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The Partisan Fighter
I've got some thrilling news to share with you all. I'm diving back into the world of De Dragoncourts from In Picardy’s Fields with my latest project, The Partisan Fighter.
I'm giving you the chance to read the first two — still unedited chapters right away — completely free!
Exciting News: the first two chapters of The Partisan Fighter are available!
I've got some thrilling news to share with you. I'm diving back into the world of De Dragoncourts from In Picardy’s Fields with my latest project, The Partisan Fighter. I'm so excited about writing Daphne’s story. Daphne is the 18-year-old daughter of Count Jacques de Dragoncourt. Do you remember the young manager of the WW1 hospital, who was so in love with surgeon Agnès? Alas, Agnès married her colleague Alan Bell instead. So, find out who Jacques married and what his daughter Daphne is like!
I'm giving you the chance to read the first two — still unedited chapters right away — completely free!
Flag of the Free France (1940-1944)
Simone Segouin during the liberation of Paris on 29 August 1944
What’s The Partisan Fighter About?
The Partisan Fighter takes us back to World War II, a time of bravery and tumultuous change in the French countryside. The story is loosely based on Simone Segouin’s story and the fight of the Partisans. This motley group of Resistance fighters was allied to the British SOE organization, which is now my main body of work, but The Partisan Fighter is a story purely about the French Resistance.
Based as always on actual facts, our protagonist, Daphne, a young couturier turned fighter, navigates the chaos of occupied territory. Her journey is filled with danger, sacrifice, and resilience, and I can't wait for you to join her on this thrilling ride.
Why Historical Fiction?
Historical fiction has a unique charm—it's like a time machine that lets us step into the shoes of people from the past. It's a chance to experience their world and understand the challenges they faced. The Partisan Fighter is my way of bringing history to life, creating characters you'll care about, and spinning a tale that'll have you hooked from the start.
Read the First Two Chapters
To give you a taste of what's in store, I'm sharing the first two chapters of The Partisan Fighter for free. Just head over to the downloadpage here to start reading. I hope these initial pages will grab your attention and leave you hungry for more of Daphne’s journey, which will be available in December. Exclusive for my newsletter subscribers! So it won’t be for sale.
Stay in the Loop
I'm super excited to share this novella with you, and I can't wait to hear what you think. Your support keeps me going and inspires me to keep telling stories.
To stay in the know about The Partisan Fighter and get updates on new chapters, subscribe to my newsletter or join my Reader group on Facebook.
Thanks for joining me on this historical adventure, and I can't wait to explore The Partisan Fighter with you.
Happy reading!
Cast off your jewels, your blue-blood, your privileges. Fight for freedom only.
Picardy, France, May 1940
Daphne de Dragoncourt simply knows she's the new French couture designer on the firmament. With her taste for risqué combinations and bold patterns, she's anything but the sophistication of black-and-white Chanel.
Inspired by the rainbow colors of her pet macaw, Liberté, Daphne can't wait to exchange her coveted countryside life in Picardy for her own atelier in Paris. Away from her depressed, alcoholic father, the 10th Count De Dragoncourt, and his complicated marriage to her Italian-Principessa mother, Marielle de Ibrio.
But Hitler's invasion of Northern France crushes all Daphne's dreams of a career in beauty and style. When her family's Château is overrun by German boots, and her beloved macaw escapes, she is forced to flee into the Picardy's fields.
Stranded and alone, she stumbles upon the wounded resistance fighter Paul Bâh, a Congolese-born merchant from Paris, with an avid taste for unruly warfare. Instead of a thread and needle, Paul presents the queen of patterns with a German-snatched MP 40 gun and teaches Daphne to wield it well.
With Paul by her side, Daphne - code name Simone - and their motley cell of partisan fighters clash with the Nazis from Paris to Picardy. Until the Partisans are finally reinforced by the D-Day landings and, together with the Allies, terminate four years of German terror.
The Partisan Fighter is the heroic metamorphosis of a capricious, starry-eyed teenager into a death-dealing resistance fighter. Buckling down in a camouflage outfit, the upper-class heiress is hell-bent on bringing Liberté back to country and castle.
From The Crystal Butterfly to The London Spymaker
Field trip to Canadian War Cemetery at Groesbeek and last week to read - as sneak peek - the first chapters of The London Spymaker!
Two months ago, I shared a video (link below) on YouTube, recounting the remarkable liberation of Amsterdam in May 1945. Little did I expect it would capture the hearts and minds of 54,000 viewers, many of whom were touched by the heroics of their Canadian relatives, who played a pivotal role in Holland's liberation. All these reactions from viewers ignited a spark in me, and made me think with even more fondness why I wrote my book on the Dutch Resistance, "The Crystal Butterfly." In the 7th book in The Resistance Girl Series, our heroine, Edda Van der Valk (then Edda Valkena), joins in the jubilation of Amsterdam's liberation.
The popularity of the old Dutch news reel also evoked a profound sense of gratitude in me towards the brave Canadians, Brits, Americans, Australians, and others who landed on Normandy's beaches on that historic day of June 6, 1944 to begin their relentless march northward. It spanned eleven grueling months and was marked by countless sacrifices before the European Continent was liberated from Hitler's Third Reich. How the SOE secret agents played a vital role in assisting the Allied forces with their sabotage actions will be at the core of my new series “Timeless Spies”, coming in 2024.
At an hour’s drive from where I live lies the Canadian War Cemetery at Groesbeek, Netherlands. Two weeks’ ago, on a sunny Sunday, I went on a field trip to honor these young heroes who gave their lives for our cherished freedom. Over 7,600 Canadian soldiers died for the liberation of Holland, and 2,331 of them found their eternal rest at Groesbeek. It stands as an immense Canadian Commonwealth Cemetery, with a minority of other nationalities interred alongside.
The original Canadian cemetery 1946
The Canadian cemetery 1947
My fascination with the Secret Operations Executive (SOE), as discussed in last week's blog, led me to discover that two of the five Canadian secret agents who were murdered in concentration camps while serving in the French section of SOE are commemorated on one pillar at this graveyard. That was my second motivation to pay a visit and pay tribute.
I also reached out to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and became a Foundation member, granting me the opportunity to contribute to their vital work. It puzzled me that the records showed that three agents were commemorated at Groesbeek - Pickersgill, Sabourin Biéler (correct spelling) -, whereas I could only find two names. (See photo left). The War Graves Commission told me that WW2 casualties with no known graves, like these five agents, may only be commemorated in one location. Where Biéler is commemorated elsewhere I’m still in the process of finding out. Considering that all 104 fallen agents of the French Section are commemorated on the Valencay Memorial in France (see last week’s post), the French memorial is not classified as a Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery. A valuable lesson learnt.
Mind you, these men are heroes of the highest class. They fought alone!
The author at Groesbeek, left of me you can see the two agents’ names
The 5 Canadian SOE agents who died in concentration camps
I invite you to watch my visit to Groesbeek through the video linked below, and I'm excited to share that you have one more week to download and read for free the first chapters of "The London Spymaker," set to be released next March.
The link between The London Spymaker and SOE
Read the rough draft of the first chapters of The London Spymaker! It will give you a taste of the history and research behind Anna’s story and SOE. The book is on preorder and will be available on 7 March 2024.
As I’m writing the last book in The Resistance Girl Series (for now), I’m already transitioning to what I’m going to specialize in for probably the rest of my writing career. The secret agents of SOE, an abbreviation for the Secret Operations Executive. A name and organization as shrouded in mystery as its non-descript name.
Hannah at SOE plaque in Beaulieu
In book 7 in The Resistance Girl Series, titled The London Spymaker, I’m already deeply invested in SOE, the British organization Winston Churchill launched in July 1940 “to set Europe Ablaze” with irregular warfare and sabotage actions. Flight officer Anna Adams in The London Spymaker, though fictive, is based on Vera Atkins’ remarkable position at the London-based organization, as the second person behind Colonel Maurice Buckmaster, the head of SOE’s French section.
Vera Atkins
From 1941 till after D-Day in June 1944 some 400 Section F agents were dropped into France. 109 of them didn’t survive the arrests, torture, and murder by the Gestapo. Most of these heroic agents, who came from all walks of life, were killed in concentration camps. Of the 40 brave women, whom SOE started recruiting in 1942 as women could more easily blend in with the French population and were less likely to be stopped by the Germans, 13 did not survive their missions. 104 of these agents are commemorated on the Valencay Memorial in France, which I will certainly visit in person one day and tell you all about.
Valencay memorial for SOE French Section
With Anna’s story, we start at the end of the second World War as she flies to post-war Germany in search of her “missing agents.” In the chaos after the liberation, with hundreds of thousands of bewildered and traumatized holocaust survivors trying to find their way to safety, it was often unclear what had happened to political prisoners, especially these agents whom Hitler had branded the worst enemies of the Third Reich. They fell in the “Nacht und Nebel” category, people the Nazis didn’t want to leave any trace of where they’d gone (Night and Fog), so their families would never know what had happened to them.
Anna not only attends the opening of the Nuremburg trials in November 1945, she also interrogates arrested camp commanders from Ravensbrück and Sachsenhausen to find out about the fate of “her girls”. The real Vera Atkins made it her life’s mission after the war to trace all the agents so she could tell their families what had happened to them.
To give you a taste of the history and research behind Anna’s story, you can read the rough draft of the first chapters of The London Spymaker here. The book is on preorder and will be available on 7 March 2024.
The London Spymaker sneak peek - click to download
Next week I will tell you about my visit to the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek, where 2 of the 5 French-Canadian SOE male agents are commemorated. Though I intend to start my new series “Timeless Spies” (2024) with the female agents, in time I’d like to honour the brave men as well. What’s more, they usually worked together in teams.
Unveiling “The Crystal Butterfly”: A Triumph in Tales of Resilience from WW2's Unsung Heroines!
Today is a day that fills my heart with an electrifying surge of joy and pride. I am absolutely thrilled to announce the launch of my latest novel, The Crystal Butterfly, the sixth book in my gripping series, The Resistance Girl Series, on the extraordinary resistance women of World War II!
Hey, dear readers!
Today is a day that fills my heart with an electrifying surge of joy and pride. I am absolutely thrilled to announce the launch of my latest novel, The Crystal Butterfly, the sixth book in my gripping series, The Resistance Girl Series, on the extraordinary resistance women of World War II!
As an author, I have always been captivated by the untold stories of heroism and courage, and my journey through this riveting historical period has been nothing short of exhilarating. With each book, I have sought to shed light on the indomitable spirit and the remarkable achievements of the women who fought relentlessly behind the scenes, defying all odds.
The Crystal Butterfly takes you on a breath-taking journey through the lives of yet another group of unsung heroines who refused to bow down to the tyranny of war. This time the setting is the Northern European country called Holland, or The Netherlands.
Book 6, just like the earlier ones, is a tribute to the bravery, resilience, and unyielding determination of women to protect their loved ones and their countries. In this installment, I delve deeper into the personal struggles, sacrifices, and triumphs of these incredible Dutch women, weaving together a tapestry of emotions that will leave you spellbound.
With each book I transport you back in time as I unveil the hidden intricacies of their secret operations. Immerse yourself in the stories of their perilous missions, daring escapes, and their unbreakable bonds of friendship forged amidst the chaos of war. From code breakers to spies, from undercover agents to resistance leaders, my Resistance Girl Series unveils the pivotal roles played by these remarkable women in different European countries, shaping the outcome of the war.
Through meticulous research and vivid storytelling, I have strived to recreate the atmosphere of the era, allowing readers to experience the sights, sounds, and emotions of a time when the world teetered on the precipice of destruction. The pages of The Crystal Butterfly will transport you to the heart of the Dutch Resistance, where ordinary women became extraordinary legends.
But The Crystal Butterfly is not just another historical account. It is a celebration of the human spirit, an ode to the triumph of love over hate and the unwavering resolve to protect the values we hold dear. It is a testament to the power of unity and the belief that, even in the darkest of times, a single person can make a difference.
To my loyal readers, I cannot express my gratitude enough for embarking on this journey with me. Your unwavering support and encouragement have fueled my creative fire, and it is because of you that The Crystal Butterfly has taken flight. It is my deepest hope that this book will touch your hearts, inspire you, and honor the indelible mark left by Edda, Tante Riet, Duifje, Miss Sterling and Maria, each an incredible woman with her own journey through the war.
And don’t forget their counterparts: the men. Fall in love with Asher Hoffman as Edda does, vouch for Ome Jan, for Doctor Geuze and Rick. Even understand Ludovicus Van Limburg Stirum.
Though this is a book about wartime in Holland, it’s also very much a book about the dance world. Immerse yourself in the magical ballets, the Nutcracker, Giselle, Les Sylphides. Even in wartime dance took place. And it saved Edda from despair.
So, dear reader, I hope you’ll let the enchantment of The Crystal Butterfly transport you to a time when heroes walked among us, hidden in plain sight. Join me as we celebrate the strength, courage, and resilience of these remarkable resistance women who shaped the course of 20th Century history. The grandmothers and great-grandmothers on whose shoulders today’s power women celebrate their equality and freedom.
The Crystal Butterfly is available on Amazon. The paperback is also available on all the leading book platforms! If you have a Kindle Unlimited subscription, you can also read the new book “for free”. As you can with the rest of the series!
Together let us honor the heroes and heroines of the past and pave the way for a future where their legacy lives on! And peace - hopefully - reigns forever.
Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.
Hannah
2023: the birth of a new book
New book, but also a new home and a new website. Years of research on European countries during World Wars NOT lost, and more to come! Did you know about Audrey Hepburn’s Dutch war years?
Since book 5 in The Resistance Girl Series, The Highland Raven, came out, I took a short break from writing about my main topic World War 2. In the interim I launched a new historical detective series, titled The Mrs Imogene Lynch Series. I also moved to another part of Holland at the end of December ‘22 and became a first-time grandmother in January. All very exciting but very distracting from my WW2 writing schedule! :-)
In January 2023 I began writing The Crystal Butterfly, my newest book in The Resistance Girl Series. This book is about the Dutch Resistance. It was a Godsent to be able this time to do all my groundwork ‘around the corner’ and I’ll share plenty of my (on the spot) research with you on this blog.
I took the time to deep-dive into the new story and get to the heart of my heroine’s journey before and during WW2. Her name is Edda Van der Valk and in The Crystal Butterfly she will take you through her Dutch war years.
As I now live close to Den Bosch - which is in the centre of Holland - I can easily travel to the most important places of action during WW2 in this country. So let me take you with me on my field trips as I retrace my steps to that gruesome part of our history, now some 80 years ago.
Few people living through WW2 are still with us today. The medalled-up veterans and bravely surviving Jews have become sparse centenaries, whose live presence in TV shows and newspaper articles are almost non-existent. WW2 is now almost history, lived through by the generation of our parents, grandparents, great-grandparents. But I still feel it is my duty to keep the history alive LEST WE FORGET.
The Crystal Butterfly is also inspired by - though far from identical to - Audrey Hepburn’s Dutch war years, so I’ll take you to places where she lived and spent some of the most arduous years of her life. And, of course, Anne Frank cannot be ignored in a book that is centred heavily on the deportations of Dutch-based Jewish people. After all, the arrest of Edda’s big love, Asher Hoffmann, was her reason for joining the Resistance.
PS For avid readers of my blog you may notice I have a new website and miss the abundant archive of years of research on many European countries during the World Wars. Fear not for it will return in an even clearer and more user friendly way.
Hello Reader
Welcome to Historical Facts & Fiction. Here imagination meets reality. I created this blog as a space to assemble my own research that had no place in my World War novels. Find out more about the background to The Resistance Girl Series!
Welcome to Historical Facts & Fiction. Here imagination meets reality. I created this blog as a space to assemble my own research that had no place in my World War novels. I hope you’ll enjoy finding out more about the background to The Resistance Girl Series.
Titbits of research certainly have their place in historical fiction, but when it becomes info dump, it’s too much. But in a blog there’s enough space to share all in-depth investigations and fieldwork to my heart’s content.
Most Historical Fiction readers are fervent researchers themselves; half the fun of reading a good HF novel is popping onto the net to fact-check what you’ve just read. You simply must know if SOE really had women spies, or if Eva Braun actually married Hitler hours before joining him in death. The internet is our treasure trove. I know I can’t stop myself, and love learning a thing or two in the process.
Have you ever wondered where HF authors get their ideas for a new book or series, or how they do their research? No two HF authors are alike – of course – but we all do rely heavily on today’s search engines. No work gets done without it.
However, as you’ll read in an upcoming blog post, my reason for starting The Resistance Girl Series was a family photo I found by chance. Curiosity is a good start. As a European with lineage in several countries, I not only study the lives of these people. They are in my bloodline.
My Great-uncles William and Jack Westcott
But it wasn’t just my uncles’ photograph that incited me to write In Picardy’s Fields. It may sound terrible to say - and I won’t do so aloud - but I love the World Wars. For me as a fiction writer these intense and dark periods in recent human history provide the greatest canvas on which to splash my stories, in an endless variety; this was the period – par excellence – in which ordinary people performed extraordinary deeds. And we all love us a decent hero(ine)!
I’m never tired of learning more about the first half of the 20th century and how it’s shaped our current society. So, please permit me to infect you with some of that passion.
Next to online studies, you can also join me on my field trips to various countries while I do my onsite research.
On to the first blog now…
Thank you for being here!