my Sweet Royal Suspense Romance series for the next few months. The second book, The Brave Prince and the Teacher is written but going through the rounds of edits that are painful and incredible at the same time – kind of like the growing pains of life!

If you could spend an evening with one contemporary person (not a family member of yours), who would it be and why? Elder Jeffrey Holland. His testimony of the Savior is so powerful, and I am inspired every time I listen to him speak.

What historical person would you like to meet (besides Jesus) and why? George Washington. I am incredibly inspired by his bravery and his trust in heaven. None of us would enjoy the freedom (religious and otherwise) that we take for granted every day without him.

How can you encourage authors who have been receiving only rejections from publishers? I went through five years of rejection. It hurt and I cried and I am a much better writer because of it. If you love to write and you know it’s your path, pray hard, work hard, never give up, and no one will be able to stop you from succeeding.

Tell us about the featured book. Prince Raymond August, second in line to his twin brother, is head of security and feels the weight of protecting his family and his kingdom deeply. He won’t let another tragedy occur, not after his own angelic Mum was murdered right under his nose. His pain and grief deepen his resolve to be ever-vigilant, no matter the cost. He especially can’t allow himself to be distracted by the beautiful woman assigned to protect his brother, even if every moment he spends with her feels more wonderful and right than the last.

When Macey Clifton is asked to fake an engagement to Crown Prince Tristan to protect him, she knows she’s not cut out for the royal world. She’d prefer to hide behind her unnecessary glasses, frumpy clothes, and her computer programs. But no other female warriors are available, so she agrees. To prove to herself that she really is brave, bold, and beautiful, she impulsively greets the prince with a kiss when she first meets him. To her great surprise, this most incredible kiss of the century turns out to not be with her fiancĂ©, but with his twin brother, Ray.

Macey and Ray both try to fight their feelings, but can’t resist sneaking glances at each other. As they work together to solve the queen’s murder and protect the crown prince from anonymous death threats, they realize they are falling far too quickly in love.

Will their undeniable attraction, secret rendezvous, and forbidden love blossom into a happily ever after, or only cause a shattered brotherhood and longing for something they’ll never have?

Please give us the first page of the book.

Macey Clifton gaped out the window of the silver Audi A8. Her boss, Sutton Smith, drove smoothly through the narrow country road of a picturesque mountain valley, past lakes and fields and the most perfect stone homes with flower baskets on each window.

Sutton slowed as he reached the far end of the valley and entered the quaint village of Greenville. The row of shops and restaurants, each two stories with balconies and flowers spilling over the wrought-iron railings, and a perfect stone church with a steeple reaching to heaven, butted up against a peaceful mountain lake. Above the lake, perched on a green knoll and watching over its valley below, was a castle.

A castle! She, Macey Clifton, reclusive nerd who hid from the world in Sutton Smith’s basement command center and made sure every computer program, security protocol, and all the various surveillance equipment worked correctly for the hundreds of security details Sutton and his people were undertaking at any given moment, was going to live in a castle with the royal family of Augustine and pretend to be engaged to the crown prince.

There were many problems with this op, the first one being she was a reclusive nerd.

No, the first problem was that Macey had seen a picture of the crown prince. “Hyperventilating again,” she muttered.

“Deep breaths,” Sutton counseled, unruffled as ever.

Macey tried. In … and out …

Prince Tristan and each of his five brothers, one of whom was his identical twin, had been blessed with startling blue eyes, welcoming smiles, and insanely handsome faces. They were all sought after by gorgeous, influential, accomplished, and powerful women throughout the world.

None of the princes had married yet, even though Prince Tristan and his twin were thirty years old. Macey wasn’t worried about some jealous female trying to take her out, though that was a possibility. She was concerned how anybody would believe the ultra-good-looking, wealthy, apparently charming prince would choose her. Somehow she had to play the part of confident future princess … future queen … oh boy.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/camicheckettsbooks/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/CamiCheckettsBooks/

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@camicheckettsbooks

BookBub - https://www.bookbub.com/profile/cami-checketts

TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@camichecketts

Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/stores/Cami-Checketts/author/B002NGXNC6

Website - https://www.camichecketts.com

Thank you, Cami, for sharing The General Prince and the Nerd with my blog readers and me. I’m eager to read the whole series. I’d love to feature each of them with my readers.

Readers, Cami has a $50 giveaway going through June 3rd with her new royal release, and she has a free book, Royal Baby, through today. I downloaded mine from Amazon yesterday.

Camy, please tell my readers how they can enter the giveaway.

Readers, here’s a link to thefeatured book.

https://www.amazon.com/General-Prince-Sweet-Romance-Suspense/dp/B0C5YFKMG2/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1685373693&sr=8-1

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. 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.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

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 2 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Goodreads, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link: Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com 

Sunday, May 28, 2023

WINNERS + Special announcement

Dear Readers, I'm sorry about missing posts last week. My husband had a ministroke, and we spent almost all week in the hospital. A new interview will post tomorrow.

IMPORTANT: Instructions for winners  - When you send me the email, make sure your subject line says this: Winner - (book title) - (author's name) If you don't do this, your email could get lost in my hundreds of emails per day. I WILL SEARCH FOR POST TITLES STARTING THAT WAY.

Some people don't read the instructions of how to enter. Unfortunately, they don't have a chance to win. so next time you come and leave a comment, be sure to read all the instructions if you want a chance to win.

Stephanie (NY) is the winner of A Season at the Grand by Sherri Wilson Johnson.

Brenda  (MS) is  the winner of The Long March Home by Marcus Brotherton & Tosca Lee.

If you won a book and you like it, please consider giving the author the courtesy of writing a review on Goodreads, Amazon.com, Christianbooks.com, Barnes and Noble, or other Internet sites. Reviews are such a blessing to an author.

Also, tell your friends about the book you won ... and this blog. Thank you.

Congratulations, everyone. If you won a print book, send me your mailing address:
Click the Contact Me link at the top of the blog, and send me an Email.

If you won an ebook or audio book, just let me know what email address it should be sent to. Remember, you have 2 weeks to claim your book. 

Thursday, May 18, 2023

IN THIS MOMENT - Gabrielle Meyer - One Free Book

Bio: Gabrielle Meyer has worked for state and local historical societies and loves writing fiction inspired by real people, places, and events. She currently resides along the banks of the Mississippi River in central Minnesota with her husband and four children. By day, she’s a busy homeschool mom, and by night she pens fiction and nonfiction filled with hope. Find her online at GabrielleMeyer.com.

Full of love, courage, and the agony of choice, Gabrielle Meyer’s Timeless series captivated reading audiences with its intriguing premise reminiscent of Outlander. Since the successful release of book one, When the Day Comes, readers have clamored for a second installment, and now Meyer delivers on this promise with In This Moment. Featuring a unique twist on time travel that fans of history and romance will adore, Meyer’s brilliantly researched and immersive sophomore novel will keep readers on their toes until the unpredictable but oh-so-satisfying end.

Maggie inherited a gift from her parents that allows her to live three separate lives in 1861, 1941, and 2001. Each night she goes to sleep in one time period and wakes up in another. Until, that is, she turns twenty-one, when she will have to forfeit two of those lives—and everyone she knows in them—forever. 

With so much on the line, how can Maggie choose just one life to keep and the rest to lose?

Can you please tell us a little bit about the plot of your new novel, In This Moment? Maggie is born with a gift she inherited from her parents. She lives, simultaneously, in three different time periods: 1861, 1941, and 2001. Each night, she falls asleep and wakes up in the next path, rotating through all three without any time passing in the other paths while she’s away. In 1861, she’s the daughter of a prominent senator, trying to uncover spies in the nation’s capital. In 1941, she’s a navy nurse, caring for her grieving sister and wrestling with her knowledge about Pearl Harbor after she’s asked to serve there. And in 2001, she’s a medical student, gaining knowledge that she cannot share in her pervious paths for fear of changing history. Though she has no plans to fall in love and further complicate her decision, she meets a man in each path that captures her heart. A mysterious British gentleman working in the White House, a moody and demanding doctor leading the medical crew to Pearl Harbor, and a charming young congressman with big ambitions. She must choose which path to keep and which to forfeit by her twenty-first birthday. An impossible decision to make.

In This Moment is book 2 in your Timeless series. Can you explain the connecting element between these two books? In the first book, When the Day Comes, we meet Libby who is a time-crosser living in 1774 and 1914. She inherited the time-crossing gift, which is accompanied by a sunburst birthmark on her chest, from her mother. At the end of When the Day Comes, Libby gives birth to Maggie, who not only has the mark on her chest but another on the back of her head. The mark on Maggie’s chest sends her forward from 1941 to 2001, and the one on the back of her head sends her back from 1941 to 1861. Which means Maggie has three paths instead of two.

Even though they’re listed in a series, do these books have to be read in order or can they stand alone? These books stand alone and do not need to be read in order. However, book one is full of twists and turns, with a big surprise ending. Book two reveals these surprises right away, so if the reader would like to read book one without spoilers, they might want to read it first.


Your protagonist, Maggie, must juggle three timelines and the unique challenges that they bring. How did you balance writing three equal and fully-formed storylines? It wasn’t easy! I’m a super-plotter. I never start writing a book until I’ve worked out all the plot points. I spent more time plotting In This Moment than any other story I’ve written! After a LOT of research, I created three historical timelines (1861, 1941, and 2001) next to each other, lining up major events I wanted to include in the story. Then, I plotted each of Maggie’s paths as three unique stories, making sure they had all the story-structure elements and lined up with the major historical events. Then, I combined all three on a spreadsheet, each in a different color, adjusting them so that each chapter flowed smoothly into the next. Though Maggie lives three different lives, they impact each other every day. After I had all three combined into one story, I created a synopsis and detailed characters analysis. After I felt like I had a good handle on the story and the characters, I began to write.


These timelines revolve around major events in history—the outbreak of the Civil War, the attack on Pearl Harbor that initiated the US involvement in WWII, and 9/11. What lead you to choose these specific events as the backdrop for this story? I’ve always been fascinated that the American Civil War took place from 1861–1865 and that WWII lasted from 1941–1945. The similarities in their years were intriguing to me. Then, on September 11, 2001, when we watched the terrorist attacks and I thought we were entering another war, it didn’t escape my attention that it had also started on a year ending in the number one. When I started to brainstorm In This Moment and decided that Maggie would have three timelines, and they each needed to end with the same number, I knew which ones to choose. 1861, 1941, and 2001 were intriguing years to study and write about. It was fun to put Maggie in the midst of all of them.


What was one of the most interesting things you discovered while researching for this book? There were so many interesting things to discover as I researched 1861, 1941, and 2001. One that instantly stands out to me, though, is what I learned about the history of penicillin. Since the late 1920’s, Scottish physician Alexander Fleming had been experimenting and treating patients with penicillin mold, but could not convince other scientists and doctors of its abilities. Eventually, they began to see the possibilities, but could not mass produce it. In 1941, two scientists came to America to see if the United States government would mass produce penicillin. Fearing that their bottles of mold would get lost or stolen, the men smeared the mold inside their pockets to travel to the US! Eventually, they worked out a deal with the USDA Northern Regional Research Laboratory in Peoria, Illinois, and penicillin began to be used extensively, especially towards the end of WWII. 


Many readers have pointed out the rich historical detail that makes this series come to life on the page. When did your love of history begin? My love of history started very early. When I was a little girl, my dad was the caretaker for a historic estate on the banks of the Mississippi River in my hometown. I grew up above the carriage house on the estate and loved living in the shadows of two Victorian-era mansions. I was also homeschooled, and my mom fostered my love of history. She took me to the local historical society to volunteer at a very young age. I eventually went on to work there, and then in high school, I started to work for the Minnesota Historical Society at the Charles A. Lindbergh Historic Site, which is also in my hometown. Along with my work, I loved reading historical fiction and reading research books for fun. I was not your typical teenager!


What sparked the idea for a series with such a unique concept of time travel? The idea was born one day when I was thinking about the Outlander books, and other time-traveling stories. In most, a character accidentally falls through a portal in time and then races to get back to their “normal” life but meets challenges along the way. Eventually, they usually find a reason to love the time period they fell into, and it causes a conundrum. Which do they choose? It made me wonder: What if someone was born with two different lives and had to choose between them at a certain age? My mind immediately began to spin with ideas, and the three books in the Timeless series were born.


What do you hope readers take away from reading In This Moment? As I wrote Maggie’s story, the theme that kept presenting itself to me is that of faith. Often, we are presented with choices in our life, but don’t know which way to go. Many times, we are required to take a step of faith, hoping and praying that we are doing the right thing. In my own life, I’ve realized that when I make a decision, it should always be made in faith and not in fear. This is something that Maggie is called to do repeatedly. It is my hope that readers of In This Moment will identify with this struggle in Maggie’s life and have the courage to take their own steps of faith.


Will there be another book in this series?

Yes. There will be a total of three books in the Timeless Series. Book three will release in May 2024.


How can readers connect with you?  I love hearing from readers! The easiest way to send me a message is to contact me through my website, www.gabriellemeyer.com. You can also sign up for my newsletter there. I send it out four to six times a year. The other way is through social media. I’m most active on Instagram @gabrielle_meyer or on Facebook at Gabrielle Meyer, Author.


Thank you, Gabrielle, for sharing In This Moment with my blog readers and me. I’m eager to read the book, which I will do after I meet my next book deadline.

Readers, here’s a link to the book.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=in+this+moment+gabrielle+meyer&crid=XVKS4HSSEOGA&sprefix=In+This+Moment%2Caps%2C121&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_1_14

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. 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.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

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 2 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Goodreads, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link: Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com 

Tuesday, May 16, 2023

THE HEART'S CHOICE - Tracie Peterson, Kimberley Woodhouse - One Free Book

Tracie
Tracie Peterson (www.traciepeterson.com) is the award-winning author of over 100 novels, both historical and contemporary. Her avid research resonates in her many bestselling series. Tracie and her family make their home in Montana.

Kimberley Woodhouse (www.kimberleywoodhouse.com) is an award-winning, bestselling author of more than 25 fiction and nonfiction books. Kim and her incredible husband of 30-plus years live in the Poconos, where they play golf together, spend time with their kids and grandbaby, and research all the history around them.

Booklist referred to Tracie Peterson and Kimberley Woodhouse as a “dynamic authorial duo.” They once again prove their mastery of the historical romance genre in The Heart’s Choice, the first book in The Jewels of Kalispell series. Set in Kalispell, Montana, The Heart’s Choice offers a romantic tale which culminates in a daring and intense race against time. This book released today.

About the Story: As a young girl, Rebecca Whitman witnessed a wrongful conviction of a person she knew was blameless. This incident impacted and changed the tide of her life and made her determined to fight for and defend the innocent. As an adult, she has taken on the role of the first female court reporter in Montana. She is paid to record trials—but not to have an opinion. When a guiltless man is condemned, Rebecca’s investigative nature leaves her unsettled, and she will do everything in her power to right the wrong.

Kimberley
Mark Andrews arrived in Kalispell as a teen. His father, a well-respected man in the community, had built up a large and successful ranch and planned to have Mark take over operations when he returned from college. But Mark prefers to wrangle books not cattle. He has accepted the job as the librarian of the brand-new Carnegie library. He loves what he does and is intrigued when patron Rebecca Whitman seeks help with research in order to prove a man’s innocence.

Can Mark convince his dad that what he does is important and vital while also helping Rebecca find the evidence needed to free an innocent man before it is too late?

Escape to the lush Montana countryside for a heart-gripping story of mysteries solved and justice prevailing from the pens of bestselling authors Tracie Peterson and Kimberley Woodhouse.


Can you please provide a brief summary of your novel, The Heart’s Choice? They must uncover the truth before it's buried forever.


After witnessing a wrongful conviction as a young girl, Rebecca Whitman—the first female court reporter in Montana—is now determined to defend the innocent. During a murder trial, something doesn't sit well with her about the case, but no one except the handsome new Carnegie librarian will listen to her.


Mark Andrews's father sent him to college hoping he would take over the business side of the family ranch, but Mark would rather wrangle books than cows. When a patron seeks help with research in hopes of proving a man's innocence, Mark is immediately drawn to her and her cause.
In a race against time, will Rebecca and Mark find the evidence they need—and open their hearts to love—before it's too late?


The Heart’s Choice is the first book in The Jewels of Kalispell series. What is the connecting element for all of the books in this series? We’ve used three fascinating historical landmarks in Kalispell. The Carnegie Library, which is now the Hockaday Museum; The Great Northern Railway Depot, which is now the Chamber of Commerce; and the McIntosh Opera House, which is still there, but needs renovation and is unopen to the public.


What was the inspiration for The Heart’s Choice? We have lots of inspirations for our books. Tracie and I have a blast when we brainstorm and research together. But for this book, two big ones stood out: One was the unique landmarks we used—in this case the brand-new Carnegie Library. The second was to have our heroine be a court stenographer and love mysteries.


Your female protagonist, Rebecca Whitman, witnessed a wrongful conviction as a young girl. How did this event impact her life? It made her want to fight for the underdog and always seek justice. So she ventures into the law by become a court stenographer. When she is working on a case in the courtroom in Kalispell, she becomes passionate that a man being tried for murder is actually innocent.


Librarian Mark Andrew has failed to live up to his father’s expectations. What were his father’s plans for him and what route did he choose instead? Mark’s father built a large ranch and longed for his son to continue the empire. But Mark’s passion is with books and he is the director of the new library.


How does Mark try to convince his father that what he does is important and vital? Mark and his dad have to learn some hard lessons in The Heart’s Choice. The biggest being that loving someone means to support their dreams and passions.


Rebecca Whitman and Mark Andrew work in completely different fields. How did their paths cross? Marvella Ashbury (the judge’s wife who will be in each of the books in this series) is set on matchmaking the two although the young people don’t make it easy in the beginning. But since they both share a love of books, Rebecca finds herself at the library seeking Mark’s help. Especially when a man’s life hangs in the balance.


The Heart’s Choice is set in Montana. Why did you choose this location for the setting of your new novel? We both love Montana and, for a few short years, had the opportunity to live less than two miles apart in the Bitterroot Valley. Kalispell is one of our favorite places.


How can readers connect with you? Traciepeterson.com and kimberleywoodhouse.com (all our social media links are there!)

Thank you, Tracie and Kimberley, for sharing this new book with us. I’ve always loved every book the two of you release, either together or as a single author.

Readers, here’s a link to the book.

https://www.amazon.com/Hearts-Choice-Jewels-Kalispell-Book-ebook/dp/B0BLW9SHRD/ref=sr_1_1?crid=38TLCMXLX4NIT&keywords=the+heart%27s+choice&qid=1684250692&sprefix=the+heart%27s+choice%2Caps%2C123&sr=8-1

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. 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.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

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 2 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Goodreads, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link: Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com 

Monday, May 15, 2023

WINNERS

IMPORTANT: Instructions for winners  - When you send me the email, make sure your subject line says this: Winner - (book title) - (author's name) If you don't do this, your email could get lost in my hundreds of emails per day. I WILL SEARCH FOR POST TITLES STARTING THAT WAY.

Some people don't read the instructions of how to enter. Unfortunately, they don't have a chance to win. so next time you come and leave a comment, be sure to read all the instructions if you want a chance to win.

Cherie (FL) is the winner of Windswept Way by Irene Hannon.

Lucy  (WV) is  the winner of Home Away From Home by Penny Frost McGinnis.

Elizabeth (MD) is  the winner of The Secret of Happiness by Suanne Woods Fisher.

If you won a book and you like it, please consider giving the author the courtesy of writing a review on Goodreads, Amazon.com, Christianbooks.com, Barnes and Noble, or other Internet sites. Reviews are such a blessing to an author.

Also, tell your friends about the book you won ... and this blog. Thank you.

Congratulations, everyone. If you won a print book, send me your mailing address:
Click the Contact Me link at the top of the blog, and send me an Email.

If you won an ebook or audio book, just let me know what email address it should be sent to. Remember, you have 2 weeks to claim your book. 

Wednesday, May 10, 2023

THE LONG MARCH HOME - Marcus Brotherton - Tosca Lee - One Free Book


Marcus Brotherton
is the New York Times, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author or coauthor of more than twenty-five books that have been called “fascinating,” “brilliantly arranged,” “magical,” and “refreshingly frank.”

Tosca Lee is the New York Times bestselling author of twelve novels, including The Line Between, The Progeny, The Legend of Sheba, and Iscariot. Lee’s work has been praised as “deeply human,” “powerful,” and “mind-bending historical fiction.”

New York Times bestselling authors Marcus Brotherton and Tosca Lee have partnered on a heart-gripping novel inspired by true stories. Based on the lives of three friends, The Long March Home chronicles the friends’ journey from Alabama to the Philippines during World War II, covering not only the lives and love they left behind but also the impossible odds they face as they struggle to survive what has become known as the Bataan Death March.

The Long March Home is a riveting coming-of-age tale of friendship, courage, sacrifice, and love as three friends struggle to survive unthinkable odds.

Can you please provide a brief summary of your novel, The Long March Home? Inspired by true stories, The Long March Home is a gripping coming-of-age tale of friendship, sacrifice, and the power of unrelenting hope.

Jimmy Propfield joins the Army for two reasons: to get out of Mobile, Alabama, with his best friends Hank and Billy and to forget his high school sweetheart, Claire. 

Life in the Philippines seems like paradise—until the morning of December 8, 1941, when news comes from Manila: Imperial Japan has bombed Pearl Harbor. Within hours, the teenage friends are plunged into war as enemy warplanes attack Luzon, beginning a battle for control of the Pacific theater that will culminate with a last stand on the Bataan Peninsula and end with the largest surrender of American troops in history. 

What follows will become known as one of the worst atrocities in modern warfare: the Bataan Death March. With no hope of rescue, the three friends vow to make it back home together. But the ordeal is only the beginning of their nearly four-year fight to survive.


The Long March Home is set against the backdrop of the Bataan Peninsula in the Philippines. When did you first learn about the Bataan Death March, and why did you decide to write a novel about this era?

MARCUS: It all started about fifteen years ago when Lt. Buck Compton and I were waiting for a plane during a speaking tour. Buck—who’d been a commissioned officer with the legendary Band of Brothers—was talking to me about World War II, and I remarked about the difficulty he’d experienced during the wintry siege of Bastogne.

Buck agreed, then said, “Yeah, but at least I wasn’t fighting in the Pacific. Man, those guys had it really rough.”

That line stayed with me for years.

I began to read up extensively on the era. In 2013, historian Adam Makos and I interviewed veterans who’d fought in the Pacific for our bestselling oral history project, Voices of the Pacific. I grasped more fully what Buck was hinting at then. But I hoped to do more.

When it came to this era, I wanted to take readers right into the action and pathos and connect with not only nonfiction readers but fiction readers too, which ultimately led to the creation of The Long March Home.  

TOSCA: Honestly—and this was one big reason I wanted to do this book—I had not heard about the Defenders of Bataan or this harrowing chapter in World War II history until Marcus approached me with the idea of working together on this project.

What a sobering education researching this story has been and what an honor it is to share it with others who, like me, may not be aware of it or its heroes.

The Long March Home is the story of three friends, Jimmy “Propper” Propfield, Billy Crockett, and Hank Wright. Can you provide some background information on each of these young men?Jimmy is our main character. He’s a good kid, a pastor’s kid, a kid who always tries to do the right thing. He and Claire, Billy’s older sister, have been companions practically since birth, as their mothers are best friends.

Billy, who is a couple years younger than Jimmy, is the happy-go-lucky sidekick.

Hank, the oldest of the boys, is a natural leader, a bad boy, and the kind of kid others want to be around. The only problem is, Hank’s had a soft spot for Claire since meeting her in third grade . . . and Claire is the only girl Jimmy’s ever loved.

Jimmy, Billy, and Hank all make sacrifices at different times in order to help each other and in an effort to survive the war. Without giving away any spoilers, can you mention some of the sacrifices they have to make? The entire story is about sacrifice on many levels. For Jimmy, it’s the sacrifice of a dream future that doesn’t seem meant to be. For Billy, it’s the sacrifice of what could have been a college career as a track star. For Hank, it’s about claiming—and laying down—his own chance to shine after living so long in the spotlight of his older brother, Cowboy. For all three of them, it’s about doing whatever it takes to keep their friends alive.

At one point, there is a big misunderstanding between Jimmy and Hank that nearly destroys their friendship. What event(s) help mend their relationship? Ultimately, the willingness of one of them to set aside pride and old wounds is what brings them back together in the face of ongoing adversity and their uncertain survival.

Jimmy, Billy, and Hank are determined to survive the unthinkable: “If we have to run—if we have to swim off this island—we’re gettin’ through this. The three of us—all home alive.” Can you provide a couple of examples of how the friends band together in an effort to survive the war? One of the working titles of the book for a few months during the writing process was All Home Alive. That’s the boys’ goal from the moment they begin to understand what dire straits they’re in.

From the sharing of provisions to their familiar banter in an effort to buoy spirits during the grueling miles of the Death March, the three friends make a constant effort to stay together and protect one another.

At Camp O’Donnell, Jimmy is assigned a work task that strips away any pride he may have had. Can you tell readers about his duty and what lessons we can learn when we are at the lowest points in our lives? At Camp O’Donnell, Jimmy is assigned to the burial detail. His job is to dig graves in the mud for the constant stream of dead soldiers in the blistering heat. It’s a work detail few survive for long, and it makes him unsanitary to be around, especially as he’s unable to bathe or wash the stink of death or the decaying matter from himself. How he comes through that detail becomes a powerful metaphor for the need to surrender to the help of others and the kind of salvation we cannot achieve ourselves.

Jimmy and his father have a strained relationship, which is part of the reason Jimmy chooses to join the war. Can you provide a hint of what else leads to Jimmy’s decision? Jimmy has long been expected to follow in his father’s footsteps. But he’s chafed for years beneath his father’s unyielding sense of right and wrong and Jimmy’s seeming lack of freedom to choose his own path. For Jimmy, choosing to enlist is his way out from under his father’s oppressive presence in his life.

Religion and legalism are an underlying theme within Jimmy’s story in particular. How does Jimmy fight against legalism and in the end come to terms with his own spiritual walk? Jimmy is raised believing that life is black and white, but all of that quickly goes awry in the fog of war.

In addition to the three friends, you also introduce readers to Billy Crockett’s sister Claire, who plays a big part in The Long March Home. Please provide a hint of how her character impacts all of the friends. Claire is the voice of reason and duty, but she’s also a fun and whimsical presence in the boys’ lives—the one who forces Jimmy to learn to dance, who scolds the boys when they act out, and then who leaps into their favorite swimming hole. She’s the only girl Jimmy’s ever loved but whom Hank will do anything for. She represents home and all that is good and familiar from their childhood.

The Long March Home includes graphic depictions of war and all the grittiness and horror that come with it. What type of research was required to accurately portray the details surrounding the war? We wanted to make things as factual as possible, really immersing readers in the locations, events, and characters’ lives.

MARCUS: First, I researched and wrote two nonfiction books about Bataan and the war in the Pacific. The first was the oral history project Voices of the Pacific (2013), done with historian Adam Makos. We interviewed real-life veterans who’d fought in the Pacific. The second was a biography titled A Bright and Blinding Sun (2022) in which I profiled the life of underage enlistee Joe Johnson. He fought on Bataan and survived his experiences as a POW. Both of those books required extensive research and helped create an overall awareness for me that helped with this book.

Then, having Tosca on board was an important piece of the research process too. She came in with a fresh set of eyes and a heart wide open to learning about this era. I had originally started the manuscript directly on the march, but Tosca convinced me we needed several new chapters at the start of the book to bring the reader up to speed on who these soldiers were, what they were doing on Bataan, and how they’d ended up surrendered to the enemy. As usual, Tosca was right.

TOSCA: It was pure selfishness. I wanted to know more about these characters and their lives before, what made them the friends they were, and why they had to survive.

Delving into the four friends’ young lives together in Alabama and then in the Philippines as they are thrust into a desperate, months-long war—not only against the Japanese but also against hunger, disease, and dwindling hope of reinforcements—was fascinating to research, nostalgic, poignant, and finally very sobering to write.

The Long March Home is a dual-time novel. Can you expand on how these two timelines intersect? The dual timeline is very important to this story. It provides the history of the four friends growing up and sets the stage for their circumstances at the time when the boys enlist in the Army. It also provides a much-needed respite for the reader from the horrors of war as the boys are engaged in fighting and later in their bid for survival as POWs.

What underlying themes can be found within The Long March HomeWe answer that in two ways: Overtly, it’s a story of the power of friendship set against a backdrop of sacrifice. What would you do for the friends you love the most? Then, it also points to the complex morality of life. We often think only in black and white, right or wrong. But life hands us situations in which we are pushed far beyond our comfort zones. This book asks, would you take one life to save another?

The Long March Home is a fictional story, but it is based on true events. Can you point out some of the events that actually took place during this time? All the large-scale events, backdrops, and settings in this story are true. Clark Field was bombed within hours of the attack on Pearl Harbor, launching the Philippines into war in the Japanese bid to control the Pacific theater. The lack of supplies and the supply runs that the boys made to Port Area for food and ammunition are all documented in survivor accounts. The dysentery, malaria, and hunger portrayed in the book were widespread. The withdrawal of ships and the soldiers’ feelings of abandonment, the largest surrender of American troops in April 1942, and the subsequent horrors of the Death March and life in prison camps like O’Donnell and others mentioned in the book are all unfortunately true. The bombing of the Japanese “hell ships” is also true. Jimmy, Billy, and Hank’s experiences stealing food to survive, the terrible conditions of the train to Capas, the tortures they endured as POWs, and their work details in the Philippines and in Japan are all knit from survivor accounts. The female guerilla, Felipa Culala, who appears in our story is a real historical figure.

The Bataan Memorial Death March has been organized to commemorate the lives that were lost during that time. When did this memorial march first begin, what is involved in the march, and where does it take place? The Bataan Memorial Death March takes place at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico—a state deeply affected by the loss of life in the Philippines during World War II. Of the approximately ten thousand lives lost on the Bataan Death March, nine thousand of them were Filipino.

Nearly ten thousand participants take part in the memorial march every year. Next year marks the 81st anniversary of the Bataan Death March and the 34th annual Bataan Memorial Death March, which will take place March 19, 2023. For more information about the march, please visit https://bataanmarch.com.

Marcus, you generally write more nonfiction books, and Tosca is well known for her works of fiction. How did the two of you connect to write a story about the Bataan Death March?

MARCUS: I worked on the manuscript for about seven years before Tosca came along. It was a passion project for me, but unfunded, so I needed to work on it in bits and pieces. The characters and the setting were unforgettable to me, but there were several huge challenges to the project that kept me stymied. I had the big pieces in place, but the story was so graphic, I knew we had to intersperse the Bataan narrative with something less violent. Also, to appeal to fiction readers, I sensed the book needed to have strong female characters. I had the frames sketched for Claire and Filipa, but the characters weren’t really singing until Tosca came along.

I had read several of Tosca’s novels and loved her work. She had endorsed a different book for me at one point, and we’d corresponded several times. So in 2016, I reached out to Tosca, explained the story and the characters, and asked if she’d like to collaborate. She read my outlines, character sketches, and the manuscript I had at that point and immediately saw its potential. She did her own research to get up to speed, then rewrote the female characters, added a new opener to the book, and helped straighten out how the plot moved through two very different locations.

Then we went back and forth through the manuscript multiple times together to connect all the dots and get it all into one voice. It was a true collaborative effort, and it became just as much Tosca’s book as mine. When it comes to fiction writing, she’s a workhorse. She is also super smart, thinks in layers, and kept us both in good humor at various difficult times during the project.

TOSCA: I was in the middle of a four-book contract and finished the last two books before I took this on. I went in full force, but then Marcus is being kind and leaving out the fact that my creativity nose-dived during the pandemic. The year 2020 was a very stagnant one for me writing-wise. Which is weird because if you would have posed the scenario to me before—stuck at home during a global pandemic, travel and in-person events suspended—I’d have thought I would’ve been working away like a mad scientist, taking advantage of the time I normally would have been traveling to promote my 2019 (pandemic, ironically) duology, The Line Between/A Single Light, and teaching fiction writing at conferences around the nation.

Marcus probably thought The Long March Home had withered away on my end more than once before things kicked back into gear for me in 2021. I’m grateful for his commitment and continued belief in this story. This has been a labor of love and a passion project for him, and I’m very glad he invited me to join him in that. It would be easy for a writer so invested in a story to hold on to it with a closed fist, but he’s done just the opposite.

As an author, Marcus has so much experience sharing inspirational stories with the world. He’s intentional around his commitment to quality storytelling, but he’s also always up for a laugh. That’s important in this business, I think.


What do you hope readers will gain from reading The Long March HomeAn engrossing and inspiring story. Beyond that, insight into an often untaught chapter of World War II history and its heroes and an increased gratefulness for their sacrifice. Today’s generations must remember that freedom isn’t free. Past generations have given much so that we can live for what matters.

Ultimately, this book is about heroes, empathy, and healing—all things that are needed in big supply these days.


How can readers connect with you? On our websites and on social media.

Marcus:

Website: https://marcusbrotherton.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marcus.brotherton.nw

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marcusbrotherton/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/92080.Marcus_Brotherton

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/marcus-brotherton

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Marcus-Brotherton/e/B001JP0ZR8

Tosca:

Website: https://toscalee.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorToscaLee/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ToscaLee

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/toscalee/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/427839.Tosca_Lee

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/tosca-lee

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Tosca-Lee/e/B001JPCC42

Thank you, Marcus and Tosca, for sharing this book with my blog readers and me. Marcus, you’re new to me, but I’ve known Tosca for years and know how powerful her books are.

Readers, here’s a link to the book.

https://www.amazon.com/Long-March-Home-World-Pacific-ebook/dp/B0BLW7SRLT/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3OVQ2HJVD6PAA&keywords=The+Long+March+Home&qid=1683734668&s=books&sprefix=the+long+march+home%2Cstripbooks%2C131&sr=1-1

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