Autumn’s Splendor by Julie L. Kusma and Derek R. King is a breathtaking collection of autumn-themed poetry and photographs that captures the essence of the season. With each turn of the page, you will be transported to a world where the air is crisp, the leaves are a symphony of colors, and the landscape is bathed in the golden light of dawn and dusk.
The authors wield their pens like paintbrushes, creating masterful pages filled with colorful visions. Derek’s stunning photographs of leaves add a visual feast that complements their evocative poetry, making this book a truly immersive experience. If you need to escape the mundane chores of life, simply open this book to any page, and it will whisk you away to a blissful moment in time.
This book of poetry is purely autumn relevant. As I read, I found childhood memories spilled forth with gusto. Those damp and misty evenings, the mist refreshing my face as I walked upon the colors of leaves, choosing a couple to press and save between the pages of a book. If you love autumn splendor, this book is for you!
Holland, 1944: Undercover British agent Nancy Callaghan has been given her toughest case yet. A key member of the Dutch resistance has been captured, and Nancy must play the role of a wealthy Nazi to win over a notorious SS officer, Detlef Keller, and gain crucial information.
England: Coding expert Tom Lockwood is devastated that the Allies have failed to push back the Nazis, leaving Northern Holland completely cut off from the rest of Europe, and him from his beloved Nancy. Desperate to rescue the love of his life, Tom devises Operation Tulip, a plan to bring Nancy home.
But as Nancy infiltrates the Dutch SS, she finds herself catching the eye of an even more senior member of the Party. Is Nancy in too deep, or can Tom reach her before she gets caught?
Inspired by the true events of occupied Holland during WW2, don’t miss this utterly gripping story of love, bravery and sacrifice.
Praise for Deborah Swift:
‘A well crafted tale… this book did not disappoint’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘There is action, mystery and romantic entanglements stirred into the story for a fantastically entertaining read’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Deborah Swift never disappoints’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘A joy to read’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Operation Tulip by Deborah Swift
Saving Lives in WW2 – Operation Manna
Snippet
The Desperate Dutch
‘Today we went on a mercy mission to Holland dropping supplies to the civilians there. It is something I will never forget. We went in at about 400 feet and the people were gathered in crowds, on roof tops and everywhere waving at us with handkerchiefs, etc. It made us all feel good to drop the food, if only those damn Germans didn’t get half of it.’ Norman Coats aircrew
By the winter of 1944-1945, the Netherlands was in the grip of a severe famine, known as the Hongerwinter (Hunger Winter). The famine was because German occupation forces had cut off food and fuel supplies to the western part of the country, a region that included major cities such as Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and The Hague. The Allies had liberated the southern parts of the Netherlands, but after the failure of Operation Market Garden, the North West of Holland remained under German occupation.
The Germans too were struggling, knowing the war had been lost, and that their time would soon be over, and yet they had not been instructed to surrender. The famine was made even worse by a harsh winter and the bombed and ruined transport infrastructure, which made it nearly impossible to distribute whatever food was available.
By April 1945, millions of Dutch civilians were facing starvation. An estimated 20,000 people had already died from hunger, and many more were at risk. The situation was dire, and the Dutch government in exile, along with the Dutch resistance, appealed to the Allies for help.
Operation Manna to the rescue
Operation Manna (Manna as in the Bible, food from heaven that fed the Israelites in the desert) was a strategy invented by the Royal Air Force (RAF) to drop food supplies over German-occupied territory.
Negotiations for a cease-fire were hastily arranged between the Allies and the German forces in the Netherlands. A truce was agreed – one that would allow unarmed bombers to fly low over Dutch territory and drop food supplies without being fired upon.
The first mission of Operation Manna took place on April 29, 1945. RAF Lancasters, normally used for bombing raids, were loaded with food parcels instead of bombs. The aircraft flew at low altitudes, around 400 feet, over drop zones in the western Netherlands, including areas around Rotterdam and The Hague.
Food from Heaven
The food parcels contained basic but essential supplies: flour, dried eggs, margarine, sugar, and tinned food. These items were packed in sacks and boxes that were designed to minimize the risk of damage when dropped from the planes. Over the course of ten days, more than 3,000 sorties were flown by the RAF, dropping nearly 7,000 tons of food. The operation was a logistical triumph and a morale booster for both the Allied forces and the starving Dutch population. For many, these food drops were the difference between life and death.
Operation Chowhound: American Aid to the Dutch
While Operation Manna was underway, the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) launched a parallel mission, known as Operation Chowhound and involved the use of B-17 Flying Fortress bombers to deliver food to the Netherlands.
Hope for the Future
The impact of Operations Manna and Chowhound on the Dutch people was immediate and profound. The whole winter, they had been surviving on whatever they could find: tulip bulbs, sugar beets, and anything edible they could scavenge. The sudden raining down of food, delivered from the skies by the very bombers that had once meant only death and destruction, was a powerful symbol of hope and renewal.
Operation Manna and Operation Chowhound are remembered in the Netherlands as moments of extraordinary generosity and solidarity. Yearly memorials commemorate the food drops, and the history of the days food came from the sky are taught in Dutch schools as an example of international cooperation and humanitarianism.
Operation Manna and Operation Chowhound continued until May 8, 1945, the day the Germans in the Netherlands officially surrendered to the Allies. This marked the end of the occupation and the beginning of the recovery for the Dutch people. The food drops, however, continued to be a crucial lifeline until normal supply routes could be restored.
“Instead of being met by flak and searchlight beams, we had all these people waving up at us. What a wonderful greeting.” Frank Tolley 93, air crew
Deborah Swift is a USA TODAY bestselling author of twenty books who is passionate about the past. Deborah used to be a costume designer for the BBC, before becoming a writer. Now she lives in an old English school house in a village full of 17th Century houses, near the glorious Lake District. After taking a Masters Degree in Creative Writing, she enjoys mentoring aspiring novelists and has an award-winning historical fiction blog at her website www.deborahswift.com.
Deborah loves to write about how extraordinary events in history have transformed the lives of ordinary people, and how the events of the past can live on in her books and still resonate today.
Recent books include The Poison Keeper, about the Renaissance poisoner Giulia Tofana, which was a winner of the Wishing Shelf Book of the Decade Award, and a Coffee Pot Book Club Gold Medal. Her most recent books are The Silk Code and The Shadow Network both set in the Second World War.
It’s the time of year. Spooky voices must be heard. Magic is in the air. The Mistress of Halloween, gathers her subjects together in preparation for the one night when skeletons, goblins and ghosts, come to life. She sets free her rats, snakes and bats and fills the trees with the body parts of those who shall remain nameless… The chains rattle, the ravens cry amidst the eerie glow of candle light to spook those seeking treats on Halloween night. Ah yes, the things that go bump in the night cast their spells well enough when the time is right but what are they really thinking? Eaves drop on the conversations, thoughts and rants of the gruesome gang during the harmless light of day. Don’t be afraid to laugh… their ghoul in life, is to entertain you! Presented in living color, BooKu is the spirit of trick or treat, told in the format of Haiku poetry. Designed to hauntingly remind the grown up, little beggars of yesteryear, of the fun behind Halloween. Come on and enjoy a few snickers and get enough to share!
This is a book focusing on autumn and Halloween. The words are evocative to match each graphic used in each poem. I’ve not cared about Halloween and kids trick or treating since October 1990, and my little boy dying. Despite that, I read this book simply because I knew the author would have a positive spin, and she does.
Harbour Ways is the sequel to Watery Ways, Valerie Poore’s first memoir about living on a barge in Rotterdam’s Oude Haven in the Netherlands. This second book tells of the first two years that she owned her own barge, the Vereeniging, and how she converts it from an empty hull into a home. Told with with Valerie’s usual tongue-in-cheek humour, Harbour Ways can be read as a stand alone memoir or as the follow on to Watery Ways.
Ms. Poore has written a great book about life on a barge. This is book 2 in a trilogy, and this is also the only book I’ve read. Ms. Poore is a tough act to follow. After leaving South Africa after a divorce, she moves to the Netherlands, and the real adventure begins.
She found a lovely vintage barge and fell in love with it. But with buying any boat or house, not all is as it seems. Decades of neglect make their appearance known, hours and hours, and days, and weeks, and months go by with grueling work to make the barge livable and seaworthy. Thankfully, Poore makes friends with others who live their dream of barge living. Friends who help out each other are more precious than a few gold bars. The human factor is the real and true factor, and Poore finds just that.
A journey through the wonders of God’s creation in “God’s Gifts To Us.”
From the sparkling stars to the cozy warmth of a crackling fire, this colorful children’s story unfolds a tapestry of gratitude. Discover the beauty of raindrops and snowflakes, the joy in the purrs of cats and barks of dogs, and the majesty of towering trees in the forest. Through vibrant imagery, the story reminds young hearts of the abundance of love, family, friends, and the divine guidance surrounding us.
Ultimately, it leads to the promise of a heavenly destination, painting a picture of grace and wonder.
What a wonderful book for children. The illustrations are wonderful and relate perfectly with the inclusiveness of all skin colors and if a child can walk or have a need for a wheelchair or other device. Those are huge points that all kids need to grasp. So much so that I wrote a kids’ book on the same ideals. The added bonus with this book is a great way of presenting what God gives us no matter the weather or time of year. Children need hope, even if they don’t fully grasp what hope means.
Newly appointed Detective Dustin McCall finds himself thrust into a series of baffling murders plaguing the picturesque town of Durango, Colorado. His mentor, Jim Marlow, is forced to step aside due to a medical emergency. Facing this relentless wave of back-to-back murders alone, Dustin begins to doubt his abilities.
In the shadows, a sinister murderer lurks, orchestrating the bloodshed from the depths of his hidden basement lair. Whispered commands reach his nefarious underlings while he watches the gruesome acts unfold on a bank of monitors with exactly ten addresses. His enigmatic presence is marked by an ever-present elixir.
Victoria Miller, seeking treatment for migraines through hypnosis, experiences an unexpected transformation. Her headaches disappear, and she gains an unusual gift—visions of the crime scenes haunting Durango. Her newfound abilities draw her to Detective McCall, raising questions about her clairvoyance.
As the murders hit closer to home, McCall’s world unravels when a friend becomes a victim, and his fiancée receives an ominous gift. The unsettling mystery deepens—who is the mastermind lurking behind these heinous acts? How is Victoria entangled? Why these targets? How many more must die before McCall can unmask the relentless perpetrator?
This is the first book I’ve read by this author. What drew me into reading was the mix of Christianity and the mystery aspect rather than murder. All three came into play, and the culprit was more diabolical than my own mother! And she was diabolical! The story is well woven and miss directs on purpose, which keeps the reader engaged.
Devin Sharp, a gentle-natured boy, has trouble sleeping. Recurring visions of strangers moving among shadows in his bedroom keep waking him at night. He swears that what he sees and hears is real. To no avail. No one believes him. An older sibling taunts him. “Silly dreams,” she says. But are they?
Coming of age as a gay teen in the seventies, Devin’s sleep issues are just one more secret safely locked up in his closet. But not for long. Freshman year in college brings a measure of freedom and a chance to explore well beyond the boundaries of stifling social molds.
Experimenting with a powerful drug, Devin’s quirky visions resurface. This time, however, something is different. A rabbit hole materializes out of nowhere. Thrust into it by a mysterious force, Devin is hurled into another world centuries before his own. There, awaiting, a host of strangers appear to know him…
D. C. Wilkinson’s passion for historical fiction, portal fantasies and cappuccinos inspired him to write “Devin’s Dreams,” his debut novel. A lifelong voyager of inner and outer realms, he began his career in the Midwest as a student of Language Arts and the Humanities before relocating to the East Coast in his early twenties. A graduate of Columbia University and former New York City public school teacher, he now calls Connecticut his home, where he resides with his spouse and their beloved beagle.
1846. In the heat of West Africa, the French navy uncovers the corpses of two French soldiers. Inspector Maurice Leroux arrives at the island of Gorée. It seems death has come to this small colonial outpost off the Senegal coast, home to the prosperous mixed-blood women known as the signares.
The navy suspects that the Bambara people, emboldened by approaching emancipation, may be out for blood. While confronted by the locals’ strange magical beliefs, Maurice remains skeptical. Does malevolence play a part, or are these deaths accidental, brought upon by the brutality of nature in an island known as the white man’s grave?
But when murder strikes, it becomes clear that a killer is stalking Gorée.
Swept by a mystery unlike any he has known, Maurice meets Signare Angélique Aussenac. The proud métis, deserted by her wealthy Bordeaux lover, casts her spell upon Maurice.
But beyond the throbbing sounds of the tam-tams and the glittering signare soirées, danger lurks. Someone is watching. And the deaths go on.
Could the killer be one of the rich Bordeaux merchants? Or are they hiding among the powerful signares?
A historical mystery spanning France and Senegal, THE SIGNARE OF GORÉE explores a world of magic, murder, and passion.
Why writing The Signare of Gorée was special to me
Born in Senegal like my father, I dearly wanted to write a novel set on the island of Gorée. From an early age I had been fascinated by its past.
For four centuries, Africa’s western coast served as ports of departure for slave trading ships bound for the American continent. Unlike what you might have heard, the island of Gorée off the coast of Senegal was not the largest slave exporting center in Africa. That title goes to the Kingdom of Loango which stretched across parts of modern Angola and Congo. Playing a lesser role in Senegal’s human traffic, Gorée was nevertheless home to one of many concentration camps where slaves were held and readied to be shipped to the Americas, embarking on a harrowing sea passage where only an average sixty percent would survive. Other exporting locations in Senegal included the island of Saint-Louis, Rufisque, Karabine, and Ziguinchor.
I beheld this tragic historical past, but I could not find a story I liked to go with it.
Then ten years ago, I stumbled across an online article about the powerful female traders who lived in both Gorée and Saint-Louis. Of mixed blood, bearing a title derived from the Portuguese word, senhora, which means lady, these signares came from a world that has long vanished. Captivated by these women who ran businesses and were so independent in many ways, I promised myself that I would write a novel that featured signares.
When I began writing The Signare of Gorée in 2022, I chose to feature the signare whose villa, still visited today, has made her famous all over the world: Anna Colas Pépin. In 2013, Barack Obama himself had visited Anna Colas Pépin’s house. Yet he, along with many who are not aware of the “captiveries” or official slave holding establishments that existed on the island – notably in its old military forts, see the house as the main slave holding place from which captives departed Gorée, and call it, “The House of Slaves”. With this in mind, I was keen to bring Anna Colas Pépin to life.
Things were working out. I had my setting, and I had my signares. But what I most wanted for this historical mystery was a cultural beat, a magic realism flavor of the brand I had tasted with stories like Isabel Allende’s The House of the Spirits. All my novels weave in a touch of the supernatural. Even my French chef biopic, The Secret of Chantilly, plays with fairy tale elements and often blurs the lines between reality and the wondrous realm. For The Signare of Gorée, I dearly wanted to highlight Senegalese folklore. My aim was to marry local cultural beliefs with the more cerebral aspects of the mystery. It turned out to be great fun and the result was just what I would expect of a story set in Senegal. Because when one studies Senegalese culture, one very often encounters syncretistic belief systems and behaviors.
In turns out there would be a further unique angle to my historical mystery set on Gorée island. It was not one I had imagined, and it took me by surprise.
It was while researching an 1839 review from Les Annales Maritimes et Coloniales (Colonial Maritime Annals published by the French Marine Ministry) that I stumbled on something by accident.
I was having a fantastic time reading about a 1837/1838 naval ship expedition along the West African coast, from Gorée all the way to what is now Angola, when the ship’s writer happened to mention a lieutenant’s name. Was I dreaming? The Mr Candeau he had referred to sounded very much like one of my ancestors, but I was not certain. The ship’s name was La Triomphante. At least that was a clue…
After reviewing the naval officers in my family’s Candeau genealogy and perusing the list of ships, along with their destinations, I found him! The lieutenant was my ancestor, Jules Leopold Candeau (we call him Leopold), and he was stationed in Gorée for several years. It was likely a base for patrolling the coast to intercept illegal slave traders. I could not believe it. According to the expedition described in the maritime annals, he would have sailed past Casamance, Sierra Leone, and into Dahomey. He would have witnessed firsthand the fierce Amazons who guarded the Dahomey king and hunted elephants. I was blown away.
This was beyond serendipity. It was as though from my DNA, into which all inter-generational memories are locked, a memory had been activated and led me to this discovery. I know for certain that my ancestors are always there, and I believe that Leopold Candeau was waiting for me to find him along my research journey.
It turns out, he was not the only one of my ancestors to set foot on Gorée. His great-grandfather, the infamous slave trader, Jean-Baptiste Candeau, would have stopped there on occasions. Similarly, his grandfather, the corsair Jean-Baptiste Antoine Candeau, who in his life spent 11 years in English captivity (bless him!), mysteriously died at sea off the coast of Senegal just after his retirement.
In the end I mention all three men in The Signare of Gorée. I am so glad I did that, and this novel is now more personal and meaningful to me as a result. Writing this book has been a wonderful experience.
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Laura Rahme is the author of seven historical novels. Born in Dakar, Senegal where she spent her early childhood, she moved to Australia at the age of ten. A graduate of two Honors degrees in Aerospace Engineering and Psychology, she has worked over two decades as an IT professional. Her greatest joy comes from travel, researching history, and penning historical mysteries. She now lives in France with her screenwriting husband.
“Her Alibi” by Mary L. Schmidt is a compelling and extraordinary memoir that delves deep into the harrowing experiences of a daughter enduring severe physical and mental abuse from her bipolar mother, aptly named “The Drama Queen.” This book is not just an eye-opener; it is a profound journey into the life of a child who faced unimaginable hardships and emerged stronger.
Mary’s story is a stark reminder of the hidden traumas many children endure behind closed doors. The narrative is raw and unflinching, shedding light on the often-unspoken horrors of child abuse. Yet, it goes beyond merely recounting these painful experiences. It opens the door to understanding and empathy for those who have survived such violence and have grown into resilient adults.
Schmidt’s writing is powerful and evocative, drawing readers into her world and making them feel every emotion she experienced. This memoir is not just a story of survival; it is a testament to the strength of the human spirit and the importance of compassion and understanding.
“Her Alibi” is a must-read for anyone seeking to understand the complexities of abuse and the incredible resilience of those who endure it. It will stay with you long after you turn the last page, leaving you with a deeper sense of empathy and a desire to offer a caring hug to all the survivors out there.
In the turbulent aftermath of World War I, Germany is a nation reeling from hardship and chaos.
Here, three friends—Elisabeth, Adam, and Hannah—find comfort in each other as they grow up in these challenging times. Their lives take a dramatic turn with the rise of Adolf Hitler, testing their bond in ways they never imagined.
As Hitler’s Final Solution sweeps across the country, Adam and Hannah are thrust into a perilous situation, fighting for survival. Elisabeth, too, faces her own battles, confronting a hidden enemy who threatens her very existence. The promise they made to stick together is put to the ultimate test.
Their stories diverge, leading each on an unexpected journey through a world torn apart by conflict.
My Review:
This book made me feel much of how WW2 went, yet not being there in person, not having been yet, I truly can’t feel the true feelings of those during that time. There’s always sadness when books are read that take place during a horrible time. With that comes precious moments of love and family. Testing your faith. Loss of those killed. Births of new babies. Time marches on. Yet this book has all of that with the reality of how different struggles were dealt with. A true saga.
Life on Molly is a travel and lifestyle blog. I am a normal girl with many passions. I am an explorer of new places, a learner of new languages, creator of my ambitions, blogger, and a good pal. This blog is my little corner of the world where I am able to share my adventures with you and inspire you to live a life full of purpose.
When Angels Fly 