On Rough Seas

Clarion Books, New York, NY, March 2008.

Introduction

Several years ago, I read a story in our local paper about an event that happened in England during WWII. Early in the war, England’s troops were trapped on the coast of Dunkirk, France. Behind (and above them) were the German army, ready to destroy them or take them prisoner. Before them was the English Channel, a wide body of water that separated them by more than 30 miles from their homeland. The story of how those troops managed to get off the coast of France was so startling to me that I wanted to tell young readers about it. At the same time, my 82-year-old Aunt Arlene began to tell me about her childhood years of growing up in a hotel owned and managed by her parents. As a little girl, Aunt Arlene would eat meals with the guests and roam the hotel , talking to anyone who would listen.

Eventually, those two stories started to come together in my head to form a novel about Alec Curtis, a boy in England who wants to help his mates across the Channel. On Rough Seas is Alec’s story of sadness and hope.

Excerpt

As before, the man sauntered along the pavement. Doffing his hat at two blokes heading the other way, he continued. Alec and Eva walked slowly, their heads down as they kept a safe distance from the man.

They’d only gone a few yards when the man suddenly stopped and turned. Alec grabbed Eva’s hand and turned her to face him, wrapping his arms around her and drawing her close.

“Shh,” Alec whispered in her ear. “He’s watching us. Just pretend we’re a couple out for a stroll.”
Alec could feel Eva’s heart pounding. Her rapid breathing told him she was afraid. Then the man continued, and Alec pulled her along as they kept after him.