Tag Archives: WWII

Home So Far Away by Judith Berlowitz: On Tour

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This post was most recently updated on June 30th, 2022

Home So Far Away by Judith BerlowitzHome So Far Away by Judith Berlowitz

Publisher: She Writes Press (June 21, 2022)
Category: Historical Fiction; Jewish Identity, Wartime Diary, Spanish Civil War
Tour dates: June 14-June 30, 2022
ISBN: 978-1647423759
Available in Print and ebook, 345 pages
Home So Far Away

Description Home So Far Away by Judith Berlowitz

A fictional diary set in interwar Germany and Spain allows us to peek into the life of Klara Philipsborn, the only Communist in her merchant-class, German-Jewish family.

Klara’s first visit to Seville in 1925 opens her eyes and her spirit to an era in which Spain’s major religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, shared deep cultural connections. At the same time, she is made aware of the harsh injustices that persist in Spanish society. By 1930, she has landed a position with the medical school in Madrid. Though she feels compelled to hide her Jewish identity in her predominantly Christian new home, she finds that she feels less “different” in Spain than she did in Germany, especially as she learns new ways of expressing her opinions and desires. And when the Spanish Civil War erupts in 1936, Klara (now “Clara”) enlists in the Fifth Regiment, a step that transports her across the geography of the embattled peninsula and ultimately endangers a promising relationship and even Clara’s life itself.

A blending of thoroughly researched history and engrossing fiction, Home So Far Away is an epic tale that will sweep readers away.

Advance Praise Home So Far Away by Judith Berlowitz

“An affecting, historically astute novel.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Judith Berlowitz’s Home So Far Awayis like stepping into an Ernest Hemingway novel, with Kristin Hannah whispering in the reader’s ear. Caught in the political strife around her, devoted to the war-injured she cares for, and struggling to surmount the betrayals of country, the powers over her, and her emerging and conflicting identities as a woman, a Jew, and a Communist, Klara Philipsborn is tossed in the storms that surround her, threatening her person and profession. This vividly told story, written as diary entries, is a captivating picture of one of the many young foreign nationals who committed their lives to this fraught time in twentieth-century Spain.”—Barbara Stark-Nemon, author of Even in Darkness and Hard Cider

“Captivating. On the eve of the Nazi rise to power, a German Jewish Communist finds the home she craves in Spain, where she becomes deeply involved in defending the Republic. Klara’s passion for life and freedom and the pungent sensual details create an immersive experience. The kind of diary Anne Frank might have written if she had survived to adulthood.”—Kate Raphael, author of Murder Under the Bridge, a Palestine mystery

“Combining meticulous archival research with compelling literary creativity, Judith Berlowitz tells Klara’s story in the form of a diary, from her first visit to Sevilla before the war to her involvement as a nurse and translator during the conflict. Home So Far Away not only brings history to us on a deeply personal level; it also offers a vital lesson for today and tomorrow about the threats to democracy and the critical role that commitment –ethical and ideological—can play in its defense.”—Anthony L. Geist, University of Washington, Abraham Lincoln Brigade Archives

“Judith Berlowitz’s Home So Far Away is an absorbing tale: as her heroine Klara moves between a Germany where Jews are increasingly threatened, to Catholic Spain where Muslims & Jews once flourished, her Jewish identity becomes more central, just as it becomes more hidden. A fascinating historical adventure!”—Penny Rosenwasser, author of Hope into Practice 

” “. . . an emotionally compelling and historically accurate fictionalized diary . . . . Beginning in Germany in 1925 and ending in Spain in 1938, readers see the changing world through the eyes of a Jewish woman who is a self-declared communist . . . . This is an interesting and unique take on the period, and should be considered by public and academic libraries alike.”-Booklist

About Judith BerlowitzHome So Far Away by Judith Berlowitz

Los Angeles-born Judith Berlowitz holds a PhD in Romance Languages and Literatures and is a federally-certified translator. She is a former professor of Spanish and Cultural Studies and has published works in ethnomusicology, oral history, and Jewish identity.

Judith has played classical guitar and oboe and has sung with the Stanford Early Music Singers and the Oakland Symphony Chorus. She currently is a volunteer Curator with the genealogical website, Geni.com, and sings with the San Francisco Bach Choir. She lives in San Francisco with her husband, not far from her three daughters and three grandsons.

Website: https://judithberlowitzauthor.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jberlowitzauthor

Pre-order Home So Far Away by Judith Berlowitz

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Giveaway Home So Far Away by Judith Berlowitz

This giveaway is for 3 print copies and is open to Canada and the U.S. only. This giveaway ends on July 1, 2022 midnight, pacific time.  Entries accepted via Rafflecopter only.

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Home So Far Away by Judith Berlowitz

Keeping the Lights On for Ike by Rebecca Daniels: On Tour

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This post was most recently updated on August 1st, 2020

Keeping the Lights On for Ike by Rebecca DanielsKeeping the Lights On for Ike by Rebecca Daniels

Publisher:  Sunbury Press, February 2019
Category: Memoir, History, Military, WWII, and Biography
Tour Dates June and July, 2020
ISBN:  978-1620061145
Available in Print and ebook, 284 pages
Keeping the Lights On for Ike by Rebecca Daniels

Description Keeping the Lights On for Ike by Rebecca Daniels

Daily Life of a Utilities Engineer at AFHQ in Europe During WWII; or, What to Say in Letters Home When You’re Not Allowed to Write about the War

Most people don’t realize that during the war in Europe in the 1940s, it took an average of six support soldiers to make the work of four combat soldiers possible. Most of what’s available in the literature tends toward combat narratives, and yet the support soldiers had complex and unique experiences as well. This book is based on personal correspondence, and it is primarily a memoir that creates a picture of the day-to-day realities of an individual soldier told in his own words [as much as he could tell under the wartime rules of censorship, that is] as well as giving insight into what it was actually like to be an American soldier during WWII.

It explores the experiences of a non-combat Army utilities engineer working in a combat zone during the war in Europe and takes the protagonist from basic training through various overseas assignments—in this case to England, North Africa, and Italy as a support soldier under Eisenhower and his successors at Allied Force Headquarters. It also includes some reflections about his life after returning to Oregon when the war was over.

The soldier involved is Captain Harold Alec Daniels [OSU, Class of 1939, ROTC] and most of the letters were written to his wife, Mary Daniels [attended U of O in the late 1930s]. They are the author’s parents, and she inherited the letter collection, photos, and all other primary source materials after her mother’s death in 2006.

Praise Keeping the Lights On for Ike by Rebecca Daniels

“The book moves swiftly along, while at the same time capturing the frustration of their prolonged separation. The historical timeline provides just the right bit of historical context to these war years behind at the tail of the army. This is not the typical WWII combat book.”- The Montague Reporter

“The lack of military detail — the focus on everyday life and on the relationship between Alec and Mary — ends up being one of the book’s greatest assets. Many works of history detail the story of great battles. Fewer dwell on individual wartime experiences.  The book is also strengthened by the affection expressed in Alec’s relatively inarticulate yet moving letters to his wife on the home front.”- Tinky Weisblat, Greenfield Recorder, author of “The Pudding Hollow Cookbook,” “Pulling Taffy,” and “Love, Laughter, and Rhubarb”

“Carefully researched history and a beautiful remembrance of one soldier’s letters home. A poignant and personal look into the lives of two very private people and an extraordinary first hand example of why it’s called the Greatest Generation. In detail and in truly first class research one is left with the sense that they know these two people very well. Not only is this a well written historical account of World War II, it is a touching and gentle love story from a remarkable author with a most deft touch and turn. Got five stars from me. So worth it.”-W. Richards, Amazon

“This book made me feel almost like I was right there with Alec and Mary as they experienced that time of their lives. My parents, being the same age, also had a similar experience and I thought of them as I read every word. The author cleverly brought to life their story and for that I shall be forever grateful.”- Sunbury Press Reader Review

About Rebecca DanielsKeeping the Lights On for Ike by Rebecca Daniels

Rebecca Daniels has been a university professor for many years who has also simultaneously had a vital creative career in the theatre. Throughout her career, her work has always been a mix of performance, teaching, and her own writing.

Her groundbreaking book on women directors and the effects of gender on their work is currently still in print [Women Stage Directors Speak: Exploring the Effects of Gender on Their Work, McFarland, 1996], and she has been published in several theatre-related professional journals over the years as well. After her retirement in the summer of 2015, she was finally able to focus all her energies on this book.

Website:  https://rebecca-daniels.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rebecca.daniels.9

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Giveaway Keeping the Lights On for Ike by Rebecca Daniels

This giveaway is for 1 print copy open to Canada and the U.S. only. There are also 2 pdf copies open worldwide. There will be 3 winners. This giveaway ends August 1, 2020,midnight pacific time. Entries are accepted via Rafflecopter only.

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Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus June 12 Kick off & Excerpt

Miller Amazon June 15 Review

Lu Ann Rockin’ Book Reviews June 16 Review & Guest Post

Dino Goodreads June 17 Review

Bee Book Pleasures June 18 Review

Waqas  Goodreads June 19 Review

Am Goodreads June 22 Reviewe

Betty Toots Book Reviews June 23 Review & Interview

Linda Lu Goodreads June 24 Review

Jas International Book Promotion June 25 Review

Bookgirl Goodreads June 26 Review

Gud Reader Goodreads June 29 Review

Amy Locks, Hooks and Books June 30 Review & Excerpt

Michelle Reading Authors Network July 6

Dawn Bound 4 Escape July 10 Guest Review

Dee Donadees Corner July 15 Review

Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus July 17 Review

Kathleen Celticlady’s Reviews July 20 Guest Review  & Excerpt

Amber Imaginative Mama’s Dragonfly July 28 Review & Excerpt

Mindy Room Without Books is Empty July 29 Review

Danielle Urban Book Reviews July 31 Review

Danielle Urban Book Reviews July 31 Guest Post

Keeping the Lights On for Ike by Rebecca Daniels

Munich Girl: Legacies that Outlast War by Phyllis Edgerly Ring: On Tour

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This post was most recently updated on April 8th, 2017

Munich Girl by Phyllis Edgerly RingMunich Girl by Phyllis Edgerly Ring

Publisher: Whole Sky Books (November 14, 2015)
Category: Historical Fiction,  WWII, Germany, Family Saga
Tour date: Feb 1-Mar 31, 2017
ISBN: 978-0996546980
Available in Print & ebook, 356 pages

The Munich Girl

Description of Munich Girl by Phyllis Edgerly Ring

The Munich Girl: A novel of the legacies that outlast war.

The past may not be done with us. What secrets is a portrait of Eva Braun hiding?

Anna Dahlberg grew up eating dinner under her father’s war-trophy portrait of Eva Braun. Fifty years after the war, she discovers what he never did—that her mother and Hitler’s mistress were friends.

Plunged into the world of the “ordinary” Munich girl who was her mother’s confidante—and a tyrant’s lover—Anna uncovers long-buried secrets and unknown reaches of her heart, to reveal the enduring power of love in the legacies that always outlast war.

Fiction Finalist in 2016 Eric Hoffer Book Awards

Praise for Munich Girl by Phyllis Edgerly Ring

“I was drawn in by Phyllis Ring’s economical and expressive language. Then the story took over! Protagonist Anna Dahlberg must face the emotional fallout from a traumatic plane crash, while simultaneously uncovering the first clues in a shocking generational mystery involving key players in the Third Reich. Everything’s complicated by a new romance that may help her overcome the past and find her true inner strength. But is it real? Love can manifest itself in enigmatic–and unexpected–ways.”- Elizabeth Sims, author and contributing editor at Writer’s Digestmagazine

“… fresh perspective of German women at opposing ends of the warring spectrum … a beautiful story of enduring friendship and the lengths people will go to for love.”- The Stellar Review

“So persuasive is this novel that, before I could believe it was in fact a piece of fiction, I contacted the author and asked where she did her research and where she came up with the idea.”-Leslie Handler, The Philadelphia Inquirer

“This book weaves real life with fiction beautifully and makes you want to know more about the cast of characters. This is a book that you may have a hard time remembering it is fiction as you turn the pages. That’s how well the author brings her characters to life. This book was stunning. I highly recommend it to anyone that loves this time period.”-A Chick Who Reads

“The Munich Girl by Phyllis Edgerly Ring is an elegant historical fiction novel of Eva Braun. Besides being Adolph Hitler’s mistress (and short-lived wife) little is known about this woman in history.  Peggy’s diary entries were applied seamlessly blending past with the present. I yearned to enter the streets of 1940s Germany and discover the meaning behind a simple portrait and view the forging of an unlikely friendship. Phyllis Edgerly Ring has written a superbly researched novel of a historical figure whose’ story is impeccably told.”-Whitney, First Impression Reviews

About Phyllis Edgerly RingMunich Girl by Phyllis Edgerly Ring

Author Phyllis Edgerly Ring lives in New England and returns as often as she can to her childhood home in Germany. Her years there left her with a deep desire to understand the experience of Germans during the Second World War. She has studied plant sciences and ecology, worked as a nurse, been a magazine writer and editor, taught English to kindergartners in China, and served as program director at a Baha’i conference center in Maine.

She is also author of the novel, Snow Fence Road, and the inspirational nonfiction, Life at First Sight: Finding the Divine in the Details. Her book for children, Jamila Does Not Want a Bat in Her House, is scheduled for release by Bellwood Press in early 2017.

Blog: http://phyllisedgerlyring.wordpress.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/PhyllisEdgerlyRing?ref=hl
Twitter: http:// www.twitter.com/phyllisring

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Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus Feb 2 Interview & Giveaway

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Christy’s Cozy Corners Feb 9 Guest Post

Carole Rae’s Random Ramblings Feb 10 Review

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Between the Beatse Feb 16 Review, Interview, & Giveaway

Jayne’s Books Feb 20 Review

Bookramblings Feb 28 Review

Rainy Day Reviews Mar 1 Review

Lisa’s Writopia Mar 8 Review

Lisa’s Writopia Mar 8 Interview

100 Pages A Day Mar 10 Review, Excerpt, & Giveaway

Reading Bliss Mar 15 Review, Excerpt, & Giveaway

Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus Mar 24 Review

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Munich Girl by Phyllis Edgerly Ring

Marty Steere, Author of Defiant Heart: On Tour

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This post was most recently updated on May 20th, 2013

Publisher: Penfield Press (April 15, 2013)
Category: Historical Fiction, WWII, General Fiction
Tour Dates: April-Mid May, 2013
Available in: eBook, 385

Set against the backdrop of small town America on the eve of World War II, Defiant Heart features two extraordinary characters and one unforgettable love story.

In the spring of 1941, young Jon Meyer’s family dies in a tragic accident, and he is sent to live in a small Indiana town.  He arrives to find himself unwanted and shunned.

Mary Dahlgren is the daughter of the town’s mayor.  A pretty girl, she could have the pick of the boys in town, including Vernon King, the star of the vaunted high school basketball team.  To the chagrin of her friends, though, Mary has always been more interested in books than boys.  That is, until she meets Jon.

But Jon and Mary are kept apart by an insidious campaign orchestrated by Mary’s father, who perceives their relationship a threat to his political aspirations, and Vernon, to whom Jon is a rival for Mary’s affections.  For months Jon is subjected to a painful ostracism.  Then, just when the young man’s earnestness and perseverance begin to win over many of the townsfolk and it appears that love may conquer all, tragedy strikes.

As the country is caught up in war, so too are the young lovers swept up in events beyond their control, leaving both fighting for their very lives.  If, against the odds, they are to be together, each will need to find the strength, the courage and the resourcefulness that beat only in a defiant heart.

Praise for Marty Steere’s Award Winning Book, Sea of Crises:

“Steere’s high-octane suspense tale takes off with all the intrigue and honor of the best space-age Westerns and political thrillers.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“Steere’s assured prose is compelling, and the book’s intriguing plot will keep readers turning pages until the very end.”—Publisher’s Weekly

“Author Marty Steere is brilliant!… The action is non-stop and fast-paced and is mixed with just the right amount of mystery to make a perfect thriller…. [The] plot is plausible, the characters are realistic, and the writing is superb…so stunning a read that you will be unable to stop reading until the very end.”—Readers Favorite

“Sea of Crises is a mystery set amongst exploration, very highly recommended.”—The Midwest Book Review  

“Marty Steere’s Sea of Crises drew me in, held me at the edge, and gave my hand a comforting squeeze when I couldn’t stand to see what happened next. This is a thriller with heart that will leave its readers satisfied they followed the Cartwright boys into a dangerous adventure.” —BookIdeas.com

“[P]ulse-pounding…. I highly recommend you check out Marty Steere’s novel Sea of Crises!”—BestsellersWorld.com

About Marty Steere:

The son of a career air force officer, Marty Steere grew up on or near military installations across the country and overseas before settling in Southern California, where, when he’s not writing, he practices law.  His debut novel, Sea of Crises, was named to Kirkus Reviews’ Best of 2012.

Marty Steere’s Website

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Defiant Heart on Goodreads

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So Many Precious Books April 5 Review & Giveaway
Books, Books & More Books April 8 Review
Books, Books & More Books April 9 Guest Post
Dr Bill’s Book Bazaar April 10 Review
Cuzinlogic April 12 Review
Literary Addicts April 12 Interview
Raging Bibliomania April 15 Review
Joy Story April 17 Review
Bookworm Brandee April  23 Review
Bookworm Brandee April  24 Guest Post
Green Mountain Couple April 25 Review
Broken Teepee April 26  Excerpt
Every Free Chance May  2 Spotlight & Giveaway
Book Lover’s Library May 3 Review
Book Lover’s Library May 3 Interview
My Devotional Thoughts May 5 Spotlight
My Devotional Thoughts May 6 Review & Giveaway
Bookalicious  May 7 Review
Recent Reads May 8 Review
No Wasted Ink May 8  Interview
Bass Giraffe May 9 Review & Giveaway
Romance & Inspriation May 10 Review
Book Mark Blog May 13 Review
The Self Taught Cook May 14 Review & Giveaway
Teena in Toronto May 15 Review
BookFan May 17 Spotlight
Books Complete Me May 20 Review

Buy Defiant Heat on Amazon!