Today's post focuses on Tricia Goyer and her latest novel: A Valley of Betrayal.A brief interview with Tricia is first, followed by a link to the first chapter,a link to my review at Infuze and the story behind the story.
Interview:
Hi Tricia,
For your WWII novels, you were able to interview veterans and getfirst-hand accounts. How difficult was it to do research for a novel set during the Spanish Civil War? Were you able to talk to any veterans, or did you have to take a different approach?
Hi Cheryl. Amazingly, I WAS able to interview veterans from The SpanishCivil War. They are in their 90s! I mostly communicated with themthroughemail, since many of them live overseas. One man, who was very helpful,passed away while I was writing A Valley of Betrayal. Yet, he was veryexcited that I was writing about his experiences.
I also received help from many researchers and historians, and Ibought upevery book I can find on The Spanish Civil War. See the stack behindme inthis photo? It has four more to match!
Can you tell us a little about the other books in the series?
A Valley of Betrayal will be followed by A Shadow of Treason and AWhisperof Freedom. Both books follow the same characters and the samestoryline. Infact, book two begins the SAME DAY as book one leaves off! The plotthickens, of course, and the stakes get higher with each book. I'dloved tobe able write more stories in series in the future, I had a blast!You also write non-fiction as well. Is is hard to switch gearsbetween the different formats?
It takes me about a day or two to wind down ... in this case, to leaveSpain. But I really don't find it too hard to switch gears. Withnon-fictionI just write what I'm thinking ... similiar to what I would say when I'mtalking with a friend. I tell personal stories. (This sometimes is astruggle, especially when I share BIG weaknesses.) I share someScriptureand good quotes. It's like connecting on the page and spilling outthingsthat I hope to encourage and inspire. So it's actually easier for me.Fiction is harder. It's creating a story world, delving into history,andwrapping myself up in other people's lives. So while switching gearscomeseasy, writing fiction--good fiction--is the hardest job I have.
If you had a day to spend any way you wanted, what would you do?
Hmmm ... I pretty much spend every day the way I want! Hahaha ... well,minus the housecleaning and cooking. I'm so blessed to be able tohomeschooland write. I set my own schedule. I have fun. I spend time on mycomputer. Ispend time with my family. If I want, I go to lunch with a friend. Ispendtime with God. I don't shower until after noon. (Is that too muchinformation?) I get to read books for research and write. I emailfriendsand visit shoutlife for fun (www.shoutlife.com/triciagoyer). Yeah, I'mVERYblessed!
But ... if I could have a perfect day, it would be in Prague with myhusbandand three kids. My teens haven't been to Europe yet and I'd love toshow itoff. I LOVE Prague. I love the Czech Republic, so I'd spend a theythere,visiting the Charles Bridge, Prague Castle, and Old Town Square. Love it!
Anything else you'd like to say?Thank you so much! All the glory for anything I do goes to God. Hecreatedbeauty from ashes in this life ... that is for sure!
Thanks Tricia for taking the time today to visit Unseen Worlds!Cheryl
To read the first chapter, click here.
A review I wrote is posted at Infuze.
The story behind the story:
The Story Behind the Novel:
A few years ago when I was researching for my fourth World War II novel, Arms of Deliverance, I came across a unique autobiography. One B-17 crewmember I read about claimed to make it out of German-occupied Belgium after a plane crash due, in part, to his skills he picked up as a veteran of The Spanish Civil War. Reading that bit of information, I had to scratch my head. First of all, I had never heard of the war. And second, what was an American doing fighting in Spain in the late 1930s? Before I knew it, I uncovered a fascinating time in history—one that I soon discovered many people know little about. This is what I learned:
Nazi tanks rolled across the hillsides and German bombers roared overhead, dropping bombs on helpless citizens. Italian troops fought alongside the Germans, and their opponents attempted to stand strong—Americans, British, Irishmen, and others—in unison with other volunteers from many countries. And their battleground? The beautiful Spanish countryside.
From July 17, 1936-April 1, 1939, well before America was involved in World War II, another battle was fought on the hillsides of Spain. On one side were the Spanish Republicans, joined by the Soviet Union and The International Brigade—men and women from all over the world who have volunteered to fight Fascism. Opposing them, Franco and his Fascist military leaders, supported with troops, machinery, and weapons from Hitler and Mussolini. The Spanish Civil War, considered the “training ground” for the war to come, boasted of thousands of American volunteers who joined to fight on the Republican side, half of which never returned home.
Unlike World War II, there is no clear line between white and black, good and evil. Both sides committed atrocities. Both sides had deep convictions they felt worth fighting and dying for.
Loyalists—also know as the Republicans were aided by the Soviet Union, the Communist movement, and the International Brigades. If not for the weapons and volunteers from these sources their fight would have ended in weeks rather than years. While many men fought side by side, their political views included that of liberal democracy, communism and socialism. The Catholic Basque Country also sided with the Republic, mainly because it sought independence from the central government and was promised this by Republican leaders in Madrid.
Nationalists—or Francoists were aided mainly by Germany and Italy. The Nationalist opposed an independent Basque state. Their main supporters were those who believed in a monarchist state and fascist interests. The Nationalist wished for Spain to continue on as it had for years, with rich landowners, the military, and the church running the country. Most of the Roman Catholic clergy supported the Nationalists, except those in the Basque region.
During the Spanish Civil war, terror tactics against civilians were common. And while history books discuss the estimated one million people who lost their lives during the conflict, we must not forget that each of those who fought, who died, had their own tales. From visitors to Spain who found themselves caught in the conflict, to the communist supporters, Basque priests, and Nazi airmen . . . each saw this war in a different light. These are the stories behind A Valley of Betrayal.
Tricia Goyer, October 2006
Award winning author SUSAN MAY WARREN recently returned home to her native Minnesota after serving for eight years with her husband and four children as missionaries with SEND International in Far East Russia. She now writes full time from Minnesota’s north woods. Visit her Web site at www.susanmaywarren.com. 
RECLAIMING NICK is the first of The Noble Legacy series. Book Two, Taming Rafe, will be available January 2008.
