I have a new wholesome historical romance releasing tomorrow.
The research for the story, set during World War I, took me on several journeys into the past as I learned about everything from an infantry division known for their singing to the sad fact that one battalion was left with nothing but carrots to eat for three days.
One of the things that really dug into my heart was learning about the sheer number of horses and mules that died during the war. The estimates are around eight million, but it’s hard to know for sure.
World War I required hundreds of thousands of horses and mules to pull and pack artillery, supplies, communications, medical supplies and ambulances, and engineering services, as well as to carry the cavalry. When the war began in 1914, Europe did not have enough equines to support massive armies. France, England, and Germany looked to other nations to shore up their numbers of horses, mules, and donkeys.
British and French purchasing agents and their staff came to North America in search of horses. They selected animals based on size, breed, and type from specific regions, shipping them mainly from Newport News, Virginia, and Montreal, Canada. Ships were modified with stalls and fodder storage. By the fall of 1917, more than half a million American horses and mules had been sent to Europe for service. By the summer of 1918, approximately 300 horses and mules were being shipped every day to France. Because there was such a desperate need for horses, agents even rounded up wild horses from southeastern Oregon, Nevada, and northeastern California to ship over.
One shipping port for the hoses was Newport News, Virginia. An account I read said that a Germany spy poisoned the water and they lost hundreds of animals before they figured out the cause.
Another thing Germans used to bring great harm to horses were an ancient weapon called a caltrop. I’d never heard of them before I started the research for this story, but apparently, they were used in Roman times and found their way to America during the Civil War. The caltrop is a four-pronged metal spike used to impede enemy movement, particular those on horses.
During World War I, it was written in a soldier’s journal that the Germans would toss these small weapons “like a child’s jacks” in the mud as they retreated or moved to other areas, hoping to damage as many horses as possible. Their theory was “no foot, no horse.” Once a horse stepped on one of these sharp prongs, it penetrated into their hoof deeply enough it couldn’t be treated and the horse would have to be put down.
Horses also faced the same trials as the soldiers: pouring rain, baking heat, poisonous gas, mortar fire, whizzing bullets, lack of food, and so many other challenges.
In my book, Sarah, the hero, Brett, works under the direction of a veterinarian in France. He and his friend, Rory, help take care of the horses in their division. Brett bonds with a Kiger mustang named Keegan, and it was such a special thing to write that into the story.
She desires his heart.
He longs for her love.
Can they find common ground when he returns forever altered by the war.
In a world turned upside down by World War I, all Sarah Richards desires is to love Brett Rawlings and build a future together. After graduating high school a year early, she’s ready to dive into her dreams of college and a home filled with laughter and love. But one impulsive decision threatens all her aspirations—as well as her relationship with Brett.
As the war rages on and men head off to fight, sixteen-year-old Brett reluctantly follows his twin brother, Ben, sneaking off to France to join the American Expeditionary Forces. As the months pass, Ben thrives amidst the chaos of battle, while Brett finds himself haunted by the girl he left behind and the uncertainty of his own heart. When Ben reveals a life-altering secret, the bond between the brothers is shattered, forcing Brett to grapple with betrayal as he faces the brutal realities of war.
Brett returns home a changed man, burdened with memories too heavy to bear, yet yearning to mend the fractures of the past. Will Sarah still be waiting for him, or have time and truth forged an unbridgeable chasm between them?
Find out in this heartfelt historical romance that weaves a tale of hope, grace, forgiveness, and sweet, enduring love.
I’m giving away an autographed copy of Sarah and some fun goodies.
You can ENTER HERE,
then come back and share a comment about your favorite animal.
I’ve always loved horses and dogs. My favorite horse was a Palomino named Doc, and my favorite dog was our Border Collie because she was so super smart and sweet.
my life at that moment in time. His care and concern for the heroine in the story was really somewhat based on the care that he showed me in my dreams. It was this hero who encouraged me to research and write about the Medicine Man of old. Now, this might seem strange that a hero talks to the author. But, if you have a chance to talk to many writers, they will probably tell you the characters in these books take on a life of their own and often they do talk to a writer. Also, sometimes they resist my attempts to write a scene they feel is out of character for them. I’ve learned over the years to pay attention to this.
In GRAY HAWK’S LADY, I was treated to a hero, who, despite his anger at what heroine had done to him, did not sink to treating her in a bad way. In fact, he went on to treat her with respect, even protected her from others’ gossip. It was also this book I was writing when I met my husband, and Gray Hawk was quite willing to re-enact our first kiss, which is written in the pages of that book. Because of his care for this heroine who had, at first, treated him in a bad way, both she and I fell in love with his character.
That’s what writing a good hero is all about, right?
