Welcome to Character Café, Estelle. It’s great to have a fellow book lover with one of my dream jobs here for a visit.  I would love to work in a library and have the task of planning a book sale for a cause.

I am blessed to have a job where I can share my love of reading.  Though it’s not always a dream.  There are some tough personalities who come to the library – and who work for the library. 

I’m sure.  I was hoping you would bring that swoony gentleman on the cover of your book.  A handsome guy with an eye patch, a beard – and in uniform!  Character Café would have been overrun with ladies wanting to catch a glimpse.  [laughs]

That’s the irony of it all.  Aubry DeLuca is still an attractive man with much to offer, but he doesn’t see it that way.  He even wrote me a letter telling me I should find another man because he was “more than half, but definitely not whole.”  When he first wrote that, I envisioned his injuries to be so much worse than what they ended up being.  Yet, even when imagining him with missing limbs and a scarred face, I determined to love him, with God’s help.  Seeing him again – I realized love isn’t a burden.  When I see the changes in Aubry, I think of the honor it is to love a man who fought for the freedom of so many innocent people. 

I can tell by your tone that your relationship isn’t easy, though I will let our readers discover the extent of Aubry’s injuries. 

No, to be honest, we are struggling.  But I have so much support.  Family members who are praying for Aubry.  And a great friend who went through the same thing when her husband came back from the Spanish-American War.  They had been married for ten years, but he wanted to get a divorce because he feared he would be a burden.  Mrs. Feeney reminded me to search my heart, spend much time praying, and search the scriptures to understand what love means as a fight for our relationship.  

I hope you and Aubry can work things out.  That he will come to trust in your love.

Most of all, I hope he will come to trust in God’s love.  I don’t know all he saw during battle or how many friends he lost.  But I do know that he is struggling with his faith.  He’s very bitter. [straightens her shoulders and puts on a bright smile]  But let’s talk of something more uplifting.

Okay.  Let’s talk books.  What authors are popular despite all that’s going on in the world?

You’d be surprised at how many visitors we have in the library.  People need to escape the many reminders of war. Interestingly, the works of Raymond Chandler, Dashiell Hammett, and Agatha Christie are very popular.

That is interesting.  Now I’m in the mood to read a book by each of those authors!  Speaking of ‘in the mood,’ what item on our menu fits your fancy?  What reminds you of something from your book?

I think I will go with a sweet potato theme.  Especially since I got to know the Feeneys quite well this autumn, and Mr. Feeney LOVES sweet potato pie.  Furthermore, one of my favorite scenes from my novel takes place on Thanksgiving day, when we always have sweet potatoes. 

Oh!  You will love our stuffed sweet potatoes.  The only problem is that they so filling, you will only want to choose one.  Our recipes are from Eat the Gains, and these sweet potato combos are healthy, yet delicious.  https://eatthegains.com/whole30-sweet-potato-breakfast-3-ways/  There’s bacon, egg, and avocado.  Nut butter and fruit.  Or chorizo, kale, and pepper.

It is so hard to decide.   I think since I’ve never had an avocado, I will have to give that a try.

One of the many things that have changed since the 1940s is our broader choices in fruits and vegetables, I suppose.  Do you want to try something else from our menu that may not have been accessible during the 1940s?

Believe it or not, I would just enjoy a cup of black tea.  Tea has been rationed, you know.  I see you have Twinings on the menu.  Their company supplies tea for Red Cross prisoner-of-war parcels and the Women’s Voluntary Service.  You can read more about Twining and history here: History – Twinings North America (twiningsusa.com)

You can’t go wrong with Twinings!

Readers, Estelle’s Endeavor is a bittersweet glimpse of a Veteran and his Love.  I enjoyed the novel so much.  Linda Shenton Matchett did such a great job portraying the angst of having one’s love injured in war – and of the injured’s fears and doubts about being worthy of love.  The hospital scenes and the library scenes seemed so real.  What a great book!

Will a world at war destroy a second chance at love?

Estelle Johnson promises to wait for Aubry DeLuca to return from war, but then she receives word of his debilitating injuries. Does she have the strength to stand by him during his hour of need?

Aubry DeLuca storms the beaches of Normandy, then wakes up in a hospital, his eyes heavily bandaged. Will the only woman he’s ever loved welcome him home or is he destined to go through life blind and alone?

To celebrate her tour, the author is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Visa Gift Card and signed copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/28d32/estelle-s-endeavor-celebration-tour-giveaway

Blog Stops

Be sure to stop by these great blogs to find out more about Estelle and author Linda Shenton Matchett.

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, November 7

The Lofty Pages, November 7

Maureen’s Musings, November 8

Alena Mentink, November 8

Bizwings Blog, November 9

Locks, Hooks and Books, November 10

Texas Book-aholic, November 11

Mary Hake, November 11

Mornings at Character Cafe, November 12

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 13

Connie’s History Classroom, November 14

Betti Mace, November 15

She Lives To Read, November 15

Life on Chickadee Lane, November 16

For Him and My Family, November 17

The Lit Lady, November 18

Paula’s Pad of Inspiration, November 18

Holly’s Book Corner, November 19

SusanLovesBooks, November 20

Pens Pages & Pulses, November 20