War Bonds Love Stories From the Greatest Generation – Page 10

War Bonds = Resident Evil?

January 4, 2016 Cindy Hval

Oh, my! Some emails from readers just make my day. This one for example:

HI Cindy:

I have a funny story to tell you, I think you will smile–>

I enjoy reading your columns in the Spokesman Review, esp when you tell stories about your family. ( I am also a Mom, 3 kids). I enjoy your writing so much that I asked for your book for Christmas. My husband went to the Valley Barnes and Noble to purchase it for me though the store was out of stock. They put in a on-line order for him and the boxed book arrived in time for Christmas. When he opened the shipped book to wrap it, it was a “Resident Evil” book instead of yours!! ( we do not read “Resident Evil”).

I have attached a picture of the book that I returned to the store. ( She kinda looks like you, don’t you think?)

Barnes and Noble was STILL out of your book, but they offered to ship it to me!! I declined and said I would check out Auntie’s.

Keep up the good work,

Book cover

Looks like the author photo for my next book was leaked 🙂 Since the pending title is “Don’t Make Me Write a Column About This” the girl with a big gun thing kind of works, doesn’t it?

War Bonds

Santa and War Bonds

December 21, 2015 Cindy Hval

12390951_992203017484992_8317599898444074866_n[1]

This weekend I had my first book signing event on a military base. The folks at Fairchild AFB were great to work with and as you can see I had a great location at the Base Exchange entrance.

155819_992203084151652_7828742122717744933_n[1]

Santa was also there just a few feet away.

12376105_992276927477601_5343926742743324545_n[1]

This was the real deal. Turns out authors top his nice list! And Santa tops mine. Another author was doing a signing nearby. He told us that teenage his granddaughter had recently died in a horrible car accident. A scholarship fund had been established in her name. They wanted to have Santa attend the fundraiser, but were told he’d charge $100 per hour.

This Santa took the author’s card and said, “Let me know the day and time of next year’s event and I’ll be there. No charge.”

Now that’s the Christmas spirit.

Speaking of, books make great presents! Wrap up a copy of War Bonds today:-) Available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Independent booksellers nationwide.

War Bonds

Favorite Moments

December 11, 2015December 24, 2015 Cindy Hval

I just finished a series of author events for the Spokane County Library District.

“Bonds of Love and Remembrance” paired stories from War Bonds: Love Stories From the Greatest Generation with music of the era from Hot Club of Spokane.

We had such a great time at each of the four libraries we visited.

At every event a reader will tell me about their parents or grandparents, or about a family member who served in WWll. The stories are heartwarming and it’s a wonderful thing to trigger happy memories.

My two favorite moments from these events also came from attendees.

A lady at Moran Prairie came up to have her book signed and ask how Milo and Thor are doing. Those aren’t my kids– those are my cats! She said she enjoys reading about their adventures in my column in the Spokesman Review.

And a toddler tapped my knee at Spokane Valley Library, and said, “Thank you for WEEDING (reading)!”

Is it any wonder why I love libraries so much?

12299350_986627118042582_3642205286585537528_n[1]

War Bonds

Bonds of Love & Remembrance

November 30, 2015December 24, 2015 Cindy Hval

In honor of Pearl Harbor Day, local author Cindy Hval shares excerpts from her captivating book, War Bonds: Love Stories from the Greatest Generation. Local jazz group, Hot Club of Spokane, sets the mood with 1940s love songs. Don’t miss this wonderful event!
CHENEY
Saturday, Dec 5, 2pm
Sponsored by the Friends of the Cheney Library

DEER PARK
Monday, Dec 7, 7pm
Sponsored by the Friends of the Deer Park Library

MORAN PRAIRIE
Tuesday, Dec 8, 7pm
Sponsored by the Friends of the Moran Prairie Library

SPOKANE VALLEY
Wednesday, Dec 9, 7pm

So excited to pair the music of the Greatest Generation with the stories from War Bonds in a series of events for Spokane County Library District!

Click my events page for more details.

War Bonds Cover Photo

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

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

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!

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.