FREE Today: Library Blitz 1—Carry On

Are books worth risking your life for?

That’s the question that intruded itself on my consciousness, sometime after my lights were out and I was supposed to asleep, one July night the summer before last.

No, honestly—imagine a character who thought they were. Imagine a character who believed in books so much that she was willing to walk through a war just to keep that library open.

Farewell to my tranquil night’s rest. Farewell to the (totally unrelated and now totally boring!) novella I was supposed to be working on the next morning. Farewell, in fact, to my writing plans for the rest of the summer. Sometimes an idea hits you with so much force that the only wise and graceful thing you can do is roll with the punches.

I wasn’t planning it.

At a certain level, I didn’t have time or space for it.

But the story showed up—and this is what it became:

Library Blitz 1: Carry On

Is a library worth risking your life for?

What about a library that holds something you can’t afford to lose?

Nora Addison believes in books—believes in them enough to walk through a world war just to get to work every morning. But when physical exhaustion leads to the unthinkable, and Nora finds herself trapped in a rubble-filled gutter, the last person she’s prepared to answer to is the particular air warden who arrives to dig her out.

Frank Willis knows why he came to London. Risking his life to save bombing victims is a legitimate reason for plunging into a waking nightmare. Keeping a library open in the heart of the Blitz is not.

Nora is desperate to prove her work in London matters. Frank wants nothing more than to know she’s safely back in her cottage at home. Can a building full of books—and a box of abandoned posters—find the answers both of them need? Or is it already too late for the courage to carry on?

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

Writing historical fiction means conducting historical research. And conducting historical research means uncovering a ton of cool facts and anecdotes that don’t actually make it into the final story.

Rather than keeping all that good stuff to myself, I’ve decided to let you in behind the scenes to the Library Blitz research files. Whether you’re a homeschooling mom looking to incorporate Library Blitz into your curriculum—a highschooler trying to liven up a history paper—or just a vintage vibes nerd excited for some black-and-white photos from the BBC archives, here’s a sneak-peak at the research sources that went into the first episode of Library Blitz:

The Blitz—A definitive introduction from Encyclopedia Britanica.

The Blackout in the Second World War—Complete with numerous firsthand descriptions of the British blackout experience.

Why Do Bombs Make A Whistling Sound When They Fall?—It was destined to become one of the most iconic soundbites of the war, but why?

Recording: Air Raid Siren Sounds Warning—The classic, spine-chilling wail of a genuine WW2 siren.

Recording: Air Raid Siren Sounds All Clear—The less spine-chilling, equally classic safety signal. (If you didn’t know the difference, here’s your chance to find out!)

Air Raid Shelter—A background survey of shelter types and history.

Morrison “Table” Shelter—Spotlight on a unique protective cage, along with details from the Imperial War Museums collection.

Air Raid Precautions—A basic introduction to the history and functions of the ARP.

Chamberlain’s War Declaration—Nothing beats hearing it with your own ears. Here is the full recording of the British Prime Minister’s radio broadcast of September 3, 1939.

Keep Calm and Carry On—The facts behind the famous lost posters.

Keep Calm and Carry On: The Compromise Behind the Slogan—It’s a long (and interesting!) story. I didn’t have room to put all the details into the Library Blitz historical note, so if you’re anything of a history buff, don’t miss the full narrative from gov.uk.

And Yes, It’s A Series!

As I said before, sometimes you just have to roll with the punches.

I wrote my short story. I thought it was a good short story—a nice little standalone, exploring a cool idea in a vintage setting.

Short stories weren’t my thing. WW2 wasn’t my era. I wrote the piece—got it off my chest—posted it to my writer’s group—and went back to writing pre-1900s novellas.

Um—not quite.

Because somebody, with irresistible enthusiasm, told me they wanted more. And I discovered, in a way I hadn’t discovered before, that other people’s irresistible enthusiasm is actually quite addictive.

It WOULD be kind of fun as a trilogy . . . I reflected. And started on a second story.

Twelve stories later—

You get the picture.

So Grab Your Copy of Library Blitz 1 Today!

Creating this series has been, quite honestly, one of the most enjoyable writing experiences I’ve ever had. I came to love the characters. I came to love the setting. I discovered that I do genuinely enjoy WW2 vibes, that I can write short stories, and that sometimes you have to be willing to step out of your tidy little box to take advantage of an incredible opportunity.

So that’s why I am so very excited to be introducing you to the first episode of Library Blitz today. Go grab your FREE copy (October 7-9 only!) on Amazon.

And yes—come back the first week in November, because Library Blitz 1 is only just the start.

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