by Linda Ellen
He waited and seemed to hold his breath as she felt two teardrops escape over the edges of her lashes and roll down her cheeks. Their audience softly “awwwed” and “ohhhed” as everyone seemed to be waiting to see what she would do.
With a big shuddering sniff, she clamped her trembling lips together and nodded, her voice emerging as a squeak, “Mmm hmm.”
His exuberant, “Woohoo!” jolted her nerves and she giggled as the room exploded in applause. She could barely see through her watery eyes as he slipped the ring on her finger and hopped up with a swashbuckling grin. Before she could take a breath, he swept her into his arms, bent her backward over one arm, and kissed her until her head swam.
When he finally let her up, she was crying and laughing, even as she smacked at him for messing up her hair and her makeup.
Steve leaned in to kiss her cheek and murmured in her ear, “Remind me to tell you how many times I’ve fantasized about making those Victory Rolls of yours unroll in steamy passion.”
Mary June giggled and pushed at his chest half-heartedly, before melting into his arms as people gathered around to congratulate them—including the bride and groom.
Ahh, finally—the USO girl had snagged her blue-eyed corporal.
~~THE END~~
Coming soon:
HER BLUE-EYED LIEUTENANT!
Go to my website contact page and sign up so you won’t miss it when it comes out!
lindaellenbooks.weebly.com/contact.html
Also, if this series is the first you’ve read by me, explore my other books on the pages of my website.
Dear reader – did you enjoy Steve and Mary June’s story? If so, PLEASE consider leaving a review on the seller’s page where you purchased. Reviews are the lifeblood of a book’s success. (But, please no spoilers about our wonderful triplets!) Also, if you think a friend or a family member would enjoy this book, please recommend it. This author would be forever grateful. Thank you!
CHECK OUT THESE COOL HISTORICAL DETAILS PERTAINING TO THIS BOOK:
THE CHARLESTOWN ARMY AMMUNITION PLANT
This incredible facility no longer exists, but what a feat of engineering and construction it was! I spent weeks researching the plant, reading factual accounts, looking at photos, watching videos, and everything else I could get my eyes and hands on. I can’t say enough about what those people accomplished there. If you’re a fan of military history, I urge you to do a Google search for the Charlestown Ammunition plant. There are quite a few websites you can go to. One of the most comprehensive is:
www.formermilitarysites.com/overview/indiana/inaap
SIMON KOEDEL
In chapter 8, I have Steve witness a German man who came to visit the ammunition plant. This was a true tidbit from history that I decided to use in the story. Simon Emil Koedel was born in Germany, came to the US in 1906 and became a US citizen in 1912, but he was a sleeper agent for the Abwehr and was activated during World War II. The Abwehr, (pronounced 'apve:a, meaning Defense) was the Nazi’s military intelligence organization, which existed from 1920 to 1945. Operating primarily in New York City, Koedel, with the help of his adopted daughter, Marie, monitored American ports and US military suppliers. He obtained membership in the American Ordnance Association by claiming to be a chemical engineer and large stockholder in several defense industries. His membership in the AOA allowed him access to government facilities such as the US arsenal in New York, Ft. Moultrie in South Carolina, the Radford Ordnance plant in Virginia, and the Indiana Ordnance works in Charlestown! One of the most successful spies of World War II, Koedel forwarded to the Germans photographs of the installations with detailed reports about other US companies assisting in the war effort. At the end of the war, his reports and photographs of the Charlestown plant were discovered among Hitler’s papers! Thankfully, Hitler either chose not to act upon the information, or the war ended before he could. To read more about Simon Koedel and his traitorous (since he was legally a US citizen) and shockingly successful spy career, check this out:
warfarehistorynetwork.com/daily/wwii/citizen-spies-simon-and-marie-koedel
ALFRED PALMER AND HIS KODACHROMES
In 1942, soon after the United States entered World War II, President Franklin D. Roosevelt created the Office of War Information (OWI). The agency was tasked with releasing war news, promoting patriotic activities, and providing news outlets with audio, film, and photos of the government’s war efforts. Between 1939 and 1944, the OWI made thousands of photographs, approximately 1,600 of them in full, “living” color! In the early years, OWI photographers Alfred Palmer and Howard Hollem produced some exceptional Kodachrome transparencies depicting military preparedness, factory operations, and women in the work force. While most of the scenes were posed, the subjects were the real thing—soldiers and workers preparing for a long fight. Several sources, including the Library of Congress, have collections of them, including the original captions regarding who the people were and where they were working, and what they were working on!
The following are links to two small collections of these wonderful full-color photographs, several of them taken at Fort Knox in 1942. Sadly, I could not find any taken at the Charlestown Ammunition Plant. During the writing of this book, my brother sent me a link to these photographs and I thought they were so amazing I couldn’t resist mentioning them in my story.
pavelkosenko.wordpress.com/2012/03/28/4x5-kodachromes
www.theatlantic.com/photo/2011/08/world-war-ii-the-american-home-front-in-color/100122
THE DUQUESNE SPY RING
Although my incident of attempted sabotage was fabricated for the story, I based it on real people and incidents of that time. Read this for some eye-popping details!
www.fbi.gov/history/famous-cases/duquesne-spy-ring
THE IDLEWILD (now called the Belle of Louisville)
In several of my stories, I have featured the steamboat the Idlewild. Since I was a child, I’ve been fascinated with this wonderful floating legacy, and have ridden it many times. Mary June’s tale of touching the green slimy walls of the McAlpine Locks during an excursion on the steamboat was actually my own experience, haha. To read the history and see the wonderfully restored current beauty of this delightful old steamboat, visit her website:
belleoflouisville.org
Dedications
I have so many people to thank for helping to make this work of fiction happen. First of all, Jesus my Savior, Who helped with ideas and inspiration every step of the way. Next would be my husband and best friend, Steve, who is my biggest fan and is always full of encouragement and wonderful help. Countless times, I have gone to him needing help or clarity, or information about something within his realm of expertise, and with his wisdom and common sense he always helped me find the right path. (I even named my hero in this book after him). My brother, Buddy Mattingly, and my mom, Louise Halsey, for their loving support and interest in my writing. My beta readers and friends, Judy Glenn, Liz Austin, and Teri Stallone, who helped tremendously with ironing out the flow and small details, and letting me know things they hated or loved. Thanks also to the many friendly and helpful members of the Facebook group Clean Indie Reads, for their encouragement, knowledge, and helpfulness. My friends at the office, Mary June, Verna, Kathryn, and Terry, who were more inspiration than they know, always interested and asking how much more on the story I had written over the weekends. Their genuine interest means the world to me. I thank God for you guys (especially YOU, Mary June, my heroine!) Thanks goes to my wonderful editor, Venessa Vargas, for fitting me into her busy schedule to polish, tone, and cull out my many repeats and stumbles. Sully Pompoms! ;) Thanks to my cover artist, Samantha Fury, for her incredible talent for bringing everything together into a magnificent cover. Thanks to my dear friend and co-worker, Kathryn Lockwood, for her final combing of the manuscript. And last, but not least, thank you to Judy Hayes Fischer, of the Facebook group Louisville’s Past, for always being available to research obscure details of how thing
s were back then. I couldn’t have done it without each of you! Thank you all!
About the Author
Linda Ellen lives in Louisville, Kentucky with her husband of thirty-six years. A lifelong avid reader, and after encouragement from her family and friends, she tried her hand at writing in 2009 and never looked back. Prior to the release of her debut novel Once in a While (fashioned from the real-life story of her parents’ romance), she wrote articles for a local newspaper, The Southwest Reporter. Linda keeps very busy with her work in her church’s prison ministry and writing every spare moment she gets. Many more plans are under way for books and series, both historical and modern day. To keep up with the latest news on her books, including trailers, cover reveals, release dates, and book signings, visit and “like” her Facebook page, Linda Ellen – Author. Also, if you “Follow” her on her Amazon Author Page, you will be notified when she publishes her next book. And another way to contact Linda is through her new website! Link below.
For a special treat, go to her Pinterest page to see many pictures related to all of her stories:
pinterest.com/linda4him59
Linda loves to hear from readers. You can contact her in any of these ways:
Email:
[email protected]
Website:
lindaellenbooks.weebly.com
Twitter:
@LindaEllen54
Facebook:
facebook.com/LindaEllen.Author
Follow her on her Amazon Author Page:
http://goo.gl/rFj5Ci
Other works by Linda Ellen
Available online at all major retailers
The Cherished Memories Series
Book one – Once in a While
Book two – The Bold Venture
Book three – Almost as Much
Soldiers of Swing Series
Her Blue-Eyed Sergeant
Her Blue-Eyed Corporal
Her Blue-Eyed Lieutenant (Coming June 2017)
If you enjoyed this book, please check out the Christian Indie Author Readers Group on Facebook. You will find clean & Christian Books in multiple genres. Opportunities abound to find other clean or Christian Authors and learn about new releases, sales, and free books.
facebook.com/groups/291215317668431
Another opportunity to find good, clean books to add to your collection is the Clean Indie Reads website. cleanindiereads.com. It’s the home of Flinch Free Fiction of every genre. Check it out today!