Anita Birt's Note Book and whatever comes to mind.

To all my American friends, HAPPY JULY 4th. Enjoy the day.

On July 4th, 1944, Al Smith, age 23, a navigator with the RCAF (Royal Canadian Air Force) parachuted from his aircraft, shot down over France. It was dead of night. Al didn't know where he was or whether a German patrol was nearby prepared to shoot and kill him.

Al landed partially on a tree but freed himself from his parachute. He removed his pistol and threw it as far away as he could. Caught with a fire arm and he'd be a dead man.

Al Smith is now 91 years old. He's the father of my daughter-in-law, Alana. Al's crew all survived, taken in and sheltered by French farmers who risked their lives to save the airmen. However, someone reported them to the Gestapo who rounded up the crew. They ended up in Buckenwald (forgive my spelling) concentration camp. This was against all the "rules of war." Captured aircrew were supposed to be sent to special prison camps supervised by the German air force. Instead there were fifty or more British, American and Canadians in the concentration camp.

To this day, Al can't stay in a small room with the door closed.No special treatment for any of the captured airmen. No post traumatic stress treatment. They got on with their lives, married and had children.

As for me. I have enjoyed the day but tired myself out by doing too much. I'm not the woman I used to be and my energy level has to be cranked up after a busy day. 

My mystery novel has reached a crucial point. I'm looking forward to writing the scene tomorrow because I'm not sure what's going to happen.

My historical romance, A VERY DIFFICULT MAN, is selling, not hugely but selling. Try it if you like a good historical romance. So is my time travel, RING AROUND THE MOON, set in magical Cornwall and my contemporary mystery where murder and mayhem swirls around my heroine who is on the run with a three month old baby.  The title is TOO YOUNG TO DIE. Imagine being lost at night in  the Cascade forest in Washington. Cougars? Bears? The men hunting her.

The three books mentioned are available in trade paper back and in e-book format.

Anita
www.anitabirt.com