Research is a large part of any historical novel. Readers want to know
how I went about conducting research for this novel. I read books and saw
many films set in the World War II era. On trips to England with my British
husband I combined visiting family there with research for my story. I
visited an actual air raid shelter in Stockport, Imperial War Museum in
Manchester, Duxford Aerodrome in Cambridgeshire, the Churchill War
Rooms in London, and Chatsworth House in Devonshire. I also interviewed veterans of WWII in
both the UK and the US.
The opening for my WWII inspirational romance was conceived after reading a
biography on the life of Kathleen Kennedy, daughter of Joseph P. Kennedy, the
United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom. He and his family were living in
London when Britain declared war. Kathleen Kennedy’s story intrigued me. She was
forced by her father to return to the US for her safety. Kathleen had made many
friends while living in London and was determined to return some day. She even-
tually did go back, served in the British Red Cross, and married William Cavendish
who was in line to become the next Duke of Devonshire. Sadly, he died in battle a few months after
their marriage. I based my protagonist, Abby Stapleton, loosely on Kathleen Kennedy’s situation at the
outbreak of war in 1939. However, in this story Abby is the American-born daughter of a British diplomat. Her father
sends her back to the US to escape impending war. She too vows to return to London.
The banner photo is of the “old man of Coniston,” a scene of natural beauty in the Lake District,
a large national park in north-west England. The Coniston area is popular with boaters and hikers and
is a magnet for visitors. It’s legendary for the writers, artists, and other influential people who have
called this picturesque place home. It was on Coniston Water, in 1967, that Donald Campbell lost his
life when his rocket-powered speedboat, Bluebird K7, crashed during his attempt to break the world
water-speed record. When our sons were little I would read them the charming tales by Beatrix
Potter. Many of the creatures she observed on her property in the “Lakes” she incorporated into her
stories. Along with her talents in writing and art, she worked tirelessly to preserve the stunning
beauty of the area; on her death she bequeathed 4,000 acres to The National Trust.
Q&A
© Contents 2022
2020 Finalist, Serious Writer Book of the Year Award
2015 Finalist, Aspiring Authors Writing Contest
2014 Finalist, Westbow Press New Look Writing Contest
2014 Semi-Finalist, ACFW Genesis Historical Category
2013 Semi-Finalist, ACFW Genesis Historical Category
Pat writes historical inspirational romance imbued with hope in troubled times. She has a keen
interest in twentieth-century American and British history, particularly the period of World War II. Pat’s father-
in-law served in the British Eighth Army during the war. When Valleys Bloom Again is her debut novel set in
that era. She is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers and Historical Novel Society. Pat lives in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with her English husband, John. They have two grown sons.
Coniston Water
viewed from
Brantwood, John
Ruskin’s Home
FAMILY FICTION MAGAZINE
March 2020 issue
An interview with Pat Jeanne Davis