I’m pleased to have fellow WWII author and friend of mine, Terri Wangard, on the blog this week. And she’s here to tell us about her new Christmas release. Does it get any better?
Here’s a little bit about the book, Typhoon Prompting in the collection The Hope of Christmas.
A destroyer escort is among the smallest of warships, but the Tabberer has the heart of a giant. A typhoon threatens the US Fleet in the Pacific during World War II, days before Christmas. The men of the Tabberer stand tall as they rush to the aid of their fellow sailors. For Seaman Jerry Collier, the typhoon prompts a greater awareness of what he wants in life. First, though, they have to survive.
Oh, that sounds so good! What led to you write the story?
After eight years of thinking, breathing, researching B-17s for my Promise For Tomorrow series, I was ready to disembark and concentrate on something else. But what? I had a vague idea of three friends who joined the WAC, the WAVES, and the WASPs, but nothing crystalized. Except for the WAC.
I didn’t want to completely turn away from flying, and I prefer topics that aren’t commonly known. How about a grasshopper pilot? My second character was on board.
I had toyed with the idea of a family generational series. A World War II story paired with a World War I story. But no, too unwieldy.
The WAC could have a sister, though, who stayed on the home front and did factory work. Oh, dear. I couldn’t completely stay away from B-17s. She’s building them.
She also needs a husband. He’ll be in the navy, and not on an aircraft carrier. A destroyer! I studied the list of Pacific destroyers and, oooh, the Spence. All kinds of possibilities there.
So there I had it: a sailor, his Rosie-the-Riveter wife, her WAC sister, and a grasshopper pilot. They’re all doing their part to help win the war, but sometimes the enemy isn’t obvious.
While researching the Pacific War, I came across the story of the USS Tabberer, a destroyer escort. I loved it, but I couldn’t use it in Wheresoever They May Be. It had nothing to do with my sailor.
When the opportunity to contribute a short story for a historical Christmas collection came, I immediately thought of the Tabberer.
Wow, can’t wait to read it! The best part is that it’s only $2.99 for the Kindle version! Scroll down for a chance to win.
Terri Wangard grew up in Green Bay, Wisconsin, during the Lombardi Glory Years. Her first Girl Scout badge was the Writer. Holder of a bachelor’s degree in history and a master’s degree in library science, she keeps busy as an associate editor of Classic Boating Magazine, a family business since 1984.
Connect with Terri:
www.terriwangard.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AuthorTerriWangard
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/terriwangard/
Twitter: @TerriWangard
Thanks for joining us, Terri! It’s been great to have you!
The scariest storm— and I’ve slept through hurricanes growing up— was My first tornado in Minnesota in the mid 80s. Never saw a green sky like that before
Thanx for the opportunity to win the book, which is already on my wish list
Those storms are scary. That green sky is just creepy! Thanks for stopping by!
I was driving in a rain storm as a teenager. I couldn’t see and had to pull off the road till it passed.
I don’t care for driving in the pouring rain at all. That’s as dangerous as snow to me. Thanks for stopping by!
As a Native Floridian, I have lived through quite a few hurricanes.
The worst one this year, was Hurricane Irma. Our neighborhood looked like a war zone and we were without power & water for 4 days.
To make matters worse, my husband was in the hospital for a week before the Hurricane hit. Then Irma paid a visit. After she wore out her welcome, my husband went back into the hospital for 2 weeks, this time he had to have surgery.
We made it through with God’s grace and lots of patience.
Thanks for entering me in your giveaway.
The scariest storm I experienced was Hurricane Irene. The wind was powerful enough that it snapped the top of a pine tree which crashed through our roof! Thankfully, we were all well and safe, but it was startling.
Excited about this giveaway!! 🙂
The scariest storm I’ve experienced was when sheer winds ripped through our neighborhood. It was just like a tornado had gone through…..huge trees uprooted, damage to homes….so much devastation! Very scary!
Thanks for the opportunity to win The Hope of Christmas! I love Christmas stories, and WWII is one of my favorite genres to read. Terri’s story sounds very suspenseful and intriguing! I look forward to reading it!
Cups of tornadoes that passed over us but touched down right past us!
The scariest storms are tornadoes, second scariest are snowstorms that just keep coming and coming! No fun…thanks for the opportunity to win. The story sounds fascinating!
Seeing a tornado coming straight toward us in Oklahoma.
The scariest storm I personally received was getting a diagnosis of Rett Syndrome for my special needs daughter, knowing that this was a life time commitment of care and uncertainity, knowing that my life/marriage/family would never, ever be the same–dreams crushed, unending grief!
We were driving to Kansas one year to visit my grandparents and hit a blizzard outside of Norfolk, NE. We were crawling along and then got stuck in a drift. Dad, Mom, my younger sister and I left our vehicle and walked/ran back a half mile or so to a building we had seen (my mom lost one of her shoes but didn’t tell us until we got inside). The doors to the Ag office were locked but dad broke the window in the door so he could open it and we found shelter. Thankfully, that door opened into the shop part, so we could open the door to the office part and not have the wind or snow come in. By the end of the night, we were upwards of 30 people in that office – sleeping on tables and desks and the floor. Truckers brought in food they had their trucks and we all shared. Dad called the Sheriff to tell him we had broken in and they said it was fine. I will never forget that storm!