I went to Hawaii with nine other writers. Did we write? Was it just a sneaky way of writing off a holiday? What do you do on a writing retreat anyway?!
I've been devouring WWII books. While I've studied that time in history via non-fiction, I still learn so much from fictionalized accounts from authors who do extensive research. Hidden Books should be another great read to explore a little known part of that time. Thanks for sharing this with us. And sharing Hawaii as a terrific place to unwind and get even more creative.
The Keeper of Hidden Books was covered a topic I knew nothing about - and I feel like I know a lot about WWII, so it was great to find a new part of history to learn about.
I love that you stuck to your guns Natasha, and didn't cave. You knew the story needed to be told, you knew the story needed to be read, and it was picked up in a heart beat. Write what you know, and always go with your gut instinct
Hi :-) My heart is already beating for that new book. I love reading WWII fiction because it's a treasure trove of emotion and facts. And The Keeper of Hidden Books sounds endlessly engaging. Thank you!
Your newsletter is always inspirational. I’ve been reading WWII stories since I was 12 and still enjoy them especially learning about amazing people. Hawaii and the writing treat looked amazing. We went to Maui,and then to Oahu and visited Pearl Harbour earlier this year. That was fascinating to learn more about from the politics to the people and families affected by the bombing.
I think Pearl Harbour would be so interesting - great that you got a chance to go and do that. And on my next vacation to Hawaii, I must get out to some of the other islands!
I find reading historical fiction books so interesting. And when I'm finished I've learned so much about the people and about the land and the places involves.
I always have a good feeling after reading a historical fiction book. 💕📘‼️ Keep up the good work and keep pushing along with perseverance and I know your next book will be another huge success., 😄
Hi Kay, you're the winner of Madeleine's book! Please email me on natashalester@substack.com so I can arrange for Madeleine to send your book out to you. Congrats!
Book .The Keeper of Hidden Books . Sounds so intriguing and such a beautiful cover. I'm happy that you stick with your true feelings and write what you think that you should write. I think you're a fabulous author and I enjoy all your books. ,,🐑🍀❣️📘📒📗
My family teases me because I always seem to end up with a WWII historical fiction novel, but I just love all the different angles and find them fascinating (and sad and heroic and so much more). I would love to win a copy!
So glad that you were able to go. I follow Kate Quinn on social media so I was surprised to see you were in Hawaii, too. Then I saw you were on the exact same trip. What small worlds. I absolutely love her writing as well
I am glad that you wrote that you wanted. I can't wait to read this book as well! Happy Winter for you!
Hawaii looks like paradise! What a wonderful opportunity for you and all the other writers to meet. I don't think the World War II narratives have been exhausted - in fact, I think there is an urgent need for writers to record the stories of that time before they slip away. Of course, there are always historical archives and records but fewer and fewer actual people are alive who lived through the experience. How wonderful to capture those stories.
I agree - it's terrible to think that the soon there will be no one left who lived through that time and then all we'll have are second hand accounts or forgetting. A catastrophic time will become gentled by the lack of people who are able to attest to its true horror – and that's when history begins to repeat itself, which I'm afraid it may already be doing.
I would absolutely love to win The Keeper of Hidden Books,🍀🍀❣️❣️‼️ thank you for the Fabulous chance to Win this Fabulous Book. This is definitely the type of book that I read, 💕🍀❣️📘‼️
Growing up we had seen a Silver Star medal and a citation telling what Dad had done to be awarded this medal, but he never talked much about it. The medal was kept in a footlocker with pictures and other odds and ends from his time overseas. A little more conversation was had when one of my nephews interviewed Dad for a school report. I know Dad was one of 14 who volunteered to storm a fort in Northern Africa and was instrumental in capturing over 200 French Moroccans . He mentioned mortars were being fired by American soldiers as they ran up a hill to the fort, and he just kept running and hoping the shells would not hit them.
The most frightening time for him was when he was in a plane that was running low on fuel, and they didn’t know if they would make it to their destination. His loneliest time was a Christmas Eve spent in an airplane hanger. His saddest time was finding out his 19 year-old brother had been killed while in France. I believe his brother Lester’s job was helping to clear roads of mines for American tanks to travel on.
I wish Dad had talked more about his WWII experiences, but like most men of that time, he didn’t open up too much about it.
You're right – most men didn't talk much about their experiences, which is so sad. But also understandable – talking about such a terrible time must have been traumatic, and perhaps laid them open to feeling too vulnerable than they felt they were allowed to be, given the era and expectations of men at the time. I'm glad you have at least some of his stories.
My dad died in 2019 one month short of being 99. I wish I had asked him more questions about his war time years. My mother is 95 and has a good memory. This conversation has made think perhaps she could fill me in a little more on whatever Dad might have told her. They both at one point quite a few years ago wrote down some of their childhood memories for our two children when I asked them to.
I'm sure I would too Natasha!
Love reading your books and following you on Instagram xo
Thank you!
I've been devouring WWII books. While I've studied that time in history via non-fiction, I still learn so much from fictionalized accounts from authors who do extensive research. Hidden Books should be another great read to explore a little known part of that time. Thanks for sharing this with us. And sharing Hawaii as a terrific place to unwind and get even more creative.
The Keeper of Hidden Books was covered a topic I knew nothing about - and I feel like I know a lot about WWII, so it was great to find a new part of history to learn about.
I love that you stuck to your guns Natasha, and didn't cave. You knew the story needed to be told, you knew the story needed to be read, and it was picked up in a heart beat. Write what you know, and always go with your gut instinct
Over all the years of writing, I've learned that my gut is rarely wrong and I ought to listen to it more so than anything else.
It sounds fascinating
Hi :-) My heart is already beating for that new book. I love reading WWII fiction because it's a treasure trove of emotion and facts. And The Keeper of Hidden Books sounds endlessly engaging. Thank you!
Your newsletter is always inspirational. I’ve been reading WWII stories since I was 12 and still enjoy them especially learning about amazing people. Hawaii and the writing treat looked amazing. We went to Maui,and then to Oahu and visited Pearl Harbour earlier this year. That was fascinating to learn more about from the politics to the people and families affected by the bombing.
I think Pearl Harbour would be so interesting - great that you got a chance to go and do that. And on my next vacation to Hawaii, I must get out to some of the other islands!
I find reading historical fiction books so interesting. And when I'm finished I've learned so much about the people and about the land and the places involves.
I always have a good feeling after reading a historical fiction book. 💕📘‼️ Keep up the good work and keep pushing along with perseverance and I know your next book will be another huge success., 😄
Hi Kay, you're the winner of Madeleine's book! Please email me on natashalester@substack.com so I can arrange for Madeleine to send your book out to you. Congrats!
I'm so excited thank you so very much Natasha. I will certainly email you my address. 🍀❣️‼️
Your Friend
Kay, ❣️
I'm so excited I cannot hide it, 😍❣️‼️ thank you very much Natasha I'll email you,,,❣️🍀‼️
Thank you very much I'm so excited I cannot hide it, 😀❣️🍀🍀‼️
I would absolutely love to win the fabulous
Book .The Keeper of Hidden Books . Sounds so intriguing and such a beautiful cover. I'm happy that you stick with your true feelings and write what you think that you should write. I think you're a fabulous author and I enjoy all your books. ,,🐑🍀❣️📘📒📗
Thank you Kay!
Thank you Natasha,,,😀‼️ I'm so excited I cannot hide it. I sent you my email address from your newsletter. Your Friend Kay, ❣️
My family teases me because I always seem to end up with a WWII historical fiction novel, but I just love all the different angles and find them fascinating (and sad and heroic and so much more). I would love to win a copy!
Me too - there is always something new to learn!
So glad that you were able to go. I follow Kate Quinn on social media so I was surprised to see you were in Hawaii, too. Then I saw you were on the exact same trip. What small worlds. I absolutely love her writing as well
I am glad that you wrote that you wanted. I can't wait to read this book as well! Happy Winter for you!
Yes, Kate is a wonderful writer and it was so good to finally meet her in person!
Hawaii looks like paradise! What a wonderful opportunity for you and all the other writers to meet. I don't think the World War II narratives have been exhausted - in fact, I think there is an urgent need for writers to record the stories of that time before they slip away. Of course, there are always historical archives and records but fewer and fewer actual people are alive who lived through the experience. How wonderful to capture those stories.
I agree - it's terrible to think that the soon there will be no one left who lived through that time and then all we'll have are second hand accounts or forgetting. A catastrophic time will become gentled by the lack of people who are able to attest to its true horror – and that's when history begins to repeat itself, which I'm afraid it may already be doing.
It would be awesome to win a copy of The Keeper of Hidden Books!
Good luck!
I would absolutely love to win The Keeper of Hidden Books,🍀🍀❣️❣️‼️ thank you for the Fabulous chance to Win this Fabulous Book. This is definitely the type of book that I read, 💕🍀❣️📘‼️
You'd love it, Kay!
I can’t wait to get my hands on this book, it looks and sounds so good!!!
It's definitely a good one!
Hi Natasha,
Growing up we had seen a Silver Star medal and a citation telling what Dad had done to be awarded this medal, but he never talked much about it. The medal was kept in a footlocker with pictures and other odds and ends from his time overseas. A little more conversation was had when one of my nephews interviewed Dad for a school report. I know Dad was one of 14 who volunteered to storm a fort in Northern Africa and was instrumental in capturing over 200 French Moroccans . He mentioned mortars were being fired by American soldiers as they ran up a hill to the fort, and he just kept running and hoping the shells would not hit them.
The most frightening time for him was when he was in a plane that was running low on fuel, and they didn’t know if they would make it to their destination. His loneliest time was a Christmas Eve spent in an airplane hanger. His saddest time was finding out his 19 year-old brother had been killed while in France. I believe his brother Lester’s job was helping to clear roads of mines for American tanks to travel on.
I wish Dad had talked more about his WWII experiences, but like most men of that time, he didn’t open up too much about it.
You're right – most men didn't talk much about their experiences, which is so sad. But also understandable – talking about such a terrible time must have been traumatic, and perhaps laid them open to feeling too vulnerable than they felt they were allowed to be, given the era and expectations of men at the time. I'm glad you have at least some of his stories.
My dad died in 2019 one month short of being 99. I wish I had asked him more questions about his war time years. My mother is 95 and has a good memory. This conversation has made think perhaps she could fill me in a little more on whatever Dad might have told her. They both at one point quite a few years ago wrote down some of their childhood memories for our two children when I asked them to.