Veterans Day, LOVE AT WAR, and BURIED TRUTHS

Today is Veterans Day, 11/11/11. My novel, LOVE AT WAR, takes place during World War II, and not many of those veterans still grace this earth. Many, like my Uncle Russell, lie beneath foreign soil. Still others died years after coming home, returning to build homes and families. As young people, they piloted planes, parachuted into enemy territory, or served on ships. Military women often served as nurses or translators. Some, like Nuala in LOVE AT WAR, worked as covert operatives. I wrote LOVE AT WAR to tell the story of their sacrifice.

LOVE AT WAR, however, was not the first time I've created characters who were military veterans. In my as yet unpublished mystery novels, my main detective is a veteran of Iraq, and in BURIED TRUTHS, Dr. Wesley Chou braved the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina. The storm, however, was not his first encounter with unspeakable horror. As a doctor in Iraq, Wesley faced death, carrying arms as he aided the wounded.

Remember the veterans this Veterans Day. As a gift to my readers, I will give an e-book version of one of my novels to the first three people who visit my website at www.violarussell.com. Post a comment about this blog in the "Questions" section, and then be sure to tell me which book you'd like (Love at War or Buried Truths). Please leave your e-mail. I will take comments through Sunday.