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People often ask me what it’s like to write about the past. One of the things I find most challenging is portraying how the people of the time felt. I have not lived through a war, so I have to go on what others tell me, or what I’ve read. Recently, the Surgeon General warned of a “Pearl Harbor moment” as America faced down one of the toughest weeks with COVID-19. As an author of WWII fiction set in Hawaii, I began to think about the similarities between the Day of Infamy and the current pandemic.
Every time I write one of my WWII novels, I am faced with the task of trying to put myself in the shoes of characters who were living through experiences I can only imagine. The raw fear and uncertainty of when the next bombs might fall is something hard to conjure up in your mind. Though I grew up on the stories of my parents and grandparents–who lived through the war here in Hawaii, and I’ve read countless firsthand accounts, it still does not equate to knowing how they felt. Even into her old age, my grandmother remembered many of those marines and soldiers who camped out on her living room floor, hoping to get a sense of home and family before shipping out to Iwo Jima. She always cried when she spoke about the ones who didn’t make it back. The stamp of war left an indelible mark on her heart. In 2018, I had just returned to Oahu from the Big Island for my father’s funeral, when an alert sounded on my phone. It was early morning and my boyfriend and I were preparing for a short hike out to a WWII bunker that overlooks the ocean near our house. I casually glanced down and saw these words on the screen: EMERGENCY ALERT: INCOMING BALLISTIC MISSILE THREAT INBOUND TO HAWAII. SEEK IMMEDIATE SHELTER. THIS IS NOT A DRILL. I reread the message in a strange state of shock, told my boyfriend, who seemed unfazed, and hurried him out the door. If a ballistic missile was coming, a WWII bunker seemed like a good place to be. At the bunker, we encountered several soldiers out for a run, all very serious faced and on their phones. None knew for sure what was happening. It was about forty minutes before the all clear message came, but in that time, I got a small dose of the terror that the people of Hawaii lived with for years during WWII. This is not a drill. Those were the same words broadcast throughout the islands in 1941. While writing my novel, The Lieutenant’s Nurse, a Pearl Harbor story, I was able to draw from this small reservoir of fear. Fast forward to 2020, and I’ve been getting a similar feeling: that life as we know it has suddenly shifted and things might never be the same. Being on an island in the middle of the Pacific has its pros and cons. We have plenty of fresh air and sunshine, but are heavily reliant on imported food and goods. Any kind of breakdown in supply is potentially catastrophic. On December 8, 1941, lines stacked up outside of grocery stores, which were ordered to close at 4:30 pm and not open again until they had taken inventory. It was found that Oahu had a 37 day supply of most staple foods and 75 day supply of flour and cereals. With Japanese subs lurking in the surrounding waters, ships had all but ceased movement to and from the islands. Everyone was given a ration booklet and Martial Law ordered, with blackouts and curfews and evacuation orders. There are no blackouts here now, but Mayor Kawakami on Kauai has put in place a curfew and a curfew was announced on Oahu over Easter weekend. Anything not deemed essential has been shuttered and we are ordered to shelter in place. Recently, at a book club event where many in attendance were youngsters during the Pearl Harbor attack, they all remembered not having butter, and how butter became a hot commodity. Now, it’s toilet paper. Which I find curious because you can’t eat toilet paper. In my novels, I have written about characters using ration tickets and growing Victory Gardens. One of the first things I did when the pandemic began ramping up, was to buy seeds and plant that garden I’ve been talking about for years now. I suspect a lot of people are doing the same. It’s a huge wake up call for anyone who relies on others for food, which is pretty much everyone. Hawaii is also a strategic location between the United States and Asia, which makes us both useful and vulnerable. When the bombs fell on Pearl Harbor, 2403 people were killed. As of this writing, only twelve people have died from COVID-19 in Hawaii, but over 45,000 have died in the United States, and the pandemic is far from over. Instead of waiting for another wave of attack, we are steeling ourselves for more possible waves of sickness if we let up our guard too soon. In Hawaii, we have the unique capability of being able to close off our borders and stop planes from bringing visitors to the state. Have we done that? No. Residents are begging the governor to take a stand, but for some reason, he hasn’t. I sense the desperation in people here, who are only several generations beyond war and a devastating Smallpox epidemic, who want to save their families and communities from a repeat tragedy. It’s scary. I feel it. And as I wrap up my fourth novel, Radar Girls, about the top secret Women’s Air Raid Defense here in Hawaii, I am beginning to understand.
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 Right now, more than ever, I'm turning to books for a little escapism. From Paris to Key West to Hawaii, these stories all sound amazing to me, and I'm excited to be transported to another place and time. Read about them below.
THE PARIS LIBRARY Based on the true World War II story of the heroic librarians at the American Library in Paris, this is an unforgettable story of romance, friendship, family, and the power of literature to bring us together, perfect for fans of The Lilac Girls and The Paris Wife. Paris, 1939: Young and ambitious Odile Souchet has it all: her handsome police officer beau and a dream job at the American Library in Paris. When the Nazis march into Paris, Odile stands to lose everything she holds dear, including her beloved library. Together with her fellow librarians, Odile joins the Resistance with the best weapons she has: books. But when the war finally ends, instead of freedom, Odile tastes the bitter sting of unspeakable betrayal. Montana, 1983: Lily is a lonely teenager looking for adventure in small-town Montana. Her interest is piqued by her solitary, elderly neighbor. As Lily uncovers more about her neighbor’s mysterious past, she finds that they share a love of language, the same longings, and the same intense jealousy, never suspecting that a dark secret from the past connects them. A powerful novel that explores the consequences of our choices and the relationships that make us who we are—family, friends, and favorite authors--The Paris Library shows that extraordinary heroism can sometimes be found in the quietest of places. (Note: due to COVID-19, the release date is pushed back to 2021) Buy here, support your local bookstore! THE JANE AUSTEN SOCIETY Just after the Second World War, in the small English village of Chawton, an unusual but like-minded group of people band together to attempt something remarkable. One hundred and fifty years ago, Chawton was the final home of Jane Austen, one of England's finest novelists. Now it's home to a few distant relatives and their diminishing estate. With the last bit of Austen's legacy threatened, a group of disparate individuals come together to preserve both Jane Austen's home and her legacy. These people—a laborer, a young widow, the local doctor, and a movie star, among others—could not be more different and yet they are united in their love for the works and words of Austen. As each of them endures their own quiet struggle with loss and trauma, some from the recent war, others from more distant tragedies, they rally together to create the Jane Austen Society. A powerful and moving novel that explores the tragedies and triumphs of life, both large and small, and the universal humanity in us all, The Jane Austen Society is destined to resonate with readers for years to come. Buy here, support your local bookstore! LAST TRAIN TO KEY WEST In 1935 three women are forever changed when one of the most powerful hurricanes in history barrels toward the Florida Keys in New York Times bestselling author Chanel Cleeton's captivating new novel. Everyone journeys to Key West searching for something. For the tourists traveling on Henry Flagler's legendary Overseas Railroad, Labor Day weekend is an opportunity to forget the economic depression gripping the nation. But one person's paradise can be another's prison, and Key West-native Helen Berner yearns to escape. The Cuban Revolution of 1933 left Mirta Perez's family in a precarious position. After an arranged wedding in Havana, Mirta arrives in the Keys on her honeymoon. While she can't deny the growing attraction to the stranger she's married, her new husband's illicit business interests may threaten not only her relationship, but her life. Elizabeth Preston's trip from New York to Key West is a chance to save her once-wealthy family from their troubles as a result of the Wall Street crash. Her quest takes her to the camps occupied by veterans of the Great War and pairs her with an unlikely ally on a treacherous hunt of his own. Over the course of the holiday weekend, the women's paths cross unexpectedly, and the danger swirling around them is matched only by the terrifying force of the deadly storm threatening the Keys. Buy here, support your local bookstore! FAST GIRLS Acclaimed author Elise Hooper explores the gripping, real life history of female athletes, members of the first integrated women’s Olympic team, and their journeys to the 1936 summer games in Berlin, Nazi Germany. This inspiring story is based on the real lives of three little-known trailblazing women Olympians. Perfect for readers who love untold stories of amazing women, such as The Only Woman in the Room, Hidden Figures, and The Lost Girls of Paris. In the 1928 Olympics, Chicago’s Betty Robinson competes as a member of the first-ever women’s delegation in track and field. Destined for further glory, she returns home feted as America’s Golden Girl until a nearly-fatal airplane crash threatens to end everything. Outside of Boston, Louise Stokes, one of the few black girls in her town, sees competing as an opportunity to overcome the limitations placed on her. Eager to prove that she has what it takes to be a champion, she risks everything to join the Olympic team. From Missouri, Helen Stephens, awkward, tomboyish, and poor, is considered an outcast by her schoolmates, but she dreams of escaping the hardships of her farm life through athletic success. Her aspirations appear impossible until a chance encounter changes her life. These three athletes will join with others to defy society’s expectations of what women can achieve. As tensions bring the United States and Europe closer and closer to the brink of war, Betty, Louise, and Helen must fight for the chance to compete as the fastest women in the world amidst the pomp and pageantry of the Nazi-sponsored 1936 Olympics in Berlin. Buy here, support your local bookstore! THE ENGINEER'S WIFE "When Emily Warren Roebling marries Captain Washington 'Wash' Roebling-the handsome, charming soldier of her dreams, and her brother's dear friend and aide during the Civil War-a lifetime of family fun and happiness seems within her grasp. But then Wash accepts the position as Chief Engineer on his father's magnum opus, the Brooklyn Bridge, and it changes both of their lives forever. In Brooklyn, the happy home they'd dreamed of warps around the bridge. Incapacitated from working in the high-pressure tanks at the bridge's foundations, Wash convinces Emily to be his messenger to the site. Little by little, Emily finds herself taking over the project-with no formal training or education in math and science. Emily throws herself into building the bridge but faces suspicion and disparagement at every turn as she supervises dangerous construction sites and argues for the safety of the bridge amongst Manhattan's male elite. The Engineer's Wife delivers an emotional portrait of a woman transformed by a project of unfathomable scale, and of a husband and wife determined to build something that lasts--even at the risk of losing each other." Buy here, support your local bookstore! RED SKY OVER HAWAII Inspired by real places and events of WWII, Red Sky Over Hawaii immerses the reader in a time of American history full of suspicion and peril in this lush and poignant tale about the indisputable power of doing the right thing against all odds. The attack on Pearl Harbor changes everything for Lana Hitchcock. Arriving home on the Big Island too late to reconcile with her estranged father, she is left alone to untangle the clues of his legacy, which lead to a secret property tucked away in the remote rain forest of Kilauea volcano. When the government starts taking away her neighbors as suspected sympathizers, Lana shelters two young German girls, a Japanese fisherman and his son. As tensions escalate, they are forced into hiding—only to discover the hideaway house is not what they expected. When a detainment camp is established nearby, Lana struggles to keep the secrets of those in her care. Trust could have dangerous consequences. As their lives weave together, Lana begins to understand the true meaning of family and how the bonds of love carry us through the worst times. Buy here, support your local bookstore! |
Aloha files.In the spirit of spreading aloha, Sara shares her favorite uplifting and inspiring finds. Maybe it's a book or podcast, or maybe it's a new adventure or film that is too good not to pass along. Archives
June 2024
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