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?
Grateful that his parents anglicized the family surname after emigrating to the United States after the Great War, first-generation German-American Ray Fisher has done all he can to hide his heritage. He managed to make it through this second “war to end all wars,” but what American woman would want to marry into a German family. Must he leave the country to find wedded bliss?
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?
Grateful that his parents anglicized the family surname after emigrating to the United States after the Great War, first-generation German-American Ray Fisher has done all he can to hide his heritage. He managed to make it through this second “war to end all wars,” but what American woman would want to marry into a German family. Must he leave the country to find wedded bliss?
Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3Gg66XL
Francine’s Foibles: The Story Behind the Story
By Linda Shenton Matchett
By Linda Shenton Matchett
Happy blogoversary, Jasmine! I’m thrilled to be here celebrating this wonderful milestone.
Authors are often asked where they get their plot ideas. I’ve been inspired by snippets of overheard conversations, Bible stories, scenes from movies or books, historical events and people, and suggestions from readers. The possibilities are endless!
Francine’s Foibles is part of the Thanksgiving Books & Blessings Collection Six, and is an off-shoot of last year’s book, Estelle’s Endeavor. Francine O’Malley was a secondary character in the book, and I thought she deserved her own happily ever after. But how to do that?
Like Estelle’s Endeavor, Francine’s Foibles would be set in Laurel, Maryland where my mom grew up. While perusing a map of the area, I noticed Fort Meade, located a mere ten miles away and remembered the stories Mom told me about her time working there after the Korean War. Her face would light up as she explained that one of her responsibilities was processing the soldiers’ DD214 discharge forms. The job itself was somewhat tedious, but she loved being a warm smile and kind word to these men who been in warfare, some bearing the invisible wounds of horrific memories.
Unfortunately, Mom passed away in 2022, so I was unable to question her further, but research unearthed much of what my memory had lost. With the thousands of men returning, speed was of the essence, hundreds of women were hired to handle their paperwork. Rightfully so, Mom was proud of her typing capabilities on a monstrosity of a manual typewriter, rather than the easy keying on an electric! More than 3.5 million men went through Meade between 1942 and 1946, with a peak personnel figure of 70,000 – a city unto its own, and more than twice the size of Laurel. Mom and my character Francine were initially overwhelmed with the volume of people and miles of roads. Big adjustments for these small-town girls.
A year later, Mom married Dad and followed him to Lake Charles, Louisiana where he was stationed with the Army. During one time of sharing her memories, she alluded to how Meade had prepared her for the experience of living on base. After his stint in the army, Dad entered the reserves and got a job with “big business,” first City Service (Citco), then IBM. Despite moving several times, raising four kids, and serving as pianist at all the churches the family attended, Mom never forgot the year she spent at Fort Meade, and I hope Francine’s Foibles honors her and those memories in some small way.
Authors are often asked where they get their plot ideas. I’ve been inspired by snippets of overheard conversations, Bible stories, scenes from movies or books, historical events and people, and suggestions from readers. The possibilities are endless!
Francine’s Foibles is part of the Thanksgiving Books & Blessings Collection Six, and is an off-shoot of last year’s book, Estelle’s Endeavor. Francine O’Malley was a secondary character in the book, and I thought she deserved her own happily ever after. But how to do that?
Like Estelle’s Endeavor, Francine’s Foibles would be set in Laurel, Maryland where my mom grew up. While perusing a map of the area, I noticed Fort Meade, located a mere ten miles away and remembered the stories Mom told me about her time working there after the Korean War. Her face would light up as she explained that one of her responsibilities was processing the soldiers’ DD214 discharge forms. The job itself was somewhat tedious, but she loved being a warm smile and kind word to these men who been in warfare, some bearing the invisible wounds of horrific memories.
Unfortunately, Mom passed away in 2022, so I was unable to question her further, but research unearthed much of what my memory had lost. With the thousands of men returning, speed was of the essence, hundreds of women were hired to handle their paperwork. Rightfully so, Mom was proud of her typing capabilities on a monstrosity of a manual typewriter, rather than the easy keying on an electric! More than 3.5 million men went through Meade between 1942 and 1946, with a peak personnel figure of 70,000 – a city unto its own, and more than twice the size of Laurel. Mom and my character Francine were initially overwhelmed with the volume of people and miles of roads. Big adjustments for these small-town girls.
A year later, Mom married Dad and followed him to Lake Charles, Louisiana where he was stationed with the Army. During one time of sharing her memories, she alluded to how Meade had prepared her for the experience of living on base. After his stint in the army, Dad entered the reserves and got a job with “big business,” first City Service (Citco), then IBM. Despite moving several times, raising four kids, and serving as pianist at all the churches the family attended, Mom never forgot the year she spent at Fort Meade, and I hope Francine’s Foibles honors her and those memories in some small way.
Linda Shenton Matchett
|
Linda Shenton Matchett writes happily-ever-after historical Christian fiction about second chances and women who overcome life’s challenges to be better versions of themselves. Whether you choose her books set in the Old West or across the globe during WWII, you will be immersed in the past through rich detail. Follow the journeys of relatable characters whose faith is sorely tested, yet in the end, emerge triumphant. Be encouraged in your own faith-walk through stories of history and hope.
A native of Baltimore, Maryland, she moved often while growing up because of her dad’s job. The last stop was the Washington, DC area where she lived on both the Maryland and Virginia “side of the bridge.” |
A desire to escape the rat race prompted her relocation to the idyllic lakes and mountains of New Hampshire where she is a
Human Resources professional by day, and a volunteer docent and archivist for the Wright Museum of WWII during her off hours.
Human Resources professional by day, and a volunteer docent and archivist for the Wright Museum of WWII during her off hours.
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BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/linda-shenton-matchett
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Website/Blog/Newsletter Signup: http://www.LindaShentonMatchett.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/lindashentonmatchettsreadersgroup
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BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/linda-shenton-matchett
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author_linda_matchett
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