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I was in DC earlier this week with my girlfriend as she was there attending the Romance Writers of America conference. After some thought we decided to visit the Holocaust museum on the Mall. Our concern was that the museum would be overwhelming, and it was. The degree of inhumanity on display is truly staggering. So much so that at times I found myself questioning how such a horror could have been perpetrated when I knew full well it had. I’ve read chilling accounts by Christopher Browning in Ordinary Men, and others by Omar Bartov, Hannah Arendt, Eli Wiesel, and even the controversial thesis put forward by Daniel Goldhagen in Hitler’s Willing Executioners, and still it didn’t fully register. The enormity of the loss is beyond comprehension, and the museum has worked hard to counter this by focusing on specific aspects to both humanize and give a sense of scale to what is otherwise seemingly infinite suffering.

Should you visit DC and you’re up to the challenge, I would urge you to visit and see for yourself: http://www.ushmm.org/

http://www.locusmag.com/News/2009/07/charles-n-brown-1937-2009.html

My mother just called and gave me the news – Tim Hortons, the donut/doughnut and coffee chain that basically runs Canada is opening 13 stores in Manhattan! Next to finding proof of extraterrestrial life in the universe this is AMAZING. I’d write more, but I have to wipe off the drool from my keyboard 🙂

So many of you know that I’m a runner, and that I managed to injure myself a while back. It’s been a long and very slow recovery, but I’m starting to see light at the end of the tunnel. I’ve been going to physical therapy a couple times a week, taking NSAIDs, and not running (which has been the hardest thing to do, er, not do). The good news in all of this is that I’ve been spending more time researching the third book in the series. Now that my notes are taken and the writing has begun, however, I’m ready to run again and tap into those endorphins.

I’m often asked what I’m working on as an editor, and today I get to share the launch of a new book by one of my authors. I’m extremely proud of the book and of Kirsten.

http://www.girlscomemarchinghome.com/

They may have left the war, but the war will never leave them . . .

While writing her first book, Band of Sisters, which told the amazing true stories of women on the battlefield, Kirsten Holmstedt developed an unrivaled relationship with female service members. Now she follows America’s women warriors as they come home from Iraq and explores the other side of war – its painful aftermath, including post-traumatic stress disorder, survivor’s guilt, physical wounds, and other challenges.

At turns heartbreaking and infuriating, The Girls Come Marching Home covers a compelling assortment of fighting women with a broad range of experiences and backgrounds. Kirsten tackles controversial issues head-on, from racism, sexual harassment, and drugs to the difficulties of getting treatment from the Veterans Administration. Capturing these women’s unique voices, Kirsten lets them speak for themselves about their trials and tribulations, their hopes and dreams, their frustrations and achievements. Even as the Iraq War dies down, these stories will resonate for years to come.

You can find out more at: http://www.girlscomemarchinghome.com/

If you’ve read my first book then take a look at this you’ll see where I get some of my inspiration. These women are exceptional in that they’re ordinary warriors doing extraordinary things. This is as real, raw, and fiercely honest as it gets.

Cheers,

Chris