FREE Today: Library Blitz 4—All Right
“Releasing a Christmas story in the middle of January is—stupid.”
That was my thought last week, as I wrestled with an uncooperative cover, a half-written blog post, a chaotic schedule, and a family member’s approaching wedding.
Just in case you don’t know, I grew up considering “stupid” PG language. I still feel guilty every time I use it. And I have to be pretty frustrated before it even rises to the surface. Suffice it to say, the whole concept of this particular release felt badly timed, hectic, and infuriating.
To top it all off—who publishes Christmas stuff in the new year?
Oh, yeah.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
And his turned out a massive success.
We all know I’m not Longfellow, by any stretch of the imagination. Still, in some vague, inexplicable way the knowledge that he released his biggest Christmas classic, not in January but in February of 1865, gives me a tiny shred of encouragement. Maybe, just maybe, this month’s edition of Library Blitz has still got a chance.
Library Blitz 4: All Right
How could facing her fears leave her feeling so—guilty?
Notwithstanding the Red Cross knitting, the sugar rations, and her mum’s wacky inspiration to put carrots in the plum pudding—Nora has no difficulty acknowledging that her wartime Christmas has turned out every bit as worthwhile as Frank promised it would be.
But as the comfort and warmth swirl around her on Christmas Day, Nora finds herself haunted by an unrelenting question.
Why does she get to spend Christmas with all the people she loves most—while thousands of innocent children are facing the holiday far away from their families and homes?
A country manor filled with evacuated schoolgirls wasn’t exactly the place Nora was planning to look for answers. But then—neither was a childhood storybook or an unexpectedly poignant library donation. Is it possible that the miracle of Christmas can still offer the healing and hope that all of them need? And if it can—will Nora somehow find the courage to carry that hope back to the war-torn city where she belongs?
If you love WWII fiction, heartwarming characters, inspirational lessons, and a tiny thread of squeaky-clean romance, then Library Blitz is the newest series you don’t want to miss!
Library Blitz Research Files
Family Mission: A 1940’s Christmas—I’ve shared this before, but it’s a fun, upbeat spotlight on the WWII Christmas experience, complete with a video tutorial to make your own paper chain decorations.
A World War Two Christmas—Explore the real-life foundations of the make-do-and-mend Christmas years, including Mrs. Addison’s carrot-based “plum” pudding, the schoolgirls’ home-frosted wreathes, and a host of other innovated wartime substitutes.
The Evacuated Children Of The Second World War—A detailed introduction that includes period photos and authentic publicity posters to tell the story of hundreds of thousands of WWII children who experienced firsthand Britian’s voluntary evacuation scheme.
Child Evacuees in the Second World War: Operation Pied Piper at 80—Dr. Grace Huxford explores not just the facts and figures but also the interwoven social and political issues, bringing a multifaceted perspective to the narrative of WWII evacuations.
How England Evacuated London’s Children Ahead of World War II—Another insightful exploration of the evacuation movement, this time focused specifically on the London evacuations. A fast-paced video introduction to the Blitz itself is also embedded in this History Channel article.
Education during the Second World War—This short article from Spartacus Educational zeros in on an under-spotlighted aspect of the WWII narrative: the massive impact of the war on public education. It’s a topic that wasn’t even on my radar going into this research, but it turns out to have had a mammoth role to play in the wartime experience of 1940’s school children.
Grab Your FREE Copy of Library Blitz Today!
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote his famous Christmas poem, “I Heard the Bells,” on December 25, 1863. He had exactly a year in front of him, in which to get the poem into print for a seasonable Christmas released. Oddly enough—he failed to do so. The most iconic Christmas offering of America’s most iconic poet was left to amble its way into the world in the February, 1865 edition of Our Young Folks magazine.
The cost of a single copy was a walloping $0.20. (Or $2.00 for a yearly subscription—always go for the yearly subscription, people!)
So, while Library Blitz 4: All Right isn’t claiming to compete with “I Heard the Bells” on any other plane, it is going to undercut Longfellow when it comes to price. Grab your copy of All Right today, and you can have it absolutely FREE.
Consider it a very belated Christmas gift.
Or a slightly more seasonable Epiphany gift.
Or a right-on-time National Rubber Ducky Day gift.
I don’t make this stuff up, guys! Go check it out for yourself!
But before you do, don’t forget to go grab Library Blitz 4. January or no January, I’m excited to be sharing it with all of you, today.
