I’ve always had a fascination with the 1940’s. Whether it’s related to glamorous
fashion, big band music, fabulous films, or a generation that rolled up their
sleeves to fight an extremely important war, this era never fails to tug at my
heart. In fact, my very first books (The Allison O’Brian Chronicles)
were set in post World War II forties. At the time my research relied on
memories of family members who’d lived through those years. And I must admit it
was fun and educational to ‘interview’ my mom and relatives—many who are gone now.
Nearly twenty years would pass before I wrote
about the 1940’s again. That came in the form of The Mulligan Sisters
(an adult series about a large Irish family living in San Francisco during WW
2). This time, my research was much easier. With access to the internet, all
this historical information was instantly available at my fingertips. I’m so
grateful for those who took the time to tell their stories and record their
experiences. Especially considering how so many of those heroes (from the
battlefront as well as the home-front) have passed on. I felt like a
treasure-hunter as I unearthed all sorts of amazing tales, compelling photos,
and interesting facts and statistics.
When it came time to write my next Christmas
novella, still immersed in my WW 2 research, I thought why not set this story in
my favorite era. That’s how The Christmas Blessing was inspired. A
young war widow with an infant son finds herself in desperate straits at
Christmastime. Amelia Richards takes a train trip from San Diego to a small town
in Montana with the hopes of securing help from her baby’s grandparents.
Unfortunately, the grandparents, a wealthy influential family, don’t even know
she exists . . . but like all my Christmas novellas, this one ends happily.
I believe there’s much to be learned from
history—particularly the 1940’s. Although we face many challenges in our current
culture, our trials seem small compared to our ancestors from the WW 2 era. Our
country (along with our Allies) was stretched to the max to oppose some very
evil leaders—on two separate sides of the globe. These Axis aggressors, bent on
destruction and domination were determined to rule the world and willing to defy
all ‘rules of war’ to do so. Yet our entire country got fully behind this war
effort. Besides sending their young men, many who would not come home, Americans
worked together on many levels to defeat their common enemy. Without banding
together like that they never would’ve secured such an amazing victory.
It’s sad that it takes something as traumatic as a world war to bring people
together—and I pray we never face another one—but hopefully this generation can
learn from its predecessors . . . that our nation is strongest when united.
Melody Carlson is the award-winning author of over two
hundred books with combined sales of more than six million. She is the author of
several books, including the bestselling The Christmas Bus, The
Christmas Dog, Christmas at Harrington’s, The Christmas
Cat, The Christmas Joy Ride, and The Christmas Angel
Project. She received a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award in
the inspirational market for her many books, including the Diary of a Teenage
Girl series and Finding Alice. She and her husband live in central
Oregon.
When she receives the news in late 1944 that her baby's father was shot down
in the South Pacific, Amelia Richards loses hope. Jobless and broke, she has
nowhere to turn for help but her infant's paternal grandparents. The only
problem is, they don't know that she--or their grandson--exists. When Amelia
discovers that the family is wealthy and influential, dare she disclose the
truth of her relationship with their son? Or could the celebration of the
arrival of another unexpected baby nearly two thousand years ago be the answer
to her dilemma?
Beloved author Melody Carlson pens a story of love, hardship, and
reconciliation that will leave readers filled with Christmas joy.
Holiday | Inspirational
Historical [Revell, On Sale: September 5, 2017,
Hardcover / e-Book, ISBN: 9780800722708 / eISBN: 9781493410965]
I love the styles and enjoy reading books set in the 40s as my parents were a young couple who started out their lives, and got interrupted by the war. I'm not sure I would have the strength they had to survive and thrive.
(Annetta Sweetko 9:32pm September 24, 2017)
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