Our Time Will Come
by
Jean Gallant Marcoux
Historical romance
BLURB
After a year in Paris studying painting at l'´Ecole Nationale des Beaux-Arts, Hélene Simard returns home to Quebec City in 1939, with a secret. She has a German fiancé. She can conceal his identity, but not the baby she carries. Hans Werner, her lover, was drafted in the German army, and his dreams of ever reuniting with Hélene are shattered with WWII escalating. In 1942, a bold opportunity arises for him to cross the Atlantic. Hounded by the Canadian police and Nazi assassins, the lovers' hope for a new life together becomes intertwined with a plot to kill Winston Churchill.
"Our Time Will Come is an historical fiction novel that revolves around a romance that began in Paris in 1938. The war impeded the couple’s plans as Hélène returned home to Canada while Hans fulfilled his obligations as a German soldier. Despite the complications of the war, their love motivated them to find a way to be together. The unique perspective that the author shed on this world event kept me intrigued. The exceptional character development and the numerous twists that the narrative took made reading the book pass quickly. Readers of historical fiction would enjoy this author’s innovative angle on World War II. Romance is also a central theme of the book and would satisfy readers of that genre."
-Official OnlineBookClub.org review.
EXCERPT
“How was your day?” Milaine asked. “Your grin tells me it was good.”
“I met the most stunning man and he invited me to a picnic,” Hélène said, bouncing from foot to foot, and then deciding to place her painting material on the floor.
“I want to go, but I’m not sure I should. He’s gorgeous, and he has the cutest accent, but I don’t know…”
“Hold on, hold on,” Milaine said. “Who is he? Where is he from? What kind of cute accent?”
“His name is Hans Werner,” Hélène recounted, pacing. “He’s from Berlin—”
“Hélène, never trust a German!” Milaine stopped for a moment for emphasis. “None of us Belgians do, after what they did to us during the Great War.”
“You don’t understand. You should see him; he’s so handsome.”
“Such a good-looking man is probably married,” Milaine said, “or more likely in a liaison.”
“He doesn’t wear a ring.”
“Hélène, you’re so naïve. What if he is one of these Nazi maniacs we see in magazines and newsreels in the movie theatres?”
“He’s so nice,” Hélène said, pouring herself a glass of Chablis in one of the two cheap wine glasses that came with the apartment. “I’ll ask him all these questions next Sunday.”
AUTHOR INTERVIEW
Tell us something about your early life---where did you grow up, family, etc.
I was born in Québec City, Canada, in 1942. At the time of the first Québec Conference, August 1943, when the action of Our Time Will Come takes place, I was one-year-old, living with my mother at the Kent House, the same building where my main character, Hélène Simard, lived with her son Antoine.
Mrs. Marceau, the character who operated the Guest Rooms and Apartments building, was in fact Mrs. Regina Marcoux, my grandmother. When my father came back from the war, we moved to Ste-Foy, a suburb of Québec City. \
During my college years, I was a tourist guide at La Citadelle, the 19th century fortress where Roosevelt and Churchill met in 1943, and again in 1944. Since then, I have had a passion for history.
What other jobs have you held?
I graduated from Laval University Medical School. As a board-certified allergist, I practiced in Québec City from 1970 to 1977, after which I continued my career in Houston, Texas, until my retirement in 2007.
What initiated your publishing career?
I had always wondered why didn’t the Nazis try to assassinate Churchill during the Québec Conferences. Or did they try? Once I retired from medicine, I started researching the subject, to write a spy thriller about it.
I soon realized that a typical story of a Nazi spy coming by U-boat to assassinate Churchill didn’t make historical sense. The planning of the Conference was kept secret almost until the day it began, and Churchill was NOT supposed to be exposed to the public, It’s only the Prime Minister’s daredevil nature, coupled with daily hordes of Quebecers in front of the Chateau Frontenac Hotel clamoring for Churchill, that produced the last-minute decision of the open-convertible city tour.
My spy novel became a love story between Hélène, a Québec City girl meeting Hans, a German boy, in Paris in 1938, where they were both students. They fell in love and planned to marry. However, WWII was brewing, and Hans was drafted in the German army, while Hélène had to return to Québec. Daring efforts to reunite resulted in our protagonists’ lives becoming intertwined with a Nazi plot to assassinate Churchill. They were chased by the Canadian police AND by Nazi assassins.
At the end, “Our Time Will Come” became a story that fans of historical novels should enjoy because of the Canadian angle on WWII. Romance being a central theme of the book, it should also satisfy readers of that genre.
What genre/genres do you write?
Our Time Will Come is my debut novel. In the past, I have published articles for historical society magazines in my native Québec.
What are you working on now?
I am writing a sequel to Our Time Will Come, that takes place during the second Québec Conference in 1944. The major characters will be the same, and the Nazis will try again to blackmail Hans into killing Churchill, this time by kidnapping his and Hélène’s son Antoine.
What else do you want to tell us?
All writers love to hear from their readers, and find out what they liked, or didn’t like about their book, and answer any question they might have. Do not hesitate to contact me.
Jean Gallant Marcoux was born in Quebec City Canada, where he earned an MD degree from Laval University. As a board-certified allergist, he practiced in Quebec City from 1970 to 1977 after which he continued his career in Houston, Texas until his retirement in 2007.
Passionate for history, he has published articles for historical society magazines in his native Quebec. This is his debut novel. Dr. Marcoux lives in Houston with his family.
Website: https://jeangmarcoux.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JeanGMarcoux/
Buy links:
Amazon.com
Amazon.ca
Barnes & Noble
Indigo
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GIVEAWAY
Jean Gallant Marcoux will be awarding a $20 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
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8 comments:
Thanks for hosting!
Sounds like a fascinating read. A fabulous time period to read about.
Great post and I appreciate getting to find out about another great book. Thanks for all you do and for the hard work you put into this. Greatly appreciated!
I liked the excerpt, sounds good.
Do you have any ideas for a follow up?
This sounds like a great read.
I don't seem to be able to reply to those nice enough to leave comments. It may be too late. Unfortunately, I was out of commission, in bed, all of last week. To Mary Preston, I say indeed WWII was a fabulous period, and I made sure the events are historically correct, and the characters' thinking and actions are in tune with the time period.
To Bernie Wallace: I am working on a sequel, with the same characters, this time in 1944.
Jean Gallant Marcoux
Terrific cover
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