Sarah Sundin's Blog, page 467

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—Aug. 4, 1942: First trainload of Belgian Jews deported to Auschwitz. Movie premiere of Holiday Inn, starring Bing Crosby & Fred Astaire.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—Aug. 3, 1942: First P-38 victory in Pacific: US 11thAir Force P-38 Lightnings shoot down 2 Japanese flying boats. Lt. Cdr. Mildred McAfee named first director of WAVEs, becomes first female officer in US Naval Reserve.

The Book Club Network Birthday Bash!

This summer, The Book Club Network (www.bookfun.org) is celebrating its second birthday! I've been a member from the start and have enjoyed how this online group connects book club members and authors.

All this month, TBCN will be giving away TEN books a day! (Including three copies of my upcoming novel With Every Letter ).

To help celebrate, today I'm interviewing Nora St. Laurent. Nora and her husband, Fred, founded and run The Book Club Network.

Nora, What inspired you to start TBCN?
The Book Club Network was born out of a desire to share Christian Fiction authors with other book clubs, share book club ideas with other leaders, and to encourage the authors who are writing such amazing books. We have giveaway opportunities each month. All of our contests (except this month's Birthday Bash) are from the 19th – 21st of the month.
Nora St. LaurentI run two face to face book clubs - one at the Christian bookstore I work at and the other at the church I attend. I told my husband as a book club leader I wanted to promote great books and share them with other groups. Not everyone has the advantage of working at a bookstore and seeing what new books hit the shelves each week. Another struggle I had was if I had an author speaking at my book club, I wanted to share with other book clubs in the area. How could I do that? Where were book clubs meeting?
Our answer to these questions was The Book Club Network - TBCN. Connecting authors to book clubs and readers to their books; it’s also a network of book clubs as they post what they’ve read and how the meeting turned out.
We have a member map where you can find a book club near you. Message them and see if they are accepting new members.
The Bibliovores (Sarah's book club) having a Skype chat with author Carla StewartHave there been any surprises for you at TBCN? What benefits have you seen by bringing readers and authors together?
I’ve been encouraged and fascinated by our growth. I can see there were other people out there like me wanting to connect with other book club members.
I’ve watched the authors have a blast interacting with readers and vice versa. The beauty of this discussion is it’s there forever for all to read no matter when you join TBCN. The authors have done a great job coming up with discussion questions that give readers a peek into their book.
Members have told me they love the author interaction from the 19th-21stof each month as much as having a chance to win books.
My hope is that book club leaders and members participate in the discussions and make a connection with the author and the book. I want TBCN to be a tool in picking out books. Maybe invite the author to speak to their book club on the phone.
How can readers join in the anniversary celebration?
It’s easy to sign up to be a member of TBCN.  We ask a few questions for you to answer and for other information that helps us keep spammers and other information seekers out of the network. It’s also FREE. You have opportunities to win lots of books. For our BIRTHDAY BASH we are giving away ten books a day and announcing winners once a week. You’ll have all week to enter the daily featured contests. 
Do you have any other comments for my readers?
If you are an avid reader, this is the place for you to learn about the latest in Christian fiction and interact with authors.
Are you a book club leader? This is the place for you to find your next book club pick. We’d also love for you to set up your book club page at our site to share your latest featured book. Post pictures of your club, field trips you’ve taken, and the authors you’ve met. Learn from other book clubs that have already set up their pages.
Want to start a book club but felt it was overwhelming? You can learn from other book club leaders.
Do you like to win books? This is the place for you. You’ll have a chance to get to know authors and their books and read genres you normally wouldn’t. We’ve been giving away about a hundred books a month and for our birthday bash, ten books every day, starting August 1. Winners are picked weekly and announced each week.
THANK YOU! You’ve been a grand host to have me here and let me talk about The Book Club Network and our Birthday Bash!! I hope to see you there at TBCN www.bookfun.org
Nora St. Laurent is the CEO of The Book Club Network Incorporated. Nora and her husband run The Book Club Network www.bookfun.org She runs two book clubs near Atlanta, Ga., Former ACFW On-Line Book Club. Nora currently writes a Book Club column for the Christian Fiction OnLine Magazine and is a Book Club Talk Columnist for Novel Rocket. You can read author interviews on her Finding Hope Through Fiction blog, located at http://www.psalm516.blogspot.com, and reviews around the web at The Christian Pulse Mag, Title Trakk, Novel Reviews, and Suspense Zone.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—Aug. 2, 1942: Gandhi warns that India will welcome the Japanese if Britain doesn’t grant independence. “Sleepy Lagoon” case: scuffle among Mexican-Americans at swimming hole in East LA leaves one boy dead.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—Aug. 1, 1942: Japanese set up “independent” puppet government in Burma. American Federation of Musicians begins yearlong strike against recording industry.[image error]

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—July 31, 1942: Germans cross River Don in Ukraine. US B-17s begin 7-day bombardment of Guadalcanal and Tulagi in preparation for US invasion.[image error]

Victory Gardens in World War II

For the average American in World War II, the Victory Garden was a practical way to contribute to the war effort. Some 20 million Victory Gardens were planted (US population in 1940 was 132 million), and by 1942, these little plots produced 40 percent of all vegetables consumed in the US. It's estimated that 9-10 million tons of vegetables were grown.

The Need

Wartime needs stretched agricultural production. The United States not only had to feed its own civilian and military population, but many of the Allies relied on America's bread basket. In addition, U-boats sank hundreds of food-laden ships bound for Britain. While the need expanded, the number of farmworkers decreased due to the draft and - ironically - due to the internment of Japanese-Americans.

Canned fruits and vegetables were rationed starting March 1, 1943, so civilians were encouraged to grow their own produce to supplement their rations. The use of fewer canned goods would decrease the use of precious tin and reduce the strain on the heavily taxed rail and road systems.

The Program

In December 1941, shortly after the United States entered World War II, Agriculture Secretary Claude Wickard began promoting Victory Gardens. The Department of Agriculture produced pamphlets to guide urban and suburban gardeners, magazines and newspapers published helpful articles, and patriotic posters urged participation.

Neighborhood and community committees were formed with veteran gardeners guiding newcomers. These committees also helped with distribution of surplus food and sharing of equipment. Many garden tools were made of steel, which was in short supply, so sharing between families was encouraged.

Who Could Participate?

Victory Gardens were promoted as family fun, as good healthy recreation for all ages. Farmers were encouraged to plant gardens for family needs as well as their usual cash crop. Those living in small towns or suburbs were the best candidates for Victory Gardens. Interestingly, the Department of Agriculture discouraged city-dwellers from gardening, afraid of seed being wasted on poor soil and poor lighting.

Where Were Gardens Grown?

Victory Gardens sprang up on farms, in backyards, and on city rooftops. Even some windowboxes were converted from flowers to vegetables. Communal gardens were planted in parks and vacant lots and baseball fields. Sites for these gardens included San Francisco's Golden Gate Park, the Portland Zoo (Oregon), and Boston's Copley Square and Fenway Victory Gardens. The Fenway site is still an active Victory Garden today.

War plants often planted gardens on their properties for use in company cafeterias, and schoolyard gardens provided fresh vegetables for school lunches.

How?

The average small-town or city-dweller knew little about gardening. Pamplets provided sample planting schedules and garden plans to show the newcomer how to grow enough to feed his family for a year without wasting seed or food. These pamphlets described how to choose the garden site, prepare the soil, fertilize, plant properly, weed, and harvest. The Department of Agriculture and the War Production Board prepared a special Victory Garden fertilizer for home use.

Preservation

The ideal Victory Garden produced fresh vegetables in season and plenty to be preserved for winter. Women's magazines published articles about how to can, store, dry, pickle, and freeze the bounty. People were encouraged to share their surplus with others in their neighborhood.

Victory Gardens in World War II were more than a way to increase morale. They produced a significant amount of healthy food, allowing agricultural produce to be used for the military and the Allies, and reducing the use of tin and transportation. Despite rationing, the average American ate better during the war than before. That Victory Garden was part of the reason.

Sources:

Lingeman, Richard R. Don’t You Know There’s a War on? The American Home Front 1941-1945.New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1970.

http://www.victorygardenfoundation.org/victorygardenshistory.htmThe Victory Garden Foundation. (This site includes the Department of Agriculture brochures.)

Do you grow any of your own food? Would you like to?
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Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—July 30, 1942: First Battle of El Alamein ends when British Eighth Army goes to defensive in Egypt. President Roosevelt signs legislation creating WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service).[image error]

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—July 29, 1942: As Australians retreat, Japanese take Kokoda and its airfield in Papua New Guinea.[image error]

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—July 28, 1942: Japanese end brutal campaign in Chekiang Province, China in retaliation for support of US Doolittle Raid. Spike Jones and His City Slickers record anti-Nazi novelty song “Der Fuehrer’s Face.”[image error]