Blog Archives
Honoring the Clubmobile Women
Forged in Fire tells the true story about the women who joined the American Red Cross’s Clubmobile program during World War II, sharing what life was like for the courageous young women who served in war zones to bring some humanity to the soldiers. Why was this an important book for you to write?
Because my mother was in the clubmobile program and the program served as the perfect way for her to get past a personal tragedy, and assist American GIs directly. Her World War II experiences helped shape the person she was to become.
How much research did you undertake for this book, and how much time did it take to put it all together?
My research for this book stretched over four decades, including extensive interviews, and the actual writing of the book took seven years.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
I wanted to underscore and highlight how unique and brave the women of the Red Cross clubmobile program were, and the substantial contribution they made to the war effort. But I didn’t want to sugarcoat the story or ignore the real issues they all faced with sexism, sexual assault, racism, and people undervaluing their efforts.
What is one thing that you hope readers take away from Forged in Fire?
Although the sexism of the 1940s severely limited what American women were allowed to contribute to the war effort, millions of women found a way to get involved at home and abroad. The women of the clubmobile program left home and family for years at a time and risked their lives simply to bring a little taste of home to millions of GIs and to help their morale. In that effort they were highly successful. And it should not be forgotten that at least eleven clubmobile volunteers were killed and never returned home.
Author Website
They weren’t soldiers, but they served in war zones. They didn’t carry weapons, but they fought every day—to lift morale, restore humanity, and bring a taste of home to battle-weary troops.
Forged in Fire tells the true story of the Red Cross Clubmobile Department—an innovative wartime effort that deployed courageous American women on a remarkable mission across Europe during WWII. Driving 2½-ton trucks loaded with coffee and doughnuts, these women braved bombings, buzz bombs, and battlefield trauma to serve those risking their lives.
Through the eyes of Blanche Barnes, a shy Midwestern woman transformed by tragedy and service, we follow the clubmobilers from England’s foggy airfields to the ruined cities of France and Germany. They flew in B-17s, danced with spies, and crossed paths with generals and journalists—showing resilience and humor in the face of war.
More than just a support operation, the clubmobiles became a lifeline to thousands of soldiers—and a proving ground for a generation of strong, capable women.
For readers of World War II history and biographies, this is an unforgettable, true account of grit, compassion, and an untold story on the front lines of World War II.
Forged in Fire: Grief, Purpose, and Devotion of a Woamn at War
Robert L. Gangwere’s Forged in Fire tells the true story of Blanche Barnes, a young Midwestern woman who joins the American Red Cross’s Clubmobile program during World War II. Through her eyes, we witness the war from an unusual vantage point, one shaped not by combat but by coffee, doughnuts, and determination. Blanche’s journey is full of heartbreak, resilience, and unexpected adventure. She faces devastating personal loss, brushes with death, and the realities of war’s chaos, while also encountering generals, spies, and musicians. What begins as an ordinary life of music and marriage transforms into a remarkable testament to courage, purpose, and survival in the face of global upheaval.
I was struck by how alive Blanche felt on the page. The writing doesn’t just record her story, it breathes with it. Some passages are quiet and tender, while others hit hard with sudden violence or grief. I found myself laughing at her boldness, then minutes later, my throat tightened as she endured unimaginable loss. Gangwere manages to capture both the sweep of history and the tiny, intimate details that make it real. The prose is clean and direct, which kept me moving, but it also left room for my own emotions to rise up and spill over.
What stayed with me most was Blanche’s spirit. She was not painted as flawless or untouchable, but as relatable. She doubted, she stumbled, she hurt, and she kept going anyway. That stubbornness felt familiar and comforting. I also appreciated how the book didn’t shy away from the darker truths: the Red Cross’s policies, the ever-present danger for women, the moral compromises of war. It reminded me that history isn’t tidy. It’s messy, layered, and often unfair. And yet, through Blanche’s story, I felt a surge of pride and gratitude for the ordinary women who chose to step into extraordinary circumstances.
Forged in Fire left me both heartbroken and inspired. It is a book that stays with you, one that makes you think about resilience and the quiet forms of heroism that often get overlooked. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys World War II history told through a personal lens, especially readers drawn to stories of women who found strength in unexpected places. It’s not just for history buffs. It’s for anyone who believes in the power of ordinary people to do extraordinary things when the world demands it.
Pages: 324 | ASIN : B0FFN4HKHP
Extraordinary Life and Legacy
South Carolina’s Matilda Evans is a sweeping tribute to the life and legacy of Dr. Matilda Arabella Evans, the first African American woman licensed to practice medicine in South Carolina. What inspired you to tell Dr. Evan’s story?
I found inspiration to share Dr. Evans’ story upon realizing our ancestral connection through my maternal lineage. It turns out that Dr. Evans’ grandfather, Harry Corley, was the half-brother of my ancestor, Lavinia Corley Thompson. Additionally, I learned that Dr. Evans’ mother, Harriet Corley Evans, played a pivotal role as one of the founders of my maternal family church, Smyrna Missionary Baptist Church, located near Springfield, South Carolina. These familial ties, combined with Dr. Evans’ remarkable achievement as South Carolina’s first African American woman licensed to practice medicine, ignited my curiosity to delve deeper into her life. Most notably, the absence of an official record of Dr. Evans’ story motivated me to conduct further research and study her extraordinary journey.
Did you find anything in your research of this book that surprised you?
Dr. Evans impressed me with her well-rounded and innovative approach to medicine. She utilized animal bones in surgical procedures, developed a mineral spring water product called Villanova for patients with kidney issues, and established a free clinic to serve underserved communities during the Great Depression in 1930. Her clinic garnered support from prominent African American figures, including Dr. George Washington Carver and Cab Calloway, who contributed to fundraising efforts. Additionally, Dr. Evans demonstrated her compassion by caring for a child abandoned on her doorstep.
How did you decide what aspects of her life to include or leave out when telling her story, and what are the key takeaways you want readers to remember about Dr. Evans?
We aimed to showcase events and experiences that reflect the diverse life of Dr. Matilda Evans, encompassing her medical career, civic engagement, and entrepreneurial ventures. Our research drew from both primary and secondary sources, including Dr. Evans’ own insights found in her book, Martha Schofield, Pioneer Negro Educator. This biography highlights the significant contributions of her mentor, Martha Schofield, an influential African American educator who profoundly impacted the post-Civil War South. Through the extraordinary life and legacy of Dr. Matilda Evans, we hope to inspire readers to explore and appreciate the vital contributions of African Americans in South Carolina and across the nation.
What is the next book that you are writing, and when will that be published?
We are considering plans for a future sequel to the book and exploring additional projects focused on preserving and promoting the legacy of Dr. Evans.
Author Links: GoodReads | X (Twitter) | Facebook | Website | Arcadia Publishing | Amazon
Matilda Arabella Evans was born four years after the abolition of slavery and raised on a family farm in eastern Aiken County. She was the first African American woman in South Carolina to obtain a medical license and fervently championed better healthcare for African Americans, with a particular focus on children. Her early life experiences, academic accomplishments, strong religious beliefs and innovative medical approaches made her a crucial figure in enhancing healthcare accessibility for families in South Carolina, especially during the difficult era of racial segregation, when she also served as a civic advocate to uplift her local community. Authors Dr. Walter B. Curry, Beverly Aiken Muhammad and Anusha Ghosh reveal the inspirational story of Dr. Evans and her remarkable journey throughout her career.
South Carolina Matilda Evans: A Medical Pioneer
South Carolina’s Matilda Evans is a sweeping tribute to the life and legacy of Dr. Matilda Arabella Evans, the first African American woman licensed to practice medicine in South Carolina. The book traces her incredible journey from humble beginnings in the post-slavery South to becoming a fierce advocate for public health, education, and civil rights. Written by Walter B. Curry Jr., Anusha Ghosh, and Beverly Aiken Muhammad, the biography weaves together archival research, family history, and personal recollections to offer a detailed account of Evans’s personal resolve, her pioneering medical work, and her tireless efforts to uplift her community.
Reading this book was both moving and sobering. The writing is clean and clear, sometimes formal but never dry. What stood out most was the immense care the authors took in documenting not just Evans’s achievements, but the deeply rooted racial and historical forces she had to navigate. From her educational path at Schofield and the Woman’s Medical College of Pennsylvania, to the establishment of the Taylor Lane Hospital and Evans Clinic, her story is full of persistence and purpose. I was struck by the humility in her work. She didn’t seek the spotlight. She wanted people, especially poor Black families, to receive decent care. You can’t read this without feeling her heart. It honestly made me reflect on how easily we forget the giants who walked before us.
The book provides exhaustive detail at times about family lineage or local historical context that is informative, but slows the narrative. I found myself wishing for more intimate glimpses into Evans’s own thoughts, struggles, and inner life because what we are given is so fascinating. The book shows how she used her influence to fight for systemic change, founding the Negro Health Association, publishing her own journal, and confronting health inequality head-on. The authors’ deep personal connection to Evans adds another layer of warmth and respect, which I came to appreciate more as the chapters unfolded.
I’d recommend South Carolina’s Matilda Evans to anyone interested in women’s history, Black history, public health, or just good old-fashioned grit. It’s especially relevant for students and professionals in medicine, teaching, or social work. If you’ve ever doubted the power of one person to change the world, Dr. Matilda Evans’s life will shake you out of it.
Pages: 196 | ASIN : B0DZJ5FKRB
Female Voices
Tapestry is an intricate, multi-generational tale that weaves together the stories of women who have been marginalized and oppressed but are fiercely resilient. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
I felt my maternal ancestors were lining up to have their story told, Tapestry just flowed for my fingers, piecing together the mysteries of their lives with only a little information was a true eye-opener.
What were some ideas that were important for you to personify in your characters?
The ideas were as close to the truth as possible, plus research on the different generations was very important to speak, if possible, in their language.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
It was important the truth be told, especially from the early 19th century about the battles we as women endured to have our female voices recognised.
What is the next book that you are working on and when can your fans expect it to be out?
The next book out is called the WEAVERS , a story of modern-day women travelling Australia.
Author Links: Website
Remarkable and Inspiring
On the Wings of the Red-Tailed Hawk follows a woman on a journey to the New World in 1620 who encounters challenges that she could not have foreseen and must fight for her own survival. What inspired the setup of your story?
For over forty years, I have done genealogy as a hobby to learn more about my family, where we came from, and what we went through. As a part of that process, I realized how seldom women were at the forefront of histories stories even though they were often the ones holding the whole thing together. I felt like I needed to give these women, my ancestors, and yours, a voice.
Sarah is portrayed as an ordinary woman who has to rise above the standard stereotype to survive the harsh conditions she finds herself in. What do you find interesting about the human condition that you think makes for great fiction?
I think we often forget that it is the ordinary person among us who often does extraordinary things. Sarah doesn’t see herself as a victim of the many challenges she faces, instead, she seizes each of those challenges to grow and learn and in the process, she discovers who she really is, and what she is really capable of. That is inspiring to me and I hope to others who read my books.
When you first sat down to write this story, did you know where you were going, or did the twists come as you were writing?
I did not. This was my first novel, and while I knew the story would start on the Mayflower, I knew little else. I didn’t even know how the story would end until it did! As I “became” Sarah and began to weave into her story things that had happened to my ancestors, and to those of her time, the story just grew organically. Sarah is an amalgamation of what so many women of that time endured, the pain, the struggles, the joy, and the hope for the future.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when will it be available?
On the Wings is the first of the trilogy The Centenary Chronicles-Tales of American Women. The second book which follows Sarah’s great-great-granddaughter Eliza during the American Revolution was published in November of 2023. Till I Come Home is another story of an ordinary woman faced with circumstances most of us could not even imagine and how she manages to face those challenges while finding a way to hold her marriage and her family together.
The last book in the Chronicles is out next week, Her Last Full Measure is a very personal book for me, heavily based on my own family’s experience during the Civil War and follows Eliza’s great-granddaughter Millicent and her family. Men get and deserve great accolades for the sacrifices they make in war and that theme runs through all the books. But, it’s the women, what they must do to survive while the men are gone that is truly remarkable and inspiring. It doesn’t always have a happy ending, it isn’t always easy, and sometimes it is raw and painful. But each of these books takes the reader into the heart of a woman they can admire, empathize with, and be inspired by, leaving the reader feeling hopeful with a newfound appreciation for what their ancestors did so they could be here today.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website | Amazon
Winner of the highly coveted 5-star Highly Recommended award from The Historical Fiction Company.
Nominated for the Eric Hoffer Award for Excellence.
Plymouth 1620-Sarah has left the security of all she knows to travel with her husband to the New World, but things don’t go as planned. The Mayflower is lost unable to find the colony already there they must manage on their own. Not enough food, no shelter, then people start dying. Can Sarah find her inner strength and prevail or is she destined to join the others, another grave on Coles Hill.
On the Wings of the Red-Tailed Hawk is deeply satisfying. Whether it veers towards happiness or sadness, it stays true to the story’s spirit and provides a fitting conclusion to Sarah’s journey.
This book stands out for its focus on ordinary women of the past, whose accomplishments were anything but ordinary. This perspective is refreshing and adds a unique dimension to the genre of historical fiction. The authors skill at incorporating historical elements into an engrossing story without becoming boring is impressive. Because of the evocative and detailed writing, Sarah’s experiences come to life on the page. A cleverly written plot arc with a distinct beginning, middle, and end. Every stage of Sarah’s trip receives sufficient attention, guaranteeing a smooth and seamless progression of the story. A must read for everyone who loves strong woman characters who overcome the odds.
Therapy for the Soul
I Stood Among the Ruins and Cried shares your story of growing up in Germany post-WWII with a dysfunctional family brought on by the hardships of living in a war-torn country. Why was this an important book for you to write?
Writing my childhood memoir was never on my agenda. I was working on a historical novel and needed a new home for my young German protagonist after the collapse of the Third Reich and the fascist regime in northern Italy. That new home became Bremerhaven, a port in northern Germany where I grew up. Walking down post-WWII memory lane triggered an overwhelming number of recollections, some sad some funny, all of which left me in a melancholic state. There was only one way to ease my mind: turn those recollections into a book. Writing the book was therapy for the soul and the book has now become a little history of me as a child, for my family and generations to come, and for all those who wish to know what it was like for a child to grow up surrounded by ruins.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
The importance of books. Books were my saviour. I was an early reader. Fortunately, reading was encouraged in my family. After many unhappy moments, I sought refuge in the stories I read. Books became my trusted friends, my escape from reality, another learning route, a source to satisfy my curious mind. To this day, I cannot imagine a life without a good book.
I appreciated the candid nature with which you told your story. What was the hardest thing for you to write about?
My mother. She deserved a kinder husband, a more loving father to their children. It was painful to write about my middle brother’s life, his death and her devastation, and about her nervous breakdown.
What is one thing you hope readers take away from your story?
The importance of peace. I want to illuminate the devastating effect of war on a nation’s soul and all individuals, where nobody is spared, and where especially the children, the most innocent, pay a high price.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website
Author’s Note:
I was not raised in a family of men and women who once were Nazi collaborators or members of the underground resistance who later wrote sensational books, or left their mark in the field of science that might have earned them a Nobel Prize. My family was ordinary and bourgeois, shaped by alcohol, adultery, and lies, its members, male and female, further twisted and damaged through the horrors of both World Wars. I Stood Among The Ruins and Cried are bittersweet, occasionally amusing childhood recollections, a kaleidoscope of events as seen and experienced through my innocent eyes in post-WWII Germany in a US military occupied zone: life in cramped quarters with a violent father; early years at school; about my brothers, childhood friends and neighbours; my first love and other observations and experiences and much hurt and pain and a strong desire to grow up fast and escape the unhappy environment in which I lived.
I STOOD AMONG THE RUINS AND CRIED
Ingrid McCarthy’s memoir, I Stood Among the Ruins and Cried, presents an evocative portrayal of her childhood in Germany during a tumultuous period. Her narrative brings to life the blend of simplicity and resilience that marked her formative years amidst the backdrop of war. The memoir is enriched with vivid recollections of cherished moments shared with family and friends, highlighting the strength of human connections in overcoming adversity. McCarthy’s reflections on the joy found in simple pleasures, despite the hardships, emphasize the warmth and kindness within her family circle.
McCarthy skillfully crafts a narrative that balances the gravity of her experiences with a touch of humor. She confronts the difficult realities of growing up in a family grappling with the aftermath of war, including her father’s struggle with alcoholism. Her candid storytelling imparts insights into themes of love, compassion, and friendship while also illuminating the constrained roles of women during that era. The memoir is not just a journey through McCarthy’s personal experiences; it offers a broader perspective on German culture and character. Her mother’s resilience and Ingrid’s own quest for emotional connection paint a vivid picture of the human spirit’s endurance.
I Stood Among the Ruins and Cried is a testament to the power of personal storytelling in understanding historical contexts. It is a valuable addition to the genre of autobiographies and memoirs, offering readers a deeply personal yet universally relatable narrative. The book is engaging and insightful, making it recommended for those interested in personal histories set against the backdrop of significant historical events.
Pages: 231 | ASIN : B09G5KJZNZ
LITERARY TITAN 