Roald Dahl, who created the incredibly engaging tales my children and I used to read together, said “And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.”
It may seem strange to connect magic with a novel about the not-so-palatable side of World War II, but I can’t help it. When our heroine Kate parachuted into southern France to aid the Resistance, she had no idea how much random events would affect her sojourn—or how the magic of attraction to the Basque guide who led her to safety would alter the way she saw the world.
But Kate, who grew up reading wonderful books like The Wind In The Willows with her best friend Addie, definitely embraced the spiritual side of this weary old world. And as the Nazi presence all around her increased and tightened its noose on the French, beauty and wonder still attended her.
For one thing, a wily Catholic priest tasked with her safety nurtured faith in spite of all the suffering his own family endured. Some magical moments occur between Kate and this fellow I’ve grown to love. His whimsical personality lightened the difficult mountainous climbs to safer locales for Kate’s radio transmissions to London. I think you’ll like him too.
War brings irony, which contains a magical element, imho.
Who would guess that a priest would teach our heroine so much about doubt and fear? Readers of my series receive the gift of loose ends tied up in this novel…but perhaps not exactly as they might have imagined.
After all, magic quite often surprises us!
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More about A Purpose True: German panzer units crisscross the region, dealing ruthless reprisals against the French Resistance, and anyone suspected of supporting its efforts. Secret Operations Executive (SOE) agent Kate Isaacs is tasked with providing essential radio communications with the Allies, while her guide, Domingo Ibarra, a Basque shepherd-turned-Resistance fighter, dedicates himself to avenging the destruction of his home and family. Check out the trailer!
When Gail’s not steeped in World War II research, drafting scenes, or deep in one edit or another, she does a limited amount of editing for other authors. She also facilitates writing workshops and classes, both in Iowa and Arizona, where winters find her enjoying the incredibly gorgeous Ponderosa forest under the Mogollon Rim. Favorites: walking, reading, meeting new people, and hearing from readers who fall in love with her characters. Find her online at http://www.facebook.com/GailKittlesonAuthor