War Bonds

Lifelong Love of Libraries

September 16, 2015 Cindy Hval

When I was a child my dad was in the Air Force, so we moved a lot. Finding the library in each new town made the transitions easier– walking through the doors felt like coming home, no matter where those doors were.

That’s why it’s such a thrill to find copies of War Bonds: Love Stories From the Greatest Generation on library shelves.

And tomorrow I’ll be one of six featured authors at a special event called Night at the Library.

Emceed by KXLY’s Kris Crocker, the event will showcase The Friends of the Library and provide information on how you too, can be a member! It’s free! Snacks are provided, a no-host wine bar will be available and Auntie’s Bookstore will be on hand so you can purchase signed copies of your favorite authors latest books!

I love libraries and I hope you do too!

War Bonds

Night at the Library

September 14, 2015September 14, 2015 Cindy Hval

Really excited about this upcoming FREE event! Enjoy short readings by six local authors, including myself, Sharma Shields, Bruce Holbert and Shawn Vestal. Mingle among the stacks, have some tasty treats,grab some wine at the no-host bar and purchase selected books from Aunties Bookstore.

Hope to see you September 17, 7 PM at Spokane County Library, Argonne Branch, 4322 N Argonne Rd Spokane, WA

War Bonds

70 years and still in love

September 11, 2015 Cindy Hval

Kerri Thoreson, photo

I had the delight of catching up with Fred and Nathalie Mitchell in Post Falls, Idaho, yesterday. Their story “Happy Trails” is featured in chapter 21 of War Bonds.

The group at the reading got a kick out of Nathalie’s Love Lesson: “I get the last word and that’s that!”

That arrangement has worked well for them. They will celebrate their 70th anniversary in November!

War Bonds

Greater Love

September 8, 2015 Cindy Hval

Ken and Carolyn Lewis

War Bonds: Love Stories From the Greatest Generation tells the stories of WWll heroes both at home and abroad. But those aren’t the only heroes I’ve met.

Last week I met Ken Lewis. He was wounded during his first tour of duty in Vietnam and scheduled to be flown out. But before that happened the unit of South Vietnamese soldiers he was serving with was ambushed 400 yards from the base. Caught in a crossfire every single soldier died. “Eighty seven men, wiped out,” said Ken.
And he wept.
“He’s never talked about this before,” his wife, Carolyn explained, shocked by his openness.
But that’s not the heroic part.
After Ken got home, their 18 year old son enlisted and called to tell them he’d received orders for Vietnam.
“You aren’t going,” Ken said. “Absolutely not!”
He been there, you see. He didn’t want his son to live through what he’d endured.
His son balked. “Dad! I’ve got orders!”
“No,” said Ken. “No.”
He called a friend in the Pentagon and said, “There’s no way I’m going to let my son go to Vietnam– send me instead. I will go back.”
And he did.
His son was sent to Alaska and Ken did another tour of duty in Vietnam.
And I know I’m supposed to be a hard-boiled professional journalist, but tears filled my eyes and I sat in my car and wept after this interview.
“Greater love has no man than this….”

War Bonds

Why do you still cry?

August 13, 2015August 13, 2015 Cindy Hval

“Why do you still cry? Aren’t you used to the stories by now?” my 15-year-old son asked.

He was curious. He’d just attended a War Bonds reading with me at the North Spokane County Library because he’s taping a few video clips of my presentation.

The answer is, no, I’m really not “used to the stories.” For example, when I read about a POW’s reaction to seeing the American flag raised when his camp was liberated, I remember the tears that rolled down his wrinkled cheeks when he told me the story. I cried with him that day.

I’m tearing up just thinking about it, now. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to read that paragraph without tears. These stories are true. These people are real. If their stories don’t evoke some kind of emotion in me, the writer, they’ll never resonate with you, the reader.

It was an especially moving reading for me because Dean and Betty Ratzman were sitting in the front row.

Dean’s heart had been damaged by Dengue fever during the war in the Pacific. He was told he wouldn’t live past age 40. Yet there he sat in the front row with Betty, his wife of 69 years.

Tears of joy. Tears of sadness. And an awful lot of laughter.

How blessed I’ve been to hear these stories and to share them with the world. I hope I never get used them.

War Bonds

Special guests at War Bonds reading

August 11, 2015 Cindy Hval

Dean and Betty Ratzman, June 23, 1946

So delighted that Dean and Betty Ratzman will join me at Wednesday’s War Bonds event at the North Spokane Library!

The Ratzmans have been married for 69 years. Their story is featured in chapter 18, “Letters From Home.”

Here’s a chance to meet a couple from the Greatest Generation and have them sign your copy of War Bonds. Auntie’s Bookstore will be handling sales and 10% of all copies purchased will go to the Friends of Spokane Country Library!

War Bonds

See you Wednesday at the North Spokane Library!

August 10, 2015 Cindy Hval

Really excited about this reading at “my local” library on Wednesday!

Columns, War Bonds

The Scrapbook

July 28, 2015July 28, 2015 Cindy Hval

It’s been almost six months since my first book, War Bonds: Love Stories From the Greatest Generation was released. I’ve signed hundreds of copies, but at a recent reading I was asked to sign something that brought tears to my eyes.

A sweet lady approached me before the event began and said, “I’m wondering if you will sign something for me?” And she pulled out a bulging scrapbook from her basket.

It was filled with clippings from from my Spokesman Review newspaper column, The Front Porch.

“I’ve been saving them for years,” she said.

So, I blinked back tears and happily signed her scrapbook.

Writers are nothing without readers. To think my columns mattered enough for her to save delighted me. It also made me happy that my next book will be an anthology of those columns. Who knows? Maybe in a few years I’ll be doing another reading at that venue and this time I’ll have my own “scrapbook” of sorts, to sign.

War Bonds

Still Things She’d Like to Know

July 27, 2015 Cindy Hval

Had a wonderful reading/signing event Saturday, at a local retirement center. The crowd was enthusiastic and engaged and asked wonderful questions. But the best thing was that three very special people live at Fairwood.

Melba Barton (left) is featured in chapter 16, “The Farmer’s Wife,” and Barbara and Louis Anderson’s story is told in chapter 28, “Keeping Time.” As you can tell from the photo above, Louie is still just as dapper and handsome now as he was in 1943 when he served as a B-17 pilot during WWll.

I was very moved during the Q&A Barbara said she’d learned more about Louie’s war experiences during the interviews for War Bonds, than she’d learned in 69 years of marriage. She added, “But there are still things I’d like to know– still questions he hasn’t answered.”

And Louie smiled and looked away.

A special thank you to all who’ve purchased, read or reviewed War Bonds: Love Stories From the Greatest Generation. Because of you, these stories live on.

War Bonds

Authors, libraries and books– what a great combination!

July 15, 2015 Cindy Hval

I’m delighted to be partnering with Spokane Public Libraries this summer for a trio of War Bonds events.

Auntie’s Bookstore will be on hand to sell copies.

Really looking forward to this opportunity to engage with readers!

Here’s a snippet from the Library’s newsletter:

Peggy and Harold Smart celebrate two anniversaries– the day they married and The Fourth of July. They met in high school and though Harold was an older man, he thought he’d have a chance with the beautiful Peggy. “I am 39 days her senior,” he confided.

—Cindy Hval, from her book, War Bonds: Love Stories from the Greatest Generation, Chapter 22, “Peg O’ My Heart”

Cindy Hval – War Bonds –
July 18, 4 pm at Shadle
July 28, 6 pm at South Hill

August 7, 5 PM at Downtown

More information here.