Writing Rainbow of Promise: A World War II Romance was a JOY! I loved being in my parents’ heads, working hard to be authentic to their dialogue, their chemistry, their similarities and differences. My mother was quite a storyteller. From the time I was very young, I loved listening to her telling of enchanting scenarios during their courtship.
My dad would sometimes chime in with humorous details, some that he made up just to get her goat. I grew up admiring their true love for each other. Occasional spats? Yes. But total devotion. That’s what inspired me to write the book: a legacy for my extended families and whomever might be inspired to write, especially those in ReadersMagnet Authors’ Lounge.
The back cover of the book shows the robe included in the romance; it still hangs in my closet. The locket on the front cover holds my parents’ wedding photo on one side and their 25th anniversary photo on the other. The yellow roses, my mother’s favorite, were Daddy’s frequent surprise.
After Daddy’s passing, I found his diary written from the day he boarded the U.S.S. LeJeune, shipping overseas to the European Theatre during WWII, until he returned home. That also inspired me to write the book, and I’ve included his entire diary. I wanted the book to be a tribute to my parents as well as all those families who went through daily nail-biting, listening to the radio, wondering if their family members would return.
We won the war at great sacrifice. My mother always wanted to go to Paris. But my dad insisted that it wouldn’t be fun … ”Mud everywhere, stairs going nowhere, bombed-out buildings…There is nothing there to enjoy, and I don’t ever want to go back.” He could not get those images out of his head. I’ve included in the romance several personal photos of my parents and family prior to my being born. I hope that inspires other writers to share their stories, memoirs, poems, and articles. Books about World War II are popular.
My parents made a good team.
Daddy built grain elevators and cement plants all over the USA. My mother considered it a great adventure. She didn’t care about a beautiful home and kept material possessions in check so packing was easy. She loved learning new dialects, new cultures, new foods, and making new friends. We moved fifty-two times from the time I was born until I was a senior in high school. I attended twenty-six different schools, difficult for a shy child like me. More difficult for my two sisters, one with health challenges in humid climates, the other a social butterfly who was heartbroken constantly giving up friends. Looking back on it, we learned to adjust, somewhat learned how to fit in, knew more about geography and differing cultures than most kids, learned to swim and waterski in Florida, vacationed in Niagara Falls, found New Mexico enchanting, felt at home in the beautiful prairies of Kansas, changed our speech patterns from western Texas to Ohio, and always felt the unconditional love of our closely-knit family.
After Daddy was promoted to Vice President of Chalmers & Borton, the moves ceased. My mother was stunned—no more adventures for her. But she was the cream that rose to the top. She made new friends, finally lived in a lovely home, and somehow had natural instincts for decorating. I’ve always admired her chutzpah. Daddy continued flying in his small company plane to supervise construction jobs all over the USA. My sisters and I each finally had a bedroom of our own. That was short-lived once we finished college and got married. I always dreamed of living in a cottage with a white picket fence. Ironically, my husband loved adventures. We moved twenty-six times in our 44-year marriage. I am grateful to have had my parents as amazing role models in adjusting to whatever life brings.
Moving around, I sometimes gleefully looked forward to new teachers when I didn’t like the ones I had. A few became mentors for me, models for the career I chose in teaching. Though I only had Mrs. Alma Gordon, 4th grade, in Paulding, Ohio, for four months, she was my first teacher role-model. I live every day by the maxims she taught me: A penny saved is a penny earned; a stitch in time saves nine; all good things come to those who wait…. Sometimes I would be ahead of students in a new school. My 5th Grade teacher, Ms.
Niederhouse, let me go to the library where I read books from one end of a shelf to the other. Sixth grade, Ms. Mildred Parker in Albuquerque, New Mexico, was the apex for my teacher role-modeling. I still have my spirals that she required for taking notes. Indeed, I used those for teaching grammar. She challenged me academically at every turn, including sports that I shied away from. I became the 6th grade tetherball and jacks champion and won a blue ribbon for high jump. Loving the educational environment, I made up my mind to become a teacher.
After retiring from thirty-five years of teaching, mostly junior and senior high with a smattering of K-6, I was determined to help those teachers who felt discouraged. My first published book, Connect for Classroom Success—a Silver Award winner, is a mentoring guide for all educators as well as parents. I loved teaching and wanted others to find JOY in teaching and learning.
I wrote a companion book about a student I had who was marginalized—LIAM: The Boy Who Saw the World Upside Down—a true story, five-star reviews.
I also wrote a children’s book, Hector and Heloise in Paris, Firebird First Place Winner, with links to a virtual tour of the Louvre, beautifully illustrated by my watercolorist friend Barb Ruble. My bucket list for writing includes a series of themed poetry, a prequel to my romance novel, and perhaps a memoir.
All of my books are on Amazon–KU, ebooks, and paperbacks. Rainbow of Promise link:
