Francine’s Foibles is part of Thanksgiving Books & Blessings Collection Six, and she was a secondary character in Estelle’s Endeavor, last year’s TB&B story which took place in 1944. I wanted to explore what life in America would have been like after the war ended. Men were coming home in droves, many with physical disabilities, but also with psychological trauma. I remembered my mom talking about her job at Fort Meade typing up discharge papers for soldiers, so I decided to use that as my setting.
A display about the Seabees at the museum where I volunteer gave me the idea to use that branch of service for my mail protagonist. Because most Seabees were older, that allowed me to make my characters in their mid- to late-thirties.
Here’s the blurb:
She's given up hope. He never had any. Will they find it together?
World War II is finally over, and America is extra grateful as the country approaches this year’s Thanksgiving. But for Francine life hasn’t changed. Despite working at Fort Meade processing the paperwork for the thousands of men who have returned home, she’s still lonely and very single. Is she destined for spinsterhood?
How do you and your family celebrate Thanksgiving?
I love Thanksgiving because it’s about togetherness. While growing up, no matter where we lived, we drove to Maryland to see my maternal grandparents and extended family. At a minimum there was twenty people there, but typically many more. Therefore, my favorite tradition is to have lots of people around the table. We don’t have a traditional meal. My husband loves to cook, so he determines the menu. One year we had lobster. My brother and his family were visiting and had never eaten lobster.
What’s next?
I have a yet-untitled story appearing in A Merry Heart Christmas Anthology. Nurse Gwen Milford was a secondary character in A Doctor in the House, and I thought she deserved her own story. The book takes place in the months leading up to and during the Battle of the Bulge, and she is part of an evacuation hospital that moves from Belgium into Germany as the Allies advance. I have several stories planned for 2024.
You can’t edit what you haven’t put on paper. I dislike rework in anything I do, so in the beginning of my author career, I struggled with first drafts. I tried to make them perfect as they were coming out of my head which often led to writer’s block. Shut off your internal editor, and just get the words written.
The journey to publication is a marathon, not a sprint. Naively, I thought I’d write a manuscript, find an agent, and receive a publishing contract within a short period of time. For most authors, that’s not reality. There’s a lot to learn about the craft of writing as well as the publishing industry. Tenacity and a willingness to learn are important traits.
Are there any other books that you’d like to tell my readers about?
I’ve written thirty-four books, but I have two series that I greatly enjoyed writing and have been very popular with readers. The first is Sisters in Service, about three sisters who serve in different ways during World War II: Spies & Sweethearts, The Mechanic & the MD, and The Widow & The War Correspondent.
The second series, Gold Rush Brides, is a multi-author project in which I wrote the first three stories. Gold Rush Hannah is set during the 1829 Georgia rush, Gold Rush Bride Caroline features Hannah’s daughter and is set during the 1859 Pike’s Peak rush, and Gold Rush Bride Tegan features Caroline’s daughter and is set during the Nome rush in 1899. I loved researching all of these stories and learned a tremendous amount about US history.
Website: http://www.lindashentonmatchett.com/
And here's a bonus for my readers, leave a comment on this post about something you're thankful for and we'll randomly pick one reader who'll receive a copy of of Linda's eBook, Francine’s Foibles. So do that now. We'll chose a winner next Tuesday!
Thanks for allowing me to visit!
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