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@gracie-j. @elishavet-pidyon. @koshka. And THIS is the possible book summary that would be put on the back or in the cover. 😉
Two Men.
Two Different Stories.
One good God.
Elias Wagner, recently drafted, is on his way to Vietnam, leaving America behind, along with his loving brother, sister, and father. Unaware of what will meet him there, all he can think of is what an adventure it will be. Nothing prepared him for the realities of war, and before long he’s stuck behind enemy lines with a Sergeant struggling with his faith. Through his father’s story, Elias knows that God puts us in places, at the right moment, just to do something for his glory. Could this possibly be one of those moments?
Alan Wilson, a young US Army sergeant, is fighting in Vietnam. Engaged, all he wants is to get his duty over with and go home to his fiancée. But with all the bloodshed around him, all he sees is darkness. After a disastrous mission, he’s stranded behind enemy lines with a young, faithful draftee that only recently finished high school. Alan struggles with the faith he’s been taught since childhood, when the young soldier challenges him to keep fighting for that faith. But still, one questions haunts him: “How can God still be good through all this?”
Through the turmoil and pain of War, both Elias and Alan have to stand strong. Remember that they’re not alone. Get back up when they fall. Avoid the enemy. But, most of all, they’ll have to remember and learn that even when the entire world around them is crumbling apart, God is still good.
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Y’all, I’ve already found a song for Still Good. XD Man, I find music fast. XP
Anywho, the song is God Is Good by Francesca Battistelli. 😉
@freedomwriter76
Ooo, sounds good!
My book cover premises are so vague one can hardly tell the setting. =| I should probably work on that.
Have you ever read And God was There (by a US chaplain who I can’t remember his name)? Something about your premise just reminded me of it.
First Grand Historian of Arreth and the Lesser Realms (aka Kitty)
Fork the Gork- Rank: Chosen One
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@koshka. Aww, thanks!
Just been practice. XD Some of my others aren’t as good. This one is probably my best so far.
I have not! I may need to check it out! 😀 Thanks for mentioning it! (my WWII WIP, Allies and Lies, has one MC that’s a Paratrooper Chaplain XP)
@freedomwriter76
Yeah…I should definitely work on it. This is my most detailed one:
Hearts of Gold
Divided in a kingdom of shattered truth, paths are twisting into roads no one could be meant to take. How can anyone stop the consequences of choices they had no choice but to make?
Did I mention that I also struggle with making things too short? XD
It’s a good book, short but good. Basically a rewrite of several diary entries, it’s entirely nonfiction, which makes for an interesting perspective of WWI. (Awesome!)
First Grand Historian of Arreth and the Lesser Realms (aka Kitty)
Fork the Gork- Rank: Chosen One
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@koshka. I like it though! Well, I struggle with normally making things way too long, so. XD
I’ll check it out! (Yeah. Phillip is great!)
- Rank: Eccentric Mentor
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@freedomwriter76 OMGOSH YOU HAVE A VIETNAM STORY? AND LEON’S KID IS IN IT? AND THOSE MOODBOARDS ARE GORGEOUS. *heart eyes* AND I LOVE THAT BLURB!
Have I mentioned my grandfather fought in Nam? I already love this story.
@joy-caroline (Shoot, I hope that’s your tag. I can’t remember.) CHECK THIS OUT, GIRL!!!
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@freedomwriter76
AHHHHH YOU’RE WRITING A VIETNAM STORY???? *high fives* Vietnam is too seldom written about in historical fiction! And your story sounds amazing! I love the blurb and the friendship theme I’m getting from it.
Not sure if we’ve formally met on here before, but I’m Joy and I am also writing a Vietnam-era historical fiction novel! It also features a strong friendship between two U.S. soldiers that centers on the love of God. Anyway, I really want to hear more about yours! Gosh, but it just sounds so. cool!!
@gracie-j
AH MY GOSH GIRL THANK YOU FOR TAGGING ME!!!!!
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@gracie-j. @joy-caroline. Whoops. Sorry for the late reply y’all. Today has been a very busy but incredible Saturday. A friend came over this afternoon, and this morning…Y’all, I saw a B-25 plane from WWII and talked to WWII Veterans! I have some notes and names and one of them I even have an address and phone number for. I am so PSYCHED! 😀
@gracie-j. Aww, thanks! Haha. Yes, I am writing a Vietnam Novel. I don’t believe you did mention that. You mentioned him when we talked about PTSD, but not Vietnam! That’s awesome! We owe a lot to those who preserved our freedom’s. Be sure you thank him for me. 😉
@joy-caroline. *high-fives you back* IKR!? Aww, thanks! 😀 (but if you love Vietnam, may I recommend the Novel Everything Else in the Universe by Tracy Holczer? It’s an awesome Vietnam War Novel!) We have not met formally before! Nice to meet you! Ooh, can I hear more about your Vietnam WIP? And you can absolutely hear some more about mine if you want! But keep in mind that I don’t have this one as figured out as my WWII books. XD
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@freedomwriter76
Nice to meet you, too! (And it’s AWESOME that you met some WWII vets! My best friend’s dad is a military vet who served in the Air Force and as a medic. I’ve learned a ton of stuff about the military and Vietnam from him.) And I’ll have to check out that book you mentioned sometime!
You can most definitely hear more about my Vietnam WIP. I’m kind of obsessed with talking about it XD It’s called Where Faith Remains (btw, do you have a working/final title for yours?), and I’ve got a blurb for it, which I’ll just share here:
1968: Though severely depressed and haunted by the demons of war that attack him day and night, amputee Russell Campbell has the will to live for one little girl who needs him: Eliza, the orphaned baby of a fallen comrade. When he adopts Eliza as his daughter, a miracle happens—he experiences the love he never thought possible. Through little Eliza, the only person to ever love him unconditionally, the Lord begins to heal his heart, although the demons don’t go away.
1975: Seven-year-old Eliza Campbell has everything, because to her, her adoptive father is everything. She loves him more than anything in the world—the man whose tender heart and gentle hand guide her in Christ. Eliza knows she and her papa don’t belong anywhere, except with each other. Others think they make an odd pairing—a little black girl and a white Vietnam veteran with battle scars both seen and unseen.
Russell has always taught Eliza that Jesus brings healing—but then tragedy strikes. Eliza’s earth is shattered, for her worst fear may just come true: a scary diagnosis might tear her father away from her forever. Why would Jesus let this happen, if He really loves and cares for them as Russell says He does? Is He really to be trusted? Or is it possible that the darkest storm can be a place where faith remains?
My goal is to publish this book in early 2023, actually, which is super exciting for me. :))
So do you have a favorite character from your WIP? Is it in first or third person POV? And what’s been the easiest part and the hardest part of writing about the Vietnam War era for you?
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@joy-caroline YOU ARE SO WELCOME!!!
@freedomwriter76 EPIC! We really do! I certainly will! 😀 And if you ever have any questions about Nam, just send them my way! Either I’ll know, or I can ask my grandpa!
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@gracie-j. Thank you! 😀 Alrighty! If I have any questions, I will be sure to ask you! 😉
- Rank: Chosen One
- Total Posts: 8156
@joy-caroline. Yeah. It was AWESOME!!!
That blurb sounds BEAUTIFUL!!! I wanna read your book already!!!! I can’t wait!!!! Oh, and by the way, does Russell have PTSD by any chance?
I do have a title! Still Good. It’s about God’s faithfulness and goodness in the darkest moments of life, and how God is still good even when bad things happen.
I haven’t written much for it, but my favorite character has to be Alan. I love Elias and all, but this Sergeant with a dark past (that I’m still discovering!) is awesome and he has stolen my heart. He’s been through a lot of pain and abuse, poor guy. *sobs* He struggles with trusting God through the darkness and struggles with the question of why God could let bad things happen to good people. Third Person POV. As all my books are. XD Hmm…though I haven’t gotten far, I would say the easiest part is writing…man, this is such a hard question. XD I still need to put a lot more research into Vietnam, but like, I guess the easiest part about writing that era so far is the culture of that time since I understand that pretty well and it’s pretty fun to explore. (I normally write WWII, so a very different world and especially American culture XD) And the hardest part…has to be addressing all the battles and bloodshed and the battle of PTSD that so many veterans faced, and oh boy…the Vietnam War Protests. Alan, when he left for Vietnam, faced a lot of hate from his community. They called him a Monster and a Murderer for enlisting. And the sad thing is…he’s starting to think they were right. He’s starting to see himself as a monster and a murderer and…oh, my poor boy. *sobs*
But yeah! Who’s your favorite character from Where Faith Remains? I somehow already know I’ll probably love Russell. 😉
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@koshka. @gracie-j. @joy-caroline. Uh…y’all, I got a new novel idea today. XD I really need to stop, but honestly I love this idea already. XP My first Navy, Marine, and Medic characters! 😀
A Medic.
A Marine.
A Navy Officer.
All seemingly with nothing in common. Except one thing…they’re all involved in the battle of the Philippines. All three doing their best duty, all three can only hope for the battle to end well. When Chaplains lead the marine and medic to Christ, and help to strengthen the navy officer’s faith, their lives will never be the same. But even strong faith can stumble, and soon all three of them are facing the biggest challenges of their lives. The officer’s ship sinks, and he’s stuck trying to find a way home. The medic and marine are both engaged in a long, exhausting battle in the Philippines. In the end, their struggles all lead them to the same thing. The Bataan Death March. Will their newfound faith and friendship be enough to carry them through the war? And most of all, can God still be faithful to them even as waters roar?
Even As Waters Roar
@freedomwriter76
Wowsers.
What type of medic? (If you know that yet)
I am seriously thrilled with the prospect of the medical side of war. I have started research for Cecelia, my other MC for Seas of Fury, and it’s nuts how much this field has grown in the last wars.
First Grand Historian of Arreth and the Lesser Realms (aka Kitty)
Fork the Gork
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