We’re Having a “Surprise” Party!

(and you may win the prize!)

 

Inspired by Kristina McMorris’ new novel, Letters From Home, today we are all talking about Surprises. In keeping with the theme of the novel, I would like to share my parent’s story…

They knew each other as kids.

He wanted to walk her home. She thought he was a wise-guy.

 Then came high school.

She agreed to go out on a double date thinking she would be “dating” the boy who asked her. Surprise! She Vintage Family Postcardswas paired up with the wise-guy!

 He went into the Navy.

They courted via mail and got married while he was on leave.

          ….She tells everyone it was the uniform. 

 

4 kids and 59 years later.

They work together, cook together, read together…

What’s the secret? She says that every day he makes her laugh.

♥ 

I wrote today’s post as part of the WOW-Women on Writing Blanket Tour for Letters from Home by Kristina McMorris (www.kristinamcmorris.com). This debut novel is the story of three young women during World War II and the misunderstandings they and the men in their lives have. Ask yourself: Can a soldier fall in love with a woman through letters? What happens if the woman writing the letters is not who she claims to be? Is it still love or just a lie?

Like many authors, Kristina has had a wild selection of “real jobs” everything from wedding planner to actress to publicist. She finally added novelist to the list after getting a peek at the letters her grandfather wrote to his sweetheart (a.k.a. Grandma Jean) while he was serving in the Navy during World War II. That got her wondering how much two people could truly know each other just from letter writing and became the nugget of her novel.

In honor of her grandparents, and all the other families kept apart by military service, Kristina is donating a portion of her book’s profits to United Through Reading, a nonprofit organization that video records deployed U.S. military personnel reading bedtime stories to their children. You can learn more about the program at http://www.unitedthroughreading.org/.

If you comment on today’s post on this blog or any of the others participating in Everybody’s Talking about Surprises, you’ll be entered to win a special surprise prize! It includes a personalized copy of Letters from Home, a Big Band CD, Victory Garden seeds, and more.  To read Kristina’s post about surprises and a list of other blogs participating in Everybody’s Talking about Surprises visit The Muffin.  

Leave a comment or share a surprise to enter your name in the contest. Random Winner from A Ponderance of Things will go on to the final drawing! 

♦♦ Congratulations to Kim Gritz for winning todays contest!