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The Museum of Authors Speak Posts
Donāt see any current posts here? Thereās a good reason! Weāve closed up this blog in order to transform Authors Speak into a quarterly newsletter, where weāll include articles like you see here, book and event announcements, and all sorts of other news. There will be a āreaderās cornerā for readers to have their say, too, if all goes according to plan. Interested? Register on this site, and Iāllā¦
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Hello readers! To my chagrin, I realize we Authors Speak writers posted not one single post in the month of July. I, for one, didnāt realize Iād missed my day to post until it was long gone. Some of us were more on the ball than that, but just had a crazy calendar and didnāt make it. I hope this month is better, and Iām going to kick off August by posting on time. Butā¦ (isnāt there always a but?) because my calendar has gone crazy this month, Iām recycling. Donāt get me wrong! This post is completely right for the day!
Let me explain.
As you may have realized, I like to talk about other authorsā books. A few years ago, on my sylvre.com blog, I did that by featuring ālessonsā at Gay Romance University. In 2014, I made a lesson about Anne Barwellās book, Shadowboxing, the first book in her World War II historical Echoes Rising series. Read on to revisit that day in class!
Why is this the right post to republish today?
Because today, the final book in the series has been launched at DSP Publications! Happy release day, Anne, and congrats on creating a series truly worth the read.
Okay, then! Letās go to school!
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(Get your textbook, and the rest of the series at this DSP Pubications link.)
here: Please take your seats people, we want to get startedā¦. Whatās that? Boxer shorts? Certainly theyāre allowedā¦. Yes, sir, briefs, certainly. Sure, speedos are not only allowed but encouraged. Be comfortable, but do pay attention in class.
Even though Kristopher Lehrerās last name means āteacher,ā as we examine the early pages of our textbook, Anne Barwellās novel Shadowboxing, it is Kristopher who is most in need of schooling. Oh, he is a learned man, itās trueāa physicist working on an important, possibly world-altering project. Unfortunately Very Important Projects often become the clouds where a scientistās head is most comfortable. Kristopherās attitude, as the novel opens, is reminiscent of the fearless forward motion of a horse with blinders.
To illustrate, consider this: Kristopherās friendāthe man that could have been his first true love if Kristopher had been honestāis Jewish, and in World War II Germany the yellow Star of David he must wear means that he is in danger every time he steps out in public. And, though David is a respected physician, he can no longer practice medicine for the same reason. Yet when Kristopher meets him for coffee he has no clue why his friend is upset, or scared. Read along in your text (or look over your neighborās shoulder if you havenāt yet picked up your text). We look at what happens when David challenges Kristopherās naivety, beginning on page eight.
āHave you any idea what kind of people you are working for?ā David spoke quietly, as always, but there was an underlying tone of fear in his voice that Kristopher didnāt remember hearing before. Davidās emotions were always controlled; it was something that Kristopher had envied. āHave you any idea of their real agenda?ā
Kristopher snatched his hand away, trying to ignore how fast his heart was beating. Why had David come to him? Surely he couldnāt have presumed to use the closeness theyād once had to further whatever agenda he had? āIām a scientist, David, trying to make the world a better place, just as you are. We are working for the advancement of science and for the good of the Fatherland.ā The last sentence came out sounding like the mantra it was. Any doubts that Kristopher had were always dealt with efficiently when he repeated those words. While he knew the potential danger of the device they were working on, the chances of anyone considering utilizing the catastrophic component of it were remote.
āYou always were naĆÆve, Lehrer.ā David raked a hand through his hair and replaced his glasses, adjusting them when they slipped down his nose. āWake up and take a look at whatās going on around you before itās too late.ā An edge of desperation and fear sharpened his voice as he lowered it to almost a whisper; it sounded as though he was talking about the end of the world.
āToo late? Too late for what?ā His earlier fears of being used vanished at Davidās tone. Kristopherās voice rose in pitch, all attempts of hiding his conflicting emotions lost as he tried to desperately work through his rapidly escalating confusion.
David shook his head, unwilling to say more, his eyes darting nervously around the small Kaffeehaus before his gaze settled on the man who had entered several minutes earlier. āI have to go. Iāve said too much already.ā
āWait!ā David was already halfway out the door before the word was out of Kristopherās mouth. He pushed his chair back, ready to follow his friend, then hesitated, suddenly unsure as to what had just happened.
A week later, dining at home with his sister Clara (whom he loves and depends on) and his father (with whom he has a strained relationship), he is shocked to hear that David has disappeared, and clueless as to why such a thing had happened. Whatās more, he is just as dumbfounded when Clara says (on page 11)ā¦
āPoor Kristopher.ā Clara rolled her eyes. āYouāre so involved in your work that you havenāt noticed whatās going on around you.ā There was no teasing in her voice now. Whatever this was about, it was something very serious. āItās because heās Jewish, of course.ā
ā¦ as he is when his father saysā¦
āThey are Jewish, Kristopher. What other reason is needed? Better that they are rounded up and sent somewhere more suited for their place in the scheme of things. We must not lose sight of the fact that the Jews are nothing more than parasites interested in taking control of the economy for themselves.ā
We, the readers can take our first lesson from this, and the downhill spiral of father-son relations that follow. Please take this down in your notebooks. It will be on the test:
The longer you keep your head stuck in the clouds of denial (about anything, really), the more it hurts to pull it out.
Our next unit of study follows Kristopher as he goes about his work the next day. The clouds around his head have been disturbed, but not quite dislodged. Feeling cranky and a little wooly due to a poor nightās sleep, he enters his bossās office when the boss is out, and rather clumsily knocks a pile of papers on the floor, and reads this sentence on one of them:
Cue ominous music.
We look forward to putting these plans into reality. Such a device will ensure the continued success of the Fatherland during this war against our enemies.
Kristopherās head falls from the clouds with a mighty thud, which hurts and canāt be ignored even by a dreamy physicist.
Gott im himmel, as my very German mother would have said. Here Kristopher had been, believing he was working on nuclear fission for peaceful purposes, and suddenly he realized heād been living in a lollipop world.
For a number of minutes, our scientist is unable to think straight. He knows what he saw, but heās unsure of what he might do about it, or even how to keep from getting in trouble for standing in his bossās office with his pants down (figuratively of course, because that would be far too weird).
But a guard comes along, Obergefreiter (Sargent) Schmitz, and helps him organize his brain and move his body, thank goodness. Of course, at first, Kristoffer is afraid that Schmitz will actually contribute to his danger, but he soon realizes he was lucky the Obergefrieter came along. He leaves the office that day still waffling about what to do. Like most ordinary Germans of the day, he loves his country and has some significant blind spots about itāa phenomenon not unknown at any age of the world in just about any country, including all of those where readers of this blog might be living today. But you donāt become a leading physicist if you are slow-witted. Once Kristopherās sight is forcibly cleared, he cannot escape the truth about the leaders of the Nazi regime and what their intentions are.
After much soul-searching, presumably some hand-wringing, and a few horrid nightmares, Kristopher Lehrer confronts his bossā¦ and is told in no uncertain way to mind his own business. The encounter goes from bad to worse. (You can read about this in home study, chapter three of the text.) When he is discovered in the room with his dead boss by the same Obergefreiter Schmitz, he figures his number is up.
Thank heaven for pleasant surprises, large and small. When Schmitz asks Kristopher if, as smart as he is, he can come up with no better plan than to threaten the guard with broken glass, hereās what happens (at the beginning of chapter four).
āMy plan? [ā¦] I donāt have a plan. [ā¦] Do you honestly think I would be standing here waving a piece of broken glass if I had a plan.ā
āGood point,ā Schmitz admitted.
[Text elided by bloggerā¦ er, I mean university professor Lou Sylvre. Kristopher says:]
āHave you come to hand me over to the Nazis?ā Whatever happened he didnāt intend to go easily.
The corner of Schmitzās mouth turned up in a half smile before he shook his head. āIām here to help you, Herr Dr. Lehrer.ā
āYou expect me to believe you?ā Kristopher wished the desk behind him would disappear into thin air, although it still wouldnāt be of much help as Schmitz was blocking the path to the only door. āI know youāve followed me for the past week.ā He noticed the slight look of surprise on Schmitzās face with a degree of satisfaction.
āYou need to trust me, Dr. Lehrer.ā
You may guess that Kristopher isnāt so sure thatās the best course of action, but like people everywhere when theyāre in danger and want to trust someone, he looks for a way to do so.
āGive me one good reason.ā
āThe Nazis will be here in, Schmitz said, consulting his watch, approximately ten minutes. Either you trust me, or you tell them what youāve just told me. I doubt they will believe your story.ā
His voice softened. āI do.ā
Now, students, you may have guessed that the Obergefreiter isnāt really the Obergefreiter. His real name is Michel, and heās not even German. And his interest in Kristopher, like Kristopherās trust of Michel, soon weaves into a whole new feeling. After negotiating much hell and highwater together, Michel soothes a startled, overwhelmed Kristopher in his own native tongue.
āA lāaise, Kit. Je suis iciā¦ Ssh, tout est bien.ā
Yes, Michel is there and all is well for the moment. Thereās a whole lot more trouble to face, more evil to evade, more heroes to meetāall kinds, German, foreign, soldiers, everyday people. But Michel does whatever he needs to do to keep Kristopher alive. And since this is Gay Romance University, it isnāt giving away secrets to let you know, that once Michel has seen to the matter of Kristopherās continued existence, he gets the opportunity to use a little French term of endearment.
āItās all right, mon cher. I love you. Iām not letting you go.ā
That is the end of our lesson, today. If you are interested in learning more on the subject, click the cover image above for a link to the blurb and purchase links. (And while youāre there, check out the continuation of this beautiful story in book two of the Echoes of War series, Winter Duet.
I thank Anne Barwell, Kristopher, and Michel for the privilege of treating the serious story of one of the worldās most painful times with a bit of irreverence. Truthfully, the heroes in this story are a reflection of all the real life heroes on every side of that war and every other, especially the quiet ones not lauded in headlines. They all deserve our gratitude, and I take no such service or sacrifice lightly.
Thanks for reading, everybody! If youād like to check out or revisit the rest of the GRU posts, just go to
When Do You Sleep? - Anne Barwell
When Do You Sleep? ā AnneĀ Barwell
Now Iāve done a few monthly blog posts Iām starting to run out of topics. If anyone has any ideas for future topics youād like to share, Iād love to hear from you! A big thanks to SJ Himes for todayās topic ā a writerās slice of life. I went for the title because itās a question I often get asked, or a variation on that being āwhen do you have time to read?ā Because I work full time, as well asā¦
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To Blog or Not to Blog, or...
To Blog or Not to Blog,Ā orā¦
ā¦ Promo is Hell* *With respect to Matt Groening. Promotion is one of those necessary evils in publishing. Once upon a time, an author could write a book, send it to the publisher, approve edits (sometimes) and the rest was taken care of. The publisher promoted the work, did the advertising, and handled all that stuff. Nooooot so much anymore. As I was working out what I wanted to write today, Iā¦
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Writing Ritualsā¦ or the things I do to write a novelā¦the story bible
Writing Ritualsā¦ or the things I do to write a novelā¦the storyĀ bible
Happy one year to Authors Speak. My first post was a year ago this month! Thank you Lou Sylvre for all you do for this group. One of the things Iām often asked as a writer is: how do you write a whole book? I donāt have a concept of a life without creating a story and writing it down. I have, literally, done this in some form for my entire life. Writing is second nature and storytelling isā¦
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Lou Sylvre on the Co-Writing Two-Step (Also Sunset at Pencarrow, Happy Pride, and a Giveaway!)
Lou Sylvre on the Co-Writing Two-Step (Also Sunset at Pencarrow, Happy Pride, and aĀ Giveaway!)
Hi, Lou Sylvre here for my monthly post on Authors Speak. Before I get to anything else, thanks everybody who entered the Merry May giveaway. Our winner has been contacted and will soon be the proud owner of a new Kindle Fire and a bunch of books. Next, I want to say happy Pride Month, everybody on the queer spectrum and all allies! Next, I want to say, this post is short. I know you can see thatā¦
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There And Back Again - Anne Barwell
There And Back Again ā AnneĀ Barwell
As Iām knee deep in writing blog posts for the upcoming release of Sunset at Pencarrow with my partner in crime, Lou Sylvre, I figured Iād blog about blog tours. Iāve been asked by non-writers what they entail so here goesā¦ The title of this post is from The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien, and as our upcoming book is set in New Zealand, it seemed appropriate. Disclaimer: Everyoneās experiences and modusā¦
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What's in a Name
Whatās in aĀ Name
Recently, out of nowhere, I was contacted by an author explaining she was setting up a blog tour for her very first release. In her email she mentioned the names of a few people and it seemed she was using them for references and I was supposed to know who they were. I didnāt, however, I knew right away what was going on. See, there is another Elizabeth Noble and she writes het romance. I believeā¦
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Writer's Police Academy Part 2: K9 Units by Sarah Madison
Writerās Police Academy Part 2: K9 Units by SarahĀ Madison
I confess, when I saw the K9 handler pull up on that first afternoon at WPA, during the open Q&A session with various law enforcement and emergency personnel, I was immediately drawn to watch. Having owned many high-drive German Shepherds myself, I couldnāt help but admire the power and beauty of these dogs, as well as the appreciate some of the similarities between these working dogs and my own.ā¦
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A Bit on the Sideā¦
A Bit on theĀ Sideā¦
Before anyone has pause for concern, this isnāt a post about extramarital affairs, but instead about my ever-expanding list of works in progress. And when certain stories keep butting in to try and derail my carefully mapped out (ā ha!) writing plan. What I am currently working on is a series of for books charting the history of the Redbourn family from my Crofton Chronicles series. Here Iāmā¦
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The Authors Speak Merry May Giveaway (win a Kindleā¢ and a bunch of books)
The Authors Speak Merry May Giveaway (win a Kindleā¢ and a bunch ofĀ books)
Hello! Lou Sylvre, happy to be here for my monthly blog. In this post, Iām all about launching our biggest giveaway yet, and Iāll get to that in a flash. First though, I want to talk a little about Authors Speak, what we do, why we love having you be part of it, and opportunities for everyoneāreaders and writersāto be heard right here on this platform. Authors Speak is designed to be a differentā¦
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Anne Barwell - Juggling Apples & Oranges
Anne Barwell ā Juggling Apples &Ā Oranges
When I mention Iām in the middle of editsāagain!āand planning posts for blogging and cover reveals, the usual response from people who arenāt writers is: āoh, I didnāt realise there was that much work involved.ā A friend once told me that once your book is accepted by a publisher, then the work really begins. She was so right. At present Iām juggling a bit more than just apples (edits) andā¦
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Writer's Police Academy Part 2: Death Scene Investigation by Sarah Madison
Writerās Police Academy Part 2: Death Scene Investigation by SarahĀ Madison
Last month, I wrote a general introductory post to Writerās Police Academy and my experience there. For this monthās post, Iād like to go into more detail. As I mentioned in the previous post, attending WPA is a lot like going to any big continuing education meeting. A variety of seminars are listed simultaneously, and you must pick and choose which to attend. Also like a CE meeting, there wereā¦
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The Art of Blogging ā An Art Form I Have Yet to Master as I Try and Get My Life Together
I must admit I have struggled this month to find a theme, and it hasnāt helped that I havenāt posted for a couple of months thanks to the general shenanigans of real life. Nothing is more telling than the state of my blog/website where my last post is from November 2016 which basically said, āIām lost, please bear with meā. But with a new year, I am starting to get my groove back starting withā¦
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A Lou Sylvre post: The ideal reader-author relationship? A bakers' dozen author replies
A Lou Sylvre post: The ideal reader-author relationship? A bakersā dozen authorĀ replies
Hello readers and fellow writers. Iāve switched my monthly date here at Authors Speak to the first. This month Iām going to do something a little different, but first a sword as to why. Lately, Iāve been all about the politics, and I feel thatās as it should be. The most inclusive definition of the word āpoliticsā is well-stated in Merriam Websters free online dictionary as the last (5th)ā¦
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Grace Duncan: Romance, Erotica and Everything in Between
Grace Duncan: Romance, Erotica and Everything inĀ Between
Over the years since I started writing romance, I have found myself in the distinctly uncomfortable situation of answering the āwhat do you write?ā question inevitably asked in response to the āIām an authorā line. A huge chunk of my discomfort comes from the fact that the two protagonists in my stories are the same gender (so far, all male). The LGBT communityāincluding (especially) the artsā¦
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Giving Back
Ā Many years ago, when my children were little and my youngest son was in the fourth grade or so his class did a project for Thanksgiving about what they were grateful for. One of the things on his list was that we always had a phone and our utilities were never shut off. That was a real WOW moment for me. There was a time that broke was a step up in the world. However, there was never a time weā¦
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