I have a confession. Given all that’s been happening, I’ve been struggling to write. Considering I write murder mysteries, you would think it would be easy to channel my frustrations, but alas that has not happened. In addition to the global pandemic and economic uncertainty, I’m still digging out from the April 12th tornadoes (I will seriously be murdering an insurance adjuster in a future book) and trying to cope with the mind-numbing sadness of the senseless death of George Floyd. Those are the big stressors. In the category of small, but annoying stressors, I had my old desk removed to make room for my new desk which was supposed to be delivered on June 5th. Unfortunately, I learned that my new desk will not be delivered until June 20th because…well, I don’t know why. So, instead of sitting at my new desk crafting my newest cozy, I’m sitting at the dining room table trying to understand why I never noticed how uncomfortable my dining room chairs really are. The latest thing adding to my stress level is the fact that yesterday, I saw a snake outside. Yes, it was outside, but it was still on my property and the snake wrangler I called wasn’t able to find it. Now, before you tell me how beneficial snakes are to the ecosystem and all the good they do by taking care of mice, let me explain that it is taking everything in me to not burn this house down to the ground. I have taken “sheltering in place” to another level and will not be leaving this house for some time. Thank God for Instacart and Amazon. Oh, and my freezer isn’t working and I will need to replace all of the food. Other than that, all is well. Since all of the above has happened, I’m not sleeping well, which allows me a lot of time to think and reflect. I want to understand what’s going on. I want to understand how one human being can execute another and how I can make a difference. I write cozy mysteries. I’m not deluding myself to believe my books are on the same level as Uncle Tom’s Cabin or War and Peace. My books are intended to entertain, but maybe there will be an opportunity to make a difference by reminding people about a time when individual men and women stood up for what they believed was right.
People often ask why I chose the period right before the start of World War II for the British historic Cozy my protagonist, Samantha Washington, writes about in my Mystery Bookshop mystery series. I’ve always been fascinated by the courage and bravery of those who fought in World War II. I’m not a historian or a war scholar, but I’ve been so intrigued by this period of history that I’ve done a lot of research, read quite a few books and watched a lot of movies. I realize it doesn’t make me an expert, but it’s certainly given me a lot of insight.
The first thing that stands out about WWII is that no one wanted another war. In the 1930s, the allies were still recovering from the devastation of World War I. The loss of life had been mind-boggling. It’s estimated that there were more than 40 million casualties from the war with 20 million deaths and 21 million wounded. Those totals were not just for the military. Millions of civilians were affected. For a frame of reference, the population of Canada is approximately 37.7 million. Given that amount of destruction, I can understand a reluctance to enter into another war.
Secondly, I think politicians realized the Treaty of Versailles that ended WWI was too strict. Germany was faced with a crippling war debt and outrageous reparation payments to the allies which they couldn’t possibly make. People were starving. Their military was reduced to 100k, which left them feeling vulnerable. Plus, they lost territory. The conditions were ripe and Hitler took advantage of it.
The United States was reluctant to enter into another war in Europe and only entered the war after Pearl Harbor was bombed by the Japanese and their ally, Germany, declared war on the US. Most European nations were unwilling to stand up to Germany and fight. In England, there was a movement toward appeasement in which Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain was willing to compromise in order to prevent another war. Winston Churchill was a member of Parliament who saw what was happening and spoke out. Despite being vilified by the press and criticized by his own party, Winston Churchill stood up and spoke out against Germany.
I have often wondered how the German people sat by quietly and allowed things to get to the point where 11 million people were murdered (6 million Jews, 5 million others including Roma, gay men, Jehovah’s Witnesses, disabled, etc.). In my research I’ve watched documentaries which show they had to have known. Surely, they noticed the signs posted “No Jews Here”, the Star of David sewn to clothes, the destruction of Jewish homes and businesses. Eleven million people don’t just disappear without being noticed. I’m sure some people were afraid to speak out and stand up for what they claim to believe is right. Yet, I’ve often wondered if I lived during that period, What would I do? Ignoring the fact that I’m Black and would probably have been killed along with the 11 million others, if I lived during WWII, would I be brave enough to stand up for justice? Would I have the courage to face death and hide Anne Frank’s family? Or, risk my life to help 1,200 Jews escape Nazi death camps like Oskar Schindler?
I chose the period prior to WWII in my Mystery Bookshop mystery series because despite the atrocities and injustices, there are examples of men and women who had the courage of their convictions. These were not perfect people who never made mistakes. Churchill was certainly not perfect. Yet, he took a stand for what he believed was right and he made a difference. In this time of turmoil, What Will You Do? Me? I’m going to sit in my uncomfortable dining room chair and write. #Blacklivesmatter