DAVIS
PAT JEANNE
What motivates you as a writer?
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It wasn’t until much later that I turned to novel writing—a new set of skills were required. It’s true—publishing is not for the faint of heart. I had to acquire a tough skin as I experienced delays, unfavorable criticism, and countless rejections while remaining hopeful as I learned from the mistakes I made.
What types of books do you like to read?
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Since I read mainly historical fiction, the choice of genre for my first story seemed an obvious one. I frequently travel with my British-born husband to the UK, and I wanted to set the story both there and in the US. I have a particular interest in the WWII Era. My father-in-law served with the British 8th Army from 1939 to 1946. I did most of the research for When Valleys Bloom Again while vacationing with my family in England over a period of several years.
How has becoming a writer affected your own reading habits?
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My love for reading began as an elementary student. With my first library card, I took out the books recommended for the summer reading program. Vacation time quickly passed and my reading skills improved as I engaged with the unforgettable heroine Anne of Avonlea, and Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy from the pages of Little Women. I stepped into the real-life adventures of Laura Ingalls Wilder from the Little House on the Prairie series. As an adult, I’ve been most influenced by the authors of Christian stories. I especially enjoy a book in which the hero or heroine attempts to battle social injustice or fights a social evil.
PAT JEANNE DAVIS
PUBLISHER: Elk Lake Publishing, 2019
As war approaches in 1939, Abby Stapleton’s safety is under threat. Her father, a British diplomat, insists she go back to America until the danger passes. Abby vows to return to her home in London—but where is home? With her family facing mortal danger so far away and feeling herself isolated, she finds it hard to pray or read the Bible. Did she leave God behind in war-torn London too? Abby becomes friendly with Jim, a gardener on her uncle’s estate. Jim can’t get Abby out of his mind. Did she have a sweetheart in England? Was it foolish to think she’d consider him? He curses his poverty, and the disgrace of his father’s desertion and drunkenness haunts him. Can he learn to believe in love for a lifetime and to hope for a happy marriage? Abby couldn’t know the war would last a long time, nor that she would fall in love with Jim—soon to be drafted by the US Army—or that she’d have to confront Henri, a rejected suitor, determined by his lies to ruin her reputation and destroy her faith in God’s providence. Will she discover the true meaning of home and find happiness with Jim?
PRAISE FOR
WHEN VALLEYS BLOOM AGAIN
This book stands apart from the standard, sometimes clever, seldom memorable work that passes too often for fiction nowadays. It is a book about life, death, love, betrayal, and pain. It is about simple justice and the fact that faith in the Almighty will out. But that is not why you should read it. You should read it for the story because this book is finely crafted, and the story unfolds so naturally that it is easy to appreciate for its simple compelling drama of the narrative. You care about the characters. You care about how the story turns out, and you want to know what happens after you read the last word.
--MICHAEL A., Amazon Review
"I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well-researched story set during World War II with the elements of intrigue, romance, tension, and strong characterization."
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"This WWII novel made that time period come alive for me. I especially loved the details, both in the historical information, the descriptions of so many things I have no knowledge of and different places in the world. Yet the details didn't slow down the plot and the development of the characters. Both the plot and the characters kept my attention and made me want to get back to reading. I can tell Pat Jeanne Davis has a wonderful career as a novelist ahead of her."
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--KATHRYN E. MILLER
You can really feel the emotion of the characters, very realistic.
-- DEANNE PATTERSON