Researching The Girl from the USO:
Author Barbara J. Rebbeck grew up listening to the stories of how her mother, a USO hostess had met her father, an RAF pilot during WWII when he came to Grosse Ile, Michigan for training. She uses their courtship as the basis for her suspense novel, The Girl from the USO, although the book goes a very different direction from their relationship.
So I asked Barbara about the inspiration for the book. How much research did she need to do? And did she learn anything different or unexpected while writing it?
The Inspiration:
The Girl from the USO is a mixture of historical fiction, suspense, and a bit of my parents’ story. My favorite part of writing is the research. So I was able to combine two journals of historical notes with stories of my parents and a tip of the hat to the suspense classics, Rebecca and Gaslight. It is a magical alchemy that has resulted in a novel that readers love so far. My research led me to 1941 Detroit as my main characters RAF pilot Edward Owen and USO hostess Millie Beaubien dance away on a whirlwind courtship.
My own parents met on the Ides of March 1943 at a USO event at the Olds summer house on Grosse Ile, Michigan. Their short courtship led to their marriage in September 1943. I was inspired by their relationship so the beginning of the novel follows their early days together, but then the novel ventures into suspense as we live a cautionary tale of romance with a stranger.
Millie is in love with love, fueled by classics like Rebecca and Gone with the Wind, both immensely popular at the time. In fact, the Hitchcock film, Rebecca wins the Oscar in 1941, his only film ever to win that distinction. My own parents went a very different way, marrying and producing a family of 6 children.
Research
My research was such fun. My dad always said to make sure I learned at least one new thing every day, and boy, did I learn… about 1941 Detroit, Michigan: Pensacola, Florida; and Cornwall, England.
I read and take notes by hand in journals, sticking Post-its all over the pages. As I begin to draft, I pull out the facts I need and blend them with my fictional characters and their lives and relationships. It’s a bit tricky to stir the facts in because I don’t want to come off like a history lecture. It takes a sharp memory to pull everything together, plus blend in family tales I’ve heard for years. My characters lead the way. I am not a plotter, more of a “pantser,” but based on a solid historical background.
Surprises in writing
My pilot, Edward at one point yanked the ending away from me, sending the novel in another direction. I did not see that coming. Actually, I worked with my editor, Laura Kelly at the Wild Rose Press on three different endings. It does look like a sequel is in the offing, too.
The best part
I was excited to get an email from Elizabeth Hazlett, the Midwest Director of the USO. She had found my novel on a google search and invited me and the novel to be the very first selection for the USO Book Club. Thrilled to have my book chosen, I will do a Zoom event 1/27/21 for clubs in eight states after they read it. I’ll include a show & tell of my dad’s uniform and my mom’s original USO membership card and other memorabilia.
About The Girl from the USO
Coming 12/9/2020 from The Wild Rose Press:
When USO volunteer and nursing student Millie Beaubien meets WWII RAF pilot Edward Owen in Detroit, she’s convinced that she’s found her very own, larger-than-life hero. Intoxicated by their whirlwind courtship and her growing obsession with him, she ignores all warning signs that he is not what he appears to be. Comparing her beloved yet mercurial Edward to the heroes in her favorite books and films of the day, Millie looks forward to being mistress of Sand Castles Hall, a great Cornwall estate akin to the fictional Manderley in Rebecca. But when she arrives in England, Millie must sort fact from fiction and abandon all delusions, hers and her blue-eyed pilot’s. Will she be able to save herself from being destroyed by what she thought was love?
About Barbara J. Rebbeck
Barbara is a teacher, consultant and author who lives in Royal Oak, Michigan. She holds degrees from Eastern Michigan University and Oakland University in English, French, and the teaching of gifted and talented students. She has published poetry, essay and professional articles. Nola Gals, a Tale of Hurricane Katrina, her first YA novel, was a semi-finalist for the Kindle Book Award and a finalist for the IAN Award. It also won bronze medals from Readers Favorites and Moonbeam and has been adopted in several school districts. She has also adapted the novel as the play, Turbulence for middle and high school students. Her latest novel, The Girl from the USO, an adult suspense thriller, is set in 1941 during WWII. Email Barbara at barbararebbeck (at) gmail (dot) com
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Linda K. Sienkiewicz is a writer, poet, and artist.
Learn more about her award winning novel, In the Context of Love.
Learn more about her picture book, Gordy and the Ghost Crab.
Learn more about her poetry chapbook, Security
