Sarah Sundin's Blog, page 540

Book Beat - A Door County Christmas

A Christmas book? A novella collection? Sounds like a recipe for syrup - but guess again. Having lived in cynical California all my life, my tolerance for syrup is on the low side. I picked up A Door County Christmas because I admire two of the authors, Rachael Phillips and Cynthia Ruchti, and I was delighted. I confess I've only finished the first two novellas, but I'm sure I'll enjoy the last two as well.

A Door County Christmas consists of four novellas set in Door County, Wisconsin, unified around a Christmas tea at a local inn.

The first novella, The Heart's Harbor by Cynthia Ruchti, is a blast. Amanda Brooks arrives at the Heart's Harbor Inn for a restful vacation and is bamboozled into running the inn and its famous Christmas tea by the eccentric innkeeper, Lola Peterson. Throw in Lola's handsome son, Jordan, who is only slightly less eccentric than his parents, and Amanda's retreat is nothing like she imagined. Ruchti's lovely use of language, off-beat characters, and fantastic humor broke every stereotype I had about Christmas books and about novellas.

The second story, Ride with Me into Christmas by Rachael Phillips, also defies those stereotypes. First of all, the hero and heroine are (gasp!) over fifty! How refreshing to read a romance that does not involve pretty young things. Joanna Flick and Paul Sorenson bond over bicycling and climbing a tower - since Joanna has a fear of heights, this is a big step for her. However, their grown children are not pleased with this new romance and make things difficult. Phillips is a master at writing humor, and her quirky characters shine as I expected they would. But what makes this story rise above a simple humor piece is the depth and complexity of Paul and Joanna. Grief and love are not simple emotions, and these are shown with touching realism.

The third story, My Heart Still Beats by Eileen Key, involves Madison Tanner, a young woman hired by an elderly couple as a chauffeur on their last visit to their Door County cabin - and Grant Sterling, a real estate agent intent on selling that cabin. The fourth story, Christmas Crazy by Becky Melby, concerns Jillian Galloway, who visits Door County to help her uncle salvage his dinner theater in time for Christmas - and Ricky Jimenez, a mysterious man whose offer of help raises suspicions.

If you'd like a low-in-syrup, high-in-laughter Christmas read, pick up a copy of A Door County Christmas.

Today in World War II History

65 Years Ago—Dec. 1, 1945: Seventy-six German industrialists who helped Hitler are arrested.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—Nov. 30, 1940: Roosevelt announces increase in support to Nationalist Chinese. New song in Top Ten: "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square."
65 Years Ago—Nov. 30, 1945: Japanese forces in Indo-China surrender—final official surrender of troops in World War II.

World War II Army Nursing

During World War II, nurses were needed as never before, and tens of thousands of young women stepped forward to serve their country. They served in stateside hospitals, frigid Alaska, Pacific jungles, muddy North Africa, malaria-infested Sicily and Italy, and on the beaches of Normandy. They cared for the wounded and soothed the dying.
This past week, I've been a guest blogger on Redwood's Medical Edge, a blog about medical facts for fiction writers, with a three-part series on Army nursing in WWII.

The first post presented an introduction to nursing in World War II, and discussed the requirements to serve in the Army Nurse Corps. http://www.jordynredwood.com/2010/11/sarah-sundin-wwii-nursing.html
The second post covered Army Nurse Corps recruitment and training, and discussed the military rank held by nurses. http://www.jordynredwood.com/2010/11/sarah-sundin-wwii-nursing_26.html
The third post described the uniforms worn by Army nurses and nursing practices of the time period. I also included a list of my favorite resources for research. http://www.jordynredwood.com/2010/11/sarah-sundin-ww-ii-nursing.html These women served our country without great accolades, but they deserve our gratitude and respect, and we should work hard to preserve their memory.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—Nov. 29, 1940: British and New Zealanders occupy all of Crete.
65 Years Ago—Nov. 29, 1945: US War Department demobilizes enlisted men with three or more children under the age of eighteen.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—Nov. 27, 1940: Romania wracked by riots after Fascist Iron Guard executes 64 former officials.
65 Years Ago—Nov. 27, 1945: UN Charter now ratified by twenty-nine nations.

The Advent Wreath - Messiah Is Coming!

One of my family's favorite Christmas traditions is the Advent wreath. On each of the four Sundays in Advent (the four weeks before Christmas), our family gathers around the wreath with cookies and eggnog and hot chocolate. We light the candles, read Scripture passages, and sing carols. Not only is this cozy family time, but it focuses us with joyful anticipation on the birth of Jesus.

The Advent wreath became popular in Germany and Scandinavia, and worked its way to Britain and America. Traditionally it's a flat evergreen wreath with four candles - three purple and one pink, or four red candles - with a white candle in the middle. Even the least crafty person in the world (that would be me) can put one together.

Each Sunday one more candle is lit, going in a clockwise pattern - purple (Prophet's Candle), purple (Bethlehem Candle), pink (Shepherd's Candle), purple (Angels' Candle). On Christmas Day, all four candles in the wreath are lit, plus the white Christ Candle in the center. This symbolizes the coming light of Jesus Christ, the Light of the World. This Sunday (November 28), is the first Sunday in Advent. If you'd like to join the Sundin family in this tradition, here are some family friendly, kid-tested ideas.

Each element can be adapted to the ages of any children present - and personalized for your family.

Advent Week One - the Prophet's Candle.

Candles: Light one purple candle, the Prophet's Candle. Traditionally the youngest child lights the candles, but this can be shared.

Story: (adapt to the ages of your children) The Old Testament prophets told of a coming Messiah, or Savior - hundreds of years before Jesus was born. He would come into the dark world and bring light. Explain how prophets spoke God's word to people. Ponder what the world must have been like without the hope of Christ.

Scriptures:
Isaiah 11:1-10 (explains how the Messiah would come from David's line)
Isaiah 7:14 (Messiah to be born of a virgin)
Luke 1: 26-38 (the angel Gabriel appears to Mary)
Matthew 1: 18-24 (the angel appears to Joseph)

Songs:
"O Come, O Come, Emmanuel"
"Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus"

Does your family or church use an Advent wreath, and does it help you get in the true Christmas spirit?

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—Nov. 26, 1940: Germans begin to create ghetto in Warsaw to confine Jews.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—Nov. 25, 1940: First flight of British De Havilland Mosquito bomber and of US Martin B-26 Marauder medium bomber. Zionists blow up British ship at Haifa to prevent removal of Palestinian Jews.

Book Beat - Stars in the Night

Do you love fiction set during World War II? Love classic movies? Love a good mystery?

If you like any of these, Stars in the Night by Cara Putman is a fun read.

Rosemary Shaeffer came to Hollywood to find fame in the movies. She found death. Her sister, attorney Audra Shaeffer, comes to Hollywood to find justice and truth. She meets actor Robert Garfield, who's looking for the one big break to push him from B-list to star.

Audra and Robert join the Hollywood Victory Caravan to meet their goals. The train crosses America, loaded with movie stars and singers, to sell War Bonds. However, bodies keep turning up. As the danger rises, Audra and Robert try to find the murderer.

Stars in the Night has plenty of spark between an appealing hero and heroine, plus plenty of conflict to keep them apart. The scenes with the movie stars are lots of fun, recalling those wonderful "let's put on a show!" movies so popular in the 1940s. The jokes, the rivalries, the scheming, the selfishness - and the occasional gems in their midst - all ring true. While I'm not qualified to comment on the mystery - sadly, I'm the only woman in my family who doesn't read mysteries - I was able to follow the plot, and there were plenty of suspects and red herrings and twists to keep me guessing.

If you want some glamour, mystery, and romance in your life, pick up Stars in the Night.