About the Book
Book: A Picture of Hope
Author: Liz Tolsma
Genre: Christian Historical Fiction
Release date: October, 2021
A Photojournalist Risks Her Life to Save Children
Full of intrigue, adventure, and romance, this new series celebrates the unsung heroes—the heroines of WWII.
Journalist Nellie Wilkerson has spent the bulk of the war in London,
photographing pilots taking off and landing—and she’s bored. She jumps
at the chance to go to France, where the Allied forces recently landed.
She enlists Jean-Paul Breslau of the French underground to take her to
the frontlines. On the journey, they come upon an orphanage where nuns
shelter children with disabilities. Can they help save them before the
Nazis come to liquidate it?
Click here to get your copy!
About the Author
Liz
Tolsma is the author of several WWII novels, romantic suspense novels,
prairie romance novellas, and an Amish romance. She is a popular speaker
and an editor and resides next to a Wisconsin farm field with her
husband and their youngest daughter. Her son is a US Marine, and her
oldest daughter is a college student. Liz enjoys reading, walking,
working in her large perennial garden, kayaking, and camping. Please
visit her website at www.liztolsma.com and follow her on Facebook,
Twitter (@LizTolsma), Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest. She is also the
host of the Christian Historical Fiction Talk podcast.
More from Liz
Why Another WWII Novel Set in France
You may well read the back cover of my latest release, A Picture of Hope, and
wonder why on earth we need another WWII novel set in France. After
all, Kristy Cambron just had one. Melanie Dobson and Sarah Sundin will
be coming out with theirs in 2022. So why did I feel the need to write
my novel with the same setting?
First of all, I’m a Francophile. I love all things French. It started
when I took French in high school. Everyone else was learning Spanish,
but I wasn’t into being part of the crowd. There were only a few of us
in the class, and it was great fun. We had a wonderful teacher. Being
able to pull out some of that French, refine it a bit, and use it in the
book was a blast. But I also love French food (who doesn’t?) and
everything else.
Secondly, I hadn’t written about France before. When I wrote this
proposal at least five or six years ago, I didn’t know France would be
so hot. God did, and the book came about in His perfect timing. I’d
explored the Netherlands, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Czechoslovakia, and
the Philippines. Such a shame that I was leaving out France, so I set
about to write a novel located in that country.
Thirdly, there was so much good material to pull from. The French
resistance, while small, did good work and sacrificed a great deal to
get Jews out of the country and into Switzerland or Spain. The books
that Kristy, Melanie, Sarah, and I write are all so different. Only the
setting is the same. And when I found out that the famous mime Marcel
Marceau was part of the resistance, I couldn’t help but giving him a
cameo. Be on the lookout!
Along the way, I discovered some truly heartrending incidents that
took place in France. They also compelled me to write this book. I long
for the world to remember what happened so that we will never forget.
And so that the atrocities committed there will never be repeated.
Fourthly, this was originally the third book in a series. Don’t worry
– it’s a stand-alone. Maybe someday I’ll get to publish the other two.
The women in the series are all American journalists in Europe. One is a
reporter, the other is a broadcaster, and so I decided to make Nellie,
the heroine in A Picture of Hope, a photojournalist. And where
better to take pictures than on Omaha Beach soon after D-day. How she
gets there is based on a very interesting true story, so be sure to read
to the end for that one.
There are so many stories about WWII to be told and so many countries
that participated in the conflict in one way or the other. The ground
is so rich that we aren’t plowing the same parcel. You’ll find all of
these books to be very different from each other, each with its own
message, its own voice, and its own plot.
The focus in my book is on children with Down syndrome. I have a
background in special education, and my husband and I adopted a child
from the Philippines with an intellectual disability, so I’ve always had
a heart for people with special needs. My daughter brings us so much
joy that I wanted to share a glimpse into what these remarkable people
are truly capable of.
So that is why I wrote a WWII novel set in France. Make yourself a cup of café au lait, butter up a croissant, and enjoy A Picture of Hope!
Blog Stops
A Baker’s Perspective, October 28
Life of Literature, October 28
Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, October 28
Genesis 5020, October 28
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 29
The Book Chic Blog, October 29
Blogging With Carol, October 29
Texas Book-aholic, October 30
Sodbuster Living, October 30
Spoken from the Heart, October 30
Elly Gilbert, October 30
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 31
Inklings and notions, October 31
Labor Not in Vain, October 31
CarpeDiem, October 31
Splashes of Joy, November 1
Reviewingbooksplusmore, November 1
Life, love, writing, November 1
For Him and My Family, November 1
deb’s Book Review, November 2
Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, November 2
A Good Book and Cup of Tea, November 2
Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, November 3
Betti Mace, November 3
Worthy2Read, November 3
Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, November 3
Daysong Reflections, November 4
Locks, Hooks and Books, November 4
Vicky Sluiter, November 4
Southern Gal Loves to Read, November 4
Older & Smarter?, November 5
By the Book, November 5
Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, November 5
Connie’s History Classroom, November 6
For the Love of Literature, November 6
Bigreadersite, November 6
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, November 6
Rebecca Tews, November 7
A Modern Day Fairy Tale, November 7
Mypreciousbitsandmusings, November 7
She Lives To Read, November 8
Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, November 8
Where Faith and Books Meet, November 8
Pause for Tales, November 9
Christian Bookaholic, November 9
Through the Fire Blogs, November 9
To Everything There Is A Season , November 9
Little Homeschool on the Prairie, November 10
The Meanderings of a Bookworm, November 10
Mary Hake, November 10
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Liz is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card and copy of A Picture of Hope!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
GIVEAWAY
My Thoughts
This story starts right in the heart of WWII and Jean-Paul discovering that he can't trust people so easily. As a soldier he is used to seeing the death and carnage but Nellie ends up in a place she wasn't expecting. After escaping death a few times, Nellie realizes that this wasn't her plan. I really enjoyed her point of view because she takes pictures of everything while on the front lines. Nellie isn't my favorite character, I actually found her a bit irritating. But I loved the idea of seeing the war through a camera lens and also that protecting the film meant everything. I also found it interesting how people were constantly telling her not to take pictures it was illegal etc. The Germans didn't want proof of what was really happening. There is a lot put into this book and it really takes you on a wild ride the entire time. I do wish I could have gotten to know the characters a bit better. Still an enjoyable read.
Three Stars.
"I received this book from the publisher for free. All opinions are my own and I was not required to write a positive review. "
Two successful women, a hundred-and-twenty-years apart, build walls to protect their hearts. Modern-day Willa, a successful interior decorator, is chosen to consult for the Grand Hotel’s possible redesign. She discovers a journal detailing the struggles of a young woman, Lily—which reveals dark secrets. The renowned singer wasn’t who she pretended to be. As Willa reaches out to Lily’s descendant, a charismatic and prominent landscape artist, she lets down her guard. Should she share the journal with him, or once again erect a wall as she struggles to redesign both the Grand and her life?
