#christianhistoricalfiction – Avonna Loves Genres

Friday Feature Author Interview with Elise Cooper: Mists over the Channel Islands by Sarah Sundin

Book Description

The German invasion of the British Channel Islands shatters Dr. Ivy Picot’s peaceful world, forcing her to shoulder the weight of her father’s medical practice and hold together a family unraveling under the strain of war. As conditions worsen in Jersey with the arrival of thousands of forced laborers, Ivy’s quiet allegiance to the Allies compels her to risk everything by providing medical aid to escaped workers–even as danger closes in.

Dutch engineer and resistance member Gerrit van der Zee volunteers to build fortifications for the Germans so he can secretly send maps and diagrams to the Allies. On his arrival in the Channel Islands, he crosses paths with Ivy, who shows him contempt for the uniform he wears. As tensions mount and their missions grow increasingly dangerous, Ivy and Gerrit must confront the cost of courage, the meaning of sacrifice, and whether love can survive in the shadow of war. Will their covert efforts turn the tide–or will they pay the ultimate price for defiance?

***

Elise’s Thoughts

Mists over the Channel Islands by Sarah Sundin is another riveting story. All her books seem to educate the readers while presenting a compelling story, relatable heroes in both Ivy and Gerrit and incredibly memorable multifaceted characters. There is danger, suspense, a sweet love story, and family conflicts.

The book opens with the German invasion of the Channel Islands. The female lead, Ivy Picot, has her father leaving the family’s medical practice to serve as a medic on the Allied front lines. Now Ivy along with her older sister, Fern, and younger brother Charlie must manage the practice.

As conditions worsen in Jersey with the arrival of thousands of forced laborers, Ivy’s quiet allegiance to the Allies compels her to risk everything by providing medical aid to escaped workers. She meets Dutch engineer and resistance member Gerrit van der Zee and his friend Bernardus Kroon. They volunteered to build fortifications for the Germans so they can secretly send maps and diagrams to the Allies. But Ivy wants nothing to do with him and shows him
contempt for the German uniform he wears.

Charlie is aligned with Ivy on her views of the Germans and realizes that Gerrit and Bernardus are in the resistance. He volunteers to help them and becomes part of the resistance. The one sibling who readers will grow to hate is Fern. She was a terrible sister and awful person, blaming others, and never taking responsibility. Plus, she aligned herself with the Germans, working for them and having an affair with a German officer.

The tension increases as the dangers increase for Ivy, Gerrit, Charlie, and Bernardus. Readers will not want to put the book down because this story is a page turner.

***

Author Interview

Elise Cooper: Idea for the story?

Sarah Sundin: I have always been interested in the English Islands, which were occupied by the Germans. I looked at Jersey and read about the physicians who took care of the escaped forced laborers. A lot of the men who fought as young men in WWI fought as older men in WWII. The main character’s father was a physician, and fought even though he was a little older.

EC: Jersey folk versus English folk?

SS: There are four Islands, Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, and Sark, each with their own unique status. They are not part of the United Kingdom, and are not English, but are a part of Great Britian. They depend on them for military protection, but they have their own laws, police, government, postage stamps, and currency. They have Norman roots but have a lot of British culture.

EC: Did you show how they Germans tried to exploit the difference?

SS: Yes. There was some resentment between the natives and the English there. The Germans deported those who were born in Mainland England and sent them to internment camps. One of the reasons the Germans did it was to drive a wedge between the locals and the English people. It totally backfired. The people of Jersey were upset.

EC: In the story, Ivy and Gerrit seem to struggle with their beliefs. Do you agree?

SS: The quote, ‘the Nazis are specialized in cruelty and erasing the goodness for the Island. Why did God do nothing to stop them?’ It’s the old saying, ‘if God is good why do bad things happen?’ Ivy especially struggles with it but realizes God does not want people to be robots and should make choices.

EC: How would you describe Ivy?

SS: She is intuitive, caring, and compassionate. She has quiet strength and courage. Being a doctor, she faces criticism and must deal with being a woman in a man’s world. Sometimes she can see things others don’t.

EC: How would you describe Bernardus?

SS: He is the friend of Gerrit. He is smart, driven, a little bit reckless. He wants to get things done.

EC: What about Gerrit?

SS: He is cautious to a fault, wants to do the right thing, thoughtful, and gentle. He has an engineer’s mind and sees the world in black and white.

EC: How would you describe Charlie?

SS: He was my favorite character and at some point, stole the story. He is bright, curious, courageous, impetuous, selfless, charming, perceptive, favors and respects Ivy over his other sister.

EC: How would you describe Fern, the older sister?

SS: A charming narcissist. She is bitter, jealous, disloyal, a betrayer, controlling, bullying, mean, efficient, clever, and enjoyed Ivy’s dependence on her. She twists people’s words. She sees herself as the heroine, not as the villainess she is. She will never admit her wrong doings.

EC: What about the relationship between Gerrit and Ivy?

SS: I think it was an enemy to lover’s story that got off to a rough spot. Ivy’s perspective was he wore the German uniform and would not trust him. He is in the resistance but cannot tell her that. For him, it is a forbidden love. He cannot tell her because he would put himself, Charlie, Bernadus, and herself in danger. In the end they became affectionate toward each other.

EC: Do you think the Germans were harsh to the Islanders?

SS: They would not allow people to draw outside. They regulated the water intake, had curfews, and took political prisoners. The Germans cut off Jersey from Britian who provided supplies, coal, and medicine. Now they had to buy from France but do not have trade patterns with them. This was a cruelty of war itself.

EC: Next books?

SS: A Christmas novella coming out in September, titled Twelve Days and Twelfth Night. It is set in San Diego with a USO show. The USO director must put on a show for the sailors. She recruits a Hollywood heartthrob has been, who has severe burns. It is fun and lighthearted.

My next novel comes out in February, set in France. The plot has those living in the mountains of France rescuing 3000 Jewish children during the war. Almost every home in that village rescued at least one person.

THANK YOU!!

***

BIO: Elise Cooper has written book reviews and interviewed best-selling authors since 2009. Her reviews have covered several different genres, including thrillers, mysteries, women’s fiction, romance and cozy mysteries. An avid reader, she engages authors to discuss their works, and to focus on the descriptions of their characters and the plot. While not writing reviews, Elise loves to watch baseball and visit the ocean in Southern California, with her dog and husband.

Book Tour/Feature Post and Mini Book Review: The Reluctant Pioneer by Julie McDonald Zander

Hi, everyone!

Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for THE RELUCTANT PIONEER by Julie McDonald Zander on this Black Coffee Book Tour.

Below you will find a book description, my mini book review, an about the author section, and the author’s social media links. Enjoy!

***

Book Description

Matilda Koontz cherishes her life as a wife and mother on a Missouri farm, but her hardworking husband wants to claim free farmland in the Pacific Northwest. When he suggests selling the farm to trek two thousand miles across the Oregon Trail, she balks.

But in the spring of 1847, Matilda and Nicholas Koontz and their sons embark on a grueling journey westward. Fresh graves testify to dangers of disease, accidents, starvation, and a multitude of hazards threatening her family and her beloved’s dream.

With new struggles at every turn, Matilda wonders how she can protect her sons on such a perilous journey. Will they reach the trail’s end? Will the babe growing inside her womb survive?

When tragedy strikes, the question changes: How can she possibly continue?

This pioneer woman’s journey is inspired by a true story.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/218201752-the-reluctant-pioneer?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=clKBXcJyrB&rank=1

Universal link for the book on Amazon

***

My Mini Book Review

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

THE RELUCTANT PIONEER by Julie McDonald Zander is a Christian historical fiction novel featuring a woman and her family’s journey westward from Missouri on the Oregon Trail in 1847. The story draws from real events and thorough research, making each scene feel immersive.

This is such an emotional read as you experience every step of the journey. Matilda is courageous and resourceful through all the trials of this journey. All the secondary characters are fully developed and I loved Matilda’s boys. I did have a bit of trouble with the slow start, but it did eventually pull me in, and I was even disappointed when it ended. I enjoyed this author’s writing in a previous book, and I do realize this is a Christian historical and based on a religious woman, but this story had too many religious references for me to thoroughly enjoy.

Overall, though, I found Matilda compelling, the story historically interesting and well researched, and well worth reading.

***

About the Author

Julie McDonald Zander, an award-winning journalist, earned a bachelor’s degree in communications and political science from the University of Washington before working two decades as a newspaper reporter and editor. Through her personal history company, Chapters of Life, she has published more than 75 individual, family, and community histories. Her debut novel, The Reluctant Pioneer, won a Will Rogers Medallion and was a finalist for the Western Writers of America’s Spur Award for Best Historical Novel. She and her husband live in the Pacific Northwest, where they raised their two children.

Social Media Links

Website: https://mczander2024.ag-sites.net/index.htm

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563140294856

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juliemcdonaldzander/?hl=en

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mczander.bsky.social

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/the-reluctant-pioneer-by-julie-mcdonald-zander

Friday Feature Author Interview with Elise Cooper: The Paris Housekeeper by Renee Ryan

Book Description

Paris, 1940

German tanks rumble through the streets of Paris, forcing frightened citizens to flee. But not everyone has the luxury to leave. Camille Lacroix, a chambermaid at the world-famous Hôtel Ritz, must stay to support her family back home in Brittany. Desperate to earn money, Camille also acts as a lady’s maid for longtime guest Vivian Miller, a glamorous American widow—and a Nazi sympathizer.

Despite her distrust of the woman, Camille turns to Vivian when her friend and fellow hotel maid Rachel Berman needs help getting out of Paris. It’s then that Camille discovers that Vivian is not what she seems… The American has been using her wealth and connections to secretly obtain travel papers for Jewish refugees.

While they’re hiding Rachel in an underground bunker under a Nazi’s nose, a daring escape plan is hatched. But as the net grows tighter, and the Germans more ruthless, Camille’s courage will be tested to the extreme…

***

Elise’s Thoughts

The Paris Housekeeper by Renee Ryan is very relevant today. After the October 7th Hamas massacre of Israeli civilians that included the raping of women and children, burning babies alive, and brutal torture, readers will understand why people have dubbed this the Holocaust of the 21st Century. Ms. Ryan has a knack for getting into the minds and hearts of her readers.

In this story there are three main characters who become connected through the world-famous Hotel Ritz after the Nazis occupied Paris in 1940. It is a multi-narrative story where readers can see events from several different views. Three women from different socio-economic backgrounds are thrust together. Vivian Miller, a glamorous American socialite widow is chosen by the SS officer Gunther Von Bauer to be his mistress. Both she and he are residing at the Ritz. She appears to be a Nazi sympathizer but is working behind the scenes to help French Jews escape. Camille Lacroix, a chambermaid at the Ritz, becomes his household maid to support her family back home in Brittany, especially her sister Jacqueline who has emotional issues. Rachel Berman is Camille’s Jewish co-worker and needs her help to survive. Knowing that Vivian can help, Camille turns to her to help save Rachel and her mother.

The plot is very powerful and moving. There is suspense and tension as readers take the journeys with the characters. Some of them are brave, resilient, courageous, while others are self-absorbed and cruel. The twists and turns enhance this very captivating read.

***

Author Interview

Elise Cooper: Just as with the characters in this book many people, after October 7th, feel helpless, scared, and angry. They can find solace in some of the characters’ quotes. The first quote by the Jewish character, Rachel, “This enemy, these new Germans are hardened, angrier, and more ruthless. Hate lives in their heart. Hate for people like us.” Her father says, “We are French citizens.” Rachel responds “No papa. We are Jews.”

Renee Ryan: For me, that quote summed up the Holocaust with the evil of how people looked the other way and rationalized and pretended that nothing was happening. I thought when I wrote that quote about the 1940s, ‘what is wrong with these people. How are you missing this.’ Even though I am not Jewish I wondered why did so many just look away. Today it is happening all over again, where people just turn and look the other way. History is repeating itself. People are saying it is a two-sided conversation and this is so untrue. It is a one-sided conversation. Everyone should be supporting our Jewish allies and our Jewish people in this country. We should not allow genocide to happen again. We should not be looking away. It is about people who are our friends, colleagues, and I wonder why we are not standing next to them shoulder to shoulder.

EC: Can you explain the other quote, people are “clinging to a lie and calling it hope.”?

RR: I wanted to show in the book how people thought it will not happen to me. It will only happen to those who are not French born, or it will only happen to the poor, not the wealthy, or it will only happen to people without connections, not us. The goalpost kept moving. Laws in France kept changing during the occupation. It was not the Germans, but the French that were doing the roundups of the Jews and passed the harsh laws towards them.

EC: Do you also agree that these quotes are very relevant today?

RR: Yes. I wrote this book a year ago. I thought I was writing these quotes about what happened fifty, sixty, seventy, eighty years ago during the Nazi reign. I cannot comprehend that these quotes can be applied to October 7th. It is so heartbreaking. Have we not learned anything. It is very similar to what happened. It is the same rhetoric, the exact same things said in the 1930s, 1940s. It led to all the antisemitism and for people to look away. People do not want to educate themselves. They only listen to the propaganda about the Jews. I have a quote in the book, “Good people should stop looking the other way and stand up to evil.” People should stand up with Israel. Nothing can be justified.

EC: Where did you get the idea for this story?

RR: There was a news article about Irene Gut. She had a tragic life. She became a housekeeper for a Nazi official in Poland. She hid nine Jews in his basement, and they all survived two years of hiding. This was the jumping off point. What would it be like for someone working in a home and hiding Jews right under the nose of someone trying to wipe them out.

EC: How would you describe Camille?

RR: Trustworthy, loyal, decent, guilty, and courageous. She was relieved to be in Paris away from the stress of her family. She felt guilty of being relieved that she was not guilty. She struggled with it. She was conflicted and eventually decided to take a stand.

EC: What was the role of Jacqueline, Camille’s sister?

RR: She represented the mentally ill. There is a scene in the book where Camille discovers the German euthanasia program with the mentally ill. It was refined and then applied to the Jews. The sister represented that part of the German history.

EC: How would you describe the Jewish character, Rachel?

RR: Innocent, helpless, sweet, not a complainer, has a sense of powerlessness because she is scared and bitter. She also feels humiliated, angry, and is being persecuted. Her anger is her saving grace because without it she would not have survived. The anger is what drove her. While she was fearful and felt helpless, she was also very angry that had her trying to figure out how to escape.

EC: Was Vivian a complex character?

RR: She is responsible, direct, lonely, and at an earlier age suffered mental and physical abuse. She was also confident and passionate yet could be very selfish and self-centered. In some ways she was the villain yet at the same time she was an anti-hero. I would not call her a hero. She represents those people today who say if I do a little bit then I am still good. She justifies rotten behavior by a few good acts. She wanted to believe ‘if I do a few good things that erases all the bad.’ Although deep down she knows that is not true. She also makes a really bad decision.

EC: How would describe Nazi SS officer Von Bauer?

RR: He is controlling, an opportunist, ambitious, driven, and possessive. Regarding Vivian he is obsessed with her, likes to steal her dignity, cruel, and demanding. He represents the abusers of woman. He was to Vivian the ‘devil you know.’ At times she saw in him comfort and familiarity. He was bad because he was a Nazi.

EC: Why did Vivian get the nickname The Snow Queen versus Von Bauer’s the Raven?

RR: It comes from the Nordic folklore fairy tale. They were always in battle. I think it was a perfect metaphor for their relationship. They were going to battle until one survived. Both characters in the fairy tale are evil. Their relationship was based on a tug of war, like a weird chess game.

EC: Did the American government really freeze accounts of Americans overseas?

RR: Yes. Laura Mae Corrigan was a real person they did it to. It was very much justified. She was very much a Vivian type character, an ex-Patriot living in the Ritz. She left the Ritz because they took her money. But Vivian stayed at the Ritz because she had a plan. The Ritz was not shut down because they remained neutral.

EC: Was there an interconnection between the relationship of Vivian, Rachel, and Camille?

RR: The Ritz brought them together as three people trying to survive the war. They are not really friends. Rachel and Camille are more friendly. They need each other. Camille and Rachel see their families as number one, while Vivian has no family. Vivian is number one to herself. They help each other but always will consider their family first.

EC: Next book?

RR: It is titled The Last Fashion House in Paris and will be out this time next year. The setting is occupied Paris. The character from my first book, The Widows of Champagne, Paulette, has her story on what happened to her during the banishment to Paris, the final two years of WWII. She must redeem herself.

THANK YOU!!

***

Friday Feature Author Interview with Elise Cooper: The Swindler’s Daughter by Stephenia H. McGee

Book Description

A surprise inheritance. A cache of family secrets. A choice that will change her life forever.

Lillian Doyle has lived her entire high-society life with her widowed mother, believing her father died long ago. But when news arrives that her estranged father only recently passed away–in jail–Lillian is startled to find that the man has left a business and all of his possessions to her, making her a rather unusual heiress.

When she goes to take possession of her father’s house in a backwoods Georgia town, the dilapidated structure is already occupied by another woman who claims it was promised to her son, Jonah. In her attempts to untangle the mess, Lillian will discover not only a family she never knew she had but a family business that is more than meets the eye–and has put a target on her back.

To discover the truth and take hold of the independence she’s always dreamed of, she’ll have to make friends with adversaries and strangers–especially Jonah, the dusty and unrefined cowboy who has secret aspirations of his own.

***

Elise’s Thoughts

The Swindler’s Daughter by Stephenia McGee is a compelling mystery mixed within a historical novel. Both the male hero and female heroine are put in dangerous situations with a villain that is multifaceted.

Set in 1912 Georgia, the main character Lillian Doyle always believed that her father was dead and her mother his widow. That is until she receives notice that her father has just recently died and left her as the sole heir to his home and half his business. Deciding to travel to a small town in Georgia to settle her father’s estate and accept the inheritance she gets more than she bargained for including a family she has never met and an inheritance that brings dangerous problems. The longer Lillian stays in her father’s small town, the more intrigue, and mysterious events she encounters.

After arriving in the small city of Dawsonville. Georgia, she finds a family already in possession of her father’s house, and some shady aspects about her father’s business including the business partner who wants not only the whole business for himself, but also the house. Having to navigate who is good and who is bad she discovers charming, loving people, and a cousin and an aunt she never knew. After meeting the current occupants of the house who suggest she becomes a business partner with them she contemplates about achieving her dream of independence. Realizing a decision needs to be made she makes the choice of becoming business partners with the family that includes Jonah, his mom Melanie, and his sisters. While trying to find the truth behind her father’s business dealings she also must deal with her superficial mother who tried to manipulate Lillian to get control over the inheritance.

Readers will be on the edge of their seats because of the cache of family secrets. The story also includes a sweet romance, historical details, mystery, and adventure.

***

Elise Cooper: The idea for the story?

Stephenia McGee: I had gone to a Colorado museum where there was a whole section with bottles from the prohibition era. I thought this is neat and found out how things were hidden in the walls. The story idea sparked from hidden items.

EC: How would you describe Lillian?

SM: She is quietly feisty but is usually stoic and reserved. She is outwardly tough, inwardly soft, vulnerable, thoughtful, and determined.

EC: How would you describe Jonah?

SM: Hard-working, determined, very responsible, and has the weight on his shoulders because he does not want to let those who depend on him down. He is also protective and loyal.

EC: What about the relationship between Jonah and Lillian?

SM: It starts off where they do not care for each other. In the beginning it is a battle of their wits. Eventually, they develop a mutual respect where they balance each other out. He causes some cracks in her armor and she lets him see that not everything is as he thinks it is supposed to be.

EC: What was the role of each of their mothers?

SM: Each had strong personalities. His mom, Melanie, wants the best for everybody, and wants everyone to accomplish their dream, having the best at heart. She guides Lillian to make her dreams come true. Lillian’s mother wants the best for herself, all about status, what society thinks of her, and wants to build a life of comfort. Basically, she is a snob, uncaring, and selfish.

EC: Can you explain the book quote, “Life is full of unknowns?”

SM: The theme of the book is what should people do when life does not turn out at all what they expect. For Lillian, nothing is as is seems. The idea is that life throws curve balls, and how do people navigate those obstacles with hope and a sense of self.

EC: Why a bakery and the bookstore?

SM: For Melanie the bakery was her stress reliever. It is something she always wanted to do. Lillian, when she sees Melanie determined to have her own business, also wants to create her favorite place for others, the bookstore. It was quiet, cozy, and allowed her to get lost in the stories. She wanted to provide that same sort of place for others. Both Melanie and Lillian realized that they could work together. The project also brought Jonah’s sister Rose out of her melancholy ways. She was able to accomplish her hobby of sewing cushions.

EC: What about the Watson family?

SM: Whether Jonah’s family or Lillian’s father extended family, they had a huge impact on Lillian’s character growth. Lillian sees what is like to have a warm and caring family. Since it was only her and her uncaring mom, she learned to love and be supported through the other families.

EC: Next books?

SM: I am working on a new series about Mississippi romances. Book 1 is called The River Queen about a 1923 showboat. This one has river pirates, gangsters, more hidden secrets, and a deep mystery. It comes out in October. I will more than likely write a book for Revell the following October. I am thinking that once a year I will self-publish, and the next year will be a Revell book.

THANK YOU!!

***

Friday Feature Author Interview with Elise Cooper: The Sound of Light by Sarah Sundin

Book Description

When the Germans march into Denmark, Baron Henrik Ahlefeldt exchanges his nobility for anonymity, assuming a new identity so he can secretly row messages for the Danish Resistance across the waters to Sweden.

American physicist Dr. Else Jensen refuses to leave Copenhagen and abandon her research–her life’s dream. While printing resistance newspapers, she hears stories of the movement’s legendary Havmand–the merman–and wonders if the mysterious and silent shipyard worker living in the same boardinghouse has something to hide.

When the Occupation cracks down on the Danes, these two passionate people will discover if there is more power in speech . . . or in silence. Bestselling author of more than a dozen WWII novels, Sarah Sundin offers pens another story of ordinary people responding to extraordinary circumstances with faith, fortitude, and hope for a brighter future.

***

Elise’s Thoughts

The Sound of Light by Sarah Sundin shows why her name has become synonymous with captivating and historically accurate World War II books. This novel has ordinary people responding to extraordinary circumstances using their courage, faith, fortitude, and a bit of hope.

The story shows how the Nazi occupation was different with Denmark. After the Germans occupy Denmark during WWII, they treat the country as a “model protectorate”. They didn’t enforce the same antisemitic laws as they did throughout Europe, allowing the Danes to self-govern and keeping the power of King Christian intact. For a while, things remained very much the same.

But when the plot fast forwards to 1943 everything changes. Baron Henrik Ahlefeldt exchanges his nobility for anonymity, so he can secretly row messages for the Danish Resistance across the waters to Sweden. He had three personas. Havman is the name chosen for helping the Danish Resistance. The “Merman” is based on the Hans Christian Anderson story The Little Mermaid. As a former Olympic rower, he volunteers to row vital intel across the Sound to the allies in Sweden. There is also Hemining chosen by Henrik to be the opposite of the Baron, portraying an illiterate silent ship worker.

As Hemining, he meets Dr. Else Jenkins, an American Physicist who decides to stay in Denmark even after the Nazi occupation. But she is also working for the resistance, helping to publish a resistance newspaper for her friend Dr. Laila Berend, a mathematician. Neither Else and Laila know Hemining’s identity and resistance activities, and he does not know of their resistance activities. This changes in 1943 after the Nazis decide to round up the Danish Jewish community. Together along with most of Denmark, they hide and then transport most of the Jews to safety in Sweden. They face the constant danger of getting arrested, tortured, and executed.

The themes of the book are bravery, forgiveness, heartbreak, and horror along with the resilience of the Danes. Sundin has a way of bringing to life the true history in a fictional story.

***

Author Interview

Elise Cooper: Idea for the story?

Sarah Sundin: It came from historical research. Since this is my fifteenth WWII novel, I find new stories that piqued my interest through my research. I came across the amazing things Denmark did during the World War, especially how they rescued the Danish Jews.

EC: The Nazis were uncharacteristic the way they treated the Danes?

SS: My last book was set in France, previous ones set in Germany. Yet, how the Nazis treated the Danes goes against everything learned about the Nazis. When the Germans occupied Denmark, they made the country a “model protectorate.” They allowed the king and the government to remain in place, and they gave the Danes, as “fellow Aryans,” freedoms unheard of in the rest of Europe. For that reason, resistance was slow to develop in Denmark, but it did develop. In late 1943, the German crackdown on the Danish Jews dramatically fueled the resistance, and the various groups united to form the Freedom Council to coordinate their efforts, not only with each other but with the Allies.

EC: How would you describe Else?

SS: She is a nuclear physicist. She is very sweet natured and hates to confront people. She learns how to speak up for herself, developing a backbone.

EC: What role did Professor Mortensen play?

SS: He is a chauvinist pig, condescending and rude to her, treating her as more of a secretary than a scientist. He basically humiliated Else. He is arrogant and dismissive. He forces her to speak up to save her career, which means everything to her. She needs to learn the difference between being nice and kind. Niceness is giving in on everything whereas kindness is respecting someone and being considerate.

EC: The other physicist Bohr was a contrast to Mortensen?

SS: He is a real person, while Mortensen is fictional. I was so impressed with Bohr. He truly cared for those he worked with, nurturing them, and bringing out their brilliance. He used his brilliance to help others. Mortensen never cared about others. I chose to make Else a physicist after hearing about Nobel Laureate Niels Bohr’s institute in Copenhagen and the role Bohr played during the war.

EC: How would you describe Henrik?

SS: A nobleman who led the playboy life until the Nazi occupation. He was an Olympic rower and used those skills for the resistance, rowing to Sweden to give messages. Henrik’s character was inspired by Knud Christiansen, a Danish Olympic rower who rowed Jews to Sweden. He is bold and outspoken until after he took on his secret identity where he becomes a shipyard worker, appearing to be all muscle and very silent.

EC: What are the similarities and differences between Henrik, Havmand, and Hemining?

SS: He took on all three personas. Henrik was a nobleman with daddy issues. His father had high standards for his son, causing Henrik to rebel. Havmand was the rower, a code name. In Danish it means Merman. He took inspirations from The Little Mermaid story since she gives up her voice to have legs. He basically did the same thing, giving up his voice to be mobile for the resistance. Hemining was the ship worker. Else describes all three: Hemining was noble in character, Henrik noble in birth and upbring, and Havmand is noble in his deeds.

E: How would you describe them:

SS: Henrik was a leader, stubborn, direct, determined, protective, wants to be a warrior, and courageous.

Hemining was level-headed, responsible, considerate, thoughtful, hard-working, stubborn, direct, determined, protective, humble, and courageous.

Havmand was level-headed, responsible, considerate, stubborn, direct, determined, protective, humble, a warrior, and courageous.

EC: How would you describe the relationship between Hemining and Else?

SS: Henrik pretends to be someone else in her presence. He is trying to restrain himself to make sure he does not reveal his identity. She on the other hand is confronting her prejudices. She is a scientist who falls for someone who can barely read, Hemining. She is drawn to his kindness and decentness. She becomes more attractive to him and realizes that what is more important is someone’s character, not the letters after their name.

EC: What was the role of Leila in the book?

SS: She is spunky, fun, persistent, and a good foil for Else. She was Else’s best friend. She quits her job as a PHD mathematician to join the resistance. Leila is Jewish and needed the help of Else and Henrik to escape the Nazis. She symbolized in the story the persecution of the Jews and the courageous acts of resistance. The Danes managed to save almost all the Jews in Denmark by ferrying them across to Sweden. I wanted to tell these stories.

EC: Next book?

SS: It is coming out in February 2024 and set in London during the Blitz. A Dutch refugee is separated from her son who is sent to London as they both flee the Nazis. She enlists a BBC radio correspondent to help find the son. In the flames of the city a bunch of murders pop up. This one will be a mystery and thriller.

THANK YOU!!

***

Friday Feature Author Interview with Elise Cooper: The Secret Society of Salzburg by Renee Ryan

Book Description

London, 1933

At first glance, Austrian opera singer Elsa Mayer-Braun has little in common with the young English typist she encounters on tour. Yet she and Hattie Featherstone forge an instant connection—and strike a dangerous alliance. Using their friendship as a cover, they form a secret society with a daring goal: to rescue as many Jews as possible from Nazi persecution.

Though the war’s outbreak threatens Elsa and Hattie’s network, their efforts attract the covert attention of the British government, offering more opportunities to thwart the Germans. But Elsa’s growing fame as Hitler’s favorite opera singer, coupled with her secret Jewish ancestry, make her both a weapon and a target—until her future, too, hangs in the balance.

From the glamorous stages of Covent Garden and Salzburg to the horrors of Bergen-Belsen, two ordinary women swept up by the tide of war discover an extraordinary friendship—and the courage to save countless lives.

***

Elise’s Thoughts

The Secret Society of Salzburg by Renee Ryan is a heartwarming story with heartfelt characters. In this current period, when there is so much decisiveness, reading stories like this reminds people how working collectively brings everyone together. Ms. Ryan has hit a home run.

Elsa and Hattie are the most unlikely individuals to become sister-like friends. As with her previous books, Ryan writes about two strong women who work together for a common goal. These two women attempt to save the lives of Jewish refugees during WWII. In the mid-1930s, Londoner Hattie Featherstone, an aspiring artist, falls in love with opera and after hearing Elsa Mayer-Braun sing paints a picture of her. While Elsa is in London, Hattie gives her a picture she painted of the famous opera star. Wanting to return the kind gesture, Elsa invites Hattie and her sister to see a performance.

Meeting backstage at several performances all three realize they have a lot in common, becoming close friends. Hattie, the painter, her sister Vera, the writer, and Elsa, the opera singer, have in common a medium where they express themselves. As the Nazis gain more and more power, they band together to help people escape them, including Elsa’s Aunt Malvina, who is Jewish and living in Germany. A network is built to rescue as many Jewish people as possible.

The mystery of the story comes into play after Elsa is arrested in 1943 and taken to a concentration camp. Who betrayed her and will she survive the harsh conditions of Bergen-Belsen?

The characters were brave, kind, loving, and resilient during a dark time in history. Readers will be on the edge of their seats as the story has suspense, danger, and intrigue. This is a novel that will stay in readers’ thoughts long after they are finished.

***

Author Interview

Elise Cooper: How did you get the idea for the story?

Renee Ryan: In 2013 I was at a conference working on my previous historical novel, The Widows of Champagne, and was told about this person’s autobiography, Ida Cook. She was a British typist who ultimately became a Harlequin Romance writer. But more importantly, she and her sister Louise rescued 29 Jews from Nazi persecution. They would go to Opera Festivals and help Jews escape through that route. I did the ‘what if’ and slowly the story came together. Instead of a sister book like the Cooks I wanted to make it a friendship book of unlikely people.

EC: How did being partially Jewish affect Elsa?

RR: Being part-Jewish she felt she needed to help Jews escape the Nazis to survive. Because her late mother wanted her to hide her heritage and change her name, she had Elsa’s aunt raise her as a Catholic. This drives Elsa on so many levels.

EC: How would you describe Elsa?

RR: A musical prodigy who loved her art form so much. She was desperate to be great, but also had a fear of falling short. She has guilt feelings that things came so easy to her. She always wanted to share her wealth. She is lonely, independent, dignified, optimistic, kind, grateful, and strong. There is also a naivety which was willful, refusing to see people who they really were.

EC: Is Wilhelm, Elsa’s husband, an evil character?

RR: A lot of Maestros have some of his traits. They know they are good, the best of what they do. Everything regarding the show falls on their shoulders, the leader. With Wilhelm, he could spot Elsa’s talent. But beyond that Wilhelm was arrogant, conceited, ruthless, selfish, greedy, optimistic, and smug.

EC: The relationship with Wilhelm and Elsa?

RR: Because she lost her parents at such a young age she is struggling with this grief. Part of her attraction to Wilhelm is because he was so much older than her that there was this parental feel. He was really smitten with Elsa in the beginning, wanting them to be a superstar couple. Elsa could not see beyond his charm and was mesmerized by him. She tried to ignore his negative traits. As Elsa became more independent, he lost control over her and became a mentally abusive husband. His attraction and admiration for her turned to possessiveness, always loyal to himself. Wilhelm was a complete narcissist who was consumed with controlling Elsa’s life, career, and future.

EC: How would you describe Hattie?

RR: Based loosely on Ida Cook. A dreamer. She was a rule follower, yet defiant at times, impulsive. Hattie was also bold, courageous, and stubborn.

EC: How would you describe the sisters’ relationship, Vera and Hattie?

RR: Also, based on Ida Cook since she became the romance writer in the story. Vera was the older sister who became mother-like to Hattie, grounding her, and preventing Hattie from diving off the proverbial cliff. Vera was Hattie’s Jimmy Cricket, a voice of reason.

EC: Describe the relationship between Hattie and Elsa?

RR: Both lost their mothers at a young age. This brought them together. Hattie’s mother passed on her love of art to her, while Elsa’s mom passed on the love of music. They were kindred spirits. Hattie found her own dream within Elsa’s dream, after hearing Elsa sing opera. Hattie admired Elsa. They became friends very quickly. It went from devoted fans, to friends, to allies, to sister-like where they were very loyal to each other.

EC: What was the role of Elsa’s Aunt Malvina?

RR: Through her story I was able to bring in the information about Jews since she was Jewish. They lost their jobs, dignity, and citizenship, and could get arrested at any given time. One of my goals with this story was to show how Jews could not just leave Germany and Austria because of the strict immigration policies of unoccupied nations, who would not let them in. I also wanted to have Elsa have a personal reason to build a network with Hattie and Vera. She feared for Malvina’s survival. Elsa handed Malvina’s care into the sisters’ hands. The aunt was the glue that brought all three together.

EC: Was opera sort of a character?

RR: It was the connection between all the characters. It plays every kind of role including the setting. It is how the characters’ meet, stay together, and what drives them. The clandestine work was able to happen because Hattie and Vera attended opera festivals in occupied countries. Opera is Elsa’s life and it inspired Hattie’s art. I had to learn a lot about opera. Through the opera scenes readers can see the pain, sorrow, joy, and hope of the world and characters. Opera is highly dramatic and emotional, and the era was highly dramatic and emotional.

EC: What about your next book?

RR: It is titled The Paris Housekeeper and comes out this time next year. It has three women: one who is Jewish, an American, and a girl from Brittany. The American is an heiress and the other two work at the hotel Ritz in Paris. The story is how they navigate German occupation. I wanted to show that the Germans did what they did because of the Jewish race, not just the religion. I also show how the Nazis get help from other nationalities in the treatment towards the Jews.

THANK YOU!!

***