The flag of the French Resistance, with the Cross of Lorraine. My new World War II novel, The Mapmaker, is set in the Resistance. The book comes your way in July!  

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V2: A Novel of World War II

The new novel V2, by Robert Harris, delves into the moral compromises made by German rocket engineers during World War II. Terrific book. Click here to read my full review in the Washington Independent Review of Books.

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Diving Into the Past for a Historical Novel

Twenty-six miles off Morehead City, NC, the dive boat pitched and rolled. I fought seasickness as I pulled on my scuba gear. Everything gets harder when you’re trying not to lose your lunch; even strapping on fins becomes a struggle. I screwed the regulator onto my air tank. Cracked open the valve and watched the…

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Researching WWII Novels

While researching my World War II novels, I’ve found some great old training films online. Here’s a good example. In this one, Hollywood actor Arthur Kennedy plans a C-47 instructor pilot. I’m sure these films were great training aids, and now they’re a treasure trove for aviation buffs and history lovers.

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Gaithersburg Book Festival

You’re invited to join me on Saturday, May 17 for the Gaithersburg Book Festival in Gaithersburg, Maryland. I’ll be speaking on the topic of military thrillers with fellow thriller writer Rick Campbell, author of The Trident Deception. He and I will be at the Dashiell Hamett Pavilion at 3:15 p.m. For more info on other…

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Happy New Year!

A thought for the New Year, from T.S. Eliot: “For last year’s words belong to last year’s language. And next year’s words await another voice. And to make an end is to make a beginning.”

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