When Marcus and Matthew Manning are drafted after graduation, they are sent to the jungles of Viet Nam. But they’ve both left some unfinished business back home in Iowa.
Matt’s fiancée takes up with his best friend, and Marcus’s girlfriend sends word that she’s expecting a baby, conceived on prom night. For the first time in their lives, the twins don’t share everything—even in the heated war zone of Viet Nam.
When Marcus is killed in the heavy fighting at Hamburger Hill, Matt must unravel the mystery of what came between his brother and the young woman who bore his child—and he suspects an old flame of Marcus’s is to blame for the heartache he uncovers.
On the verge of finally laying his personal demons to rest over his guilt about Marcus’s death, Matt finds his own love—sweet and unexpected. But what would his brother think if he knew Matt had fallen for the mother of Marcus’s child?
Bio
B.J. Betts. was born and raised in Council Bluffs, Iowa. She married her high school sweetheart Don Betts. They did therapeutic foster care for years and adopted the last four placements which increased their number of children to 7. Over the years with marriages and children being born they had more than a full house.B.J. has been an avid reader her whole life. Where other women would go shopping for a new dress or a pair of shoes, she headed to the book sections.
Her first book, Saigon Moon, will be re-released this coming August through Tornado Alley Publications. Her grandson had enlisted in the Army with a promise from his recruiter he would never be sent to Iraq. He did two tours and B.J. and her husband are so proud of him for serving. But memories of being a teenager during the Vietnam War whirled through B.J.’s mind. She sat down and wrote Saigon Moon. Echoes in the Night was inspired by a photo of a man carrying a fellow soldier on his back away from a battlefield.
She is a member of Romance Writers of America and Romance Authors of the Heartland.
Excerpt
The June air was balmy as Matthew Manning stepped out of the Eppley Airport terminal. He hefted his duffle bag up on his shoulder as he whistled and yelled, “Taxi!”
A yellow cab rushed to the curb. The cabbie stepped from the cab and took the bag, stowing it into the trunk.
“Where to, Mack?” he asked as he slid into the front seat of the cab. He peered into the rear view mirror at the soldier sitting in the back seat.
“330 Manning Lane.”
Even to his own ears, the address sounded foreign to him. It had been so long since he’d said it out loud.
The taxi wove in and out of the five o’clock rush hour traffic. Matthew sat silently in the back seat, looking out of the passenger side window. Nothing much had changed, he thought as the cabbie drove over the bridge into Council Bluffs, Iowa.
The taxi continued down Broadway, passing all the fa-miliar sights. He looked a little closer as they passed Ewald’s Drive-In, hoping to catch a glimpse of a face he might recognize as the carhops walked out in their short shorts to deliver an order to the waiting cars. But he didn’t know any of the girls.
Memories of being a kid and watching westerns with his twin brother, Marcus, flashed through his mind as they passed the Strand Theater. John Wayne movies had been their favorites while growing up. You knew the good guys were always going to win in the end. He shook his head sadly. If only that were true in real life…
Sounds like a great book. Tough choices for MAtt.
ReplyDeletedebby236 at gmail dot com
Good Morning Debby,
DeleteYes, my character Matt had some very tough choices to make. Thank you for stopping by today.
I look forward to reading your book. In the Vietnam War so many of the military men were young.....18 and 19......they still had a lot of feelings and priorities to sort out on the home front with being sent off to fight a war. It sounds like your book touches on some of these issues.
ReplyDeleteYes Robyn, the era of the Viet Nam War was a very difficult one. My memory of it was watching my friends being drafted and going off to fight in a foreign land. Too young to vote but not to young to sacrifice their lives for us back home. Thank you for stopping by. I hope you enjoy reading my book Echoes in the Night as much as I enjoyed writing it.
ReplyDeleteBarb,
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the release of this story. Having grown up during this era, it will be a look back at a time of turmoil and it looks like Matt has his own. I wish you the best with this story and the many more that will follow. This is joining my to be read list. Doris
Good Morning Doris. Thank you for stopping by. It will definitely be a look back for those of us who were coming of age during the Viet Nam War era. I hope you enjoy my book and would love to hear what you thought of it after reading it.
ReplyDeleteBarbara:
ReplyDeleteLike Doris, I graduated from high school in 1968 and a number of our classmen immediately went off to Vietnam. Like other soldiers in times past (eg: my father who served in the South Pacific during WWII), returning guys didn't talk much about their experiences. I applaud you for taking up this storyline and look forward to reading it! Good luck and congratulations!
Oh, thank you Gail. It was a difficult time in our country and for our people. So many families lost loved ones. It was indeed a story to be told unless we forget those who sacrificed so much.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to read both of your books. As a child of the '60's, (I graduated high school in 1967), I can identify with your characters.
ReplyDeleteCarolyn, Your comment reminded me of a book signing I went to. It was for a college group, Alpha Sigma something or other.... Before I got there I thought gosh these are going to be all young people and they won't have a clue what my book is about. Upon my arrival I was ushered into a private room. The ladies seated there were all in my age group. It turned out to be one of the best experiences I 've had thus far as far as public speaking and book signings. They all had a story to tell, and they all loved my book.
ReplyDeleteBarb, I really enjoyed working with you on Echoes in the Night. I know Saigon Moon is going to be wonderful, too! Congratulations! BTW, I think Livia did a fantastic job on your covers for both books.
ReplyDeleteI know you are excited! We are, too!
Cheryl
Thank you Cheryl. I am thrilled you enjoyed my work. And the covers---Livia is a genius. The covers are absolutely perfect for the stories.
ReplyDeleteBarn, I've been looking forward to this release! Woo-hoo! The excerpt is delicious -- and you're right: Livia is a genius. Her covers always are wonderful and perfectly capture the spirit of the story inside.
ReplyDeleteHUGS, sweetie!!!!
Oh, thank you Kathleen. I am just so proud and excited to be here. Hugs right back at you sweetie.
ReplyDeleteI've been to Council Bluffs. I had a great friend who lived there. She was a nurse, but her family owned a farm. I loved visiting her there.
ReplyDeleteEchoes in the Night sounds deeply emotional. The Viet Nam era was a difficult time in history. I remember it well and the fear f being drafted among my male friends. They went any way. I wrote to one of them and he told me so much about what it was like there. He lost 25 pounds because the heat was so intense, he couldn't eat. The soldiers were treated so badly when they returned. What made you decide to take on this contentious time in your story, Barbara?
I love this cover, and the one for Saigon Moon as well. I liked this excerpt of him returning home and passing the old drive-in movie. I guess there aren't any of those left any more.
I know Echoes in the Night is going to be an exceptional story to read.
Thank you Sarah. When I wrote Saigon Moon, it was in response to my grandson joining up with the Army National Guard. Although I was very proud of him, it brought back memories of the boys I knew going off to fight in Viet Nam. After he left I sat down and wrote Saigon Moon, never dreaming it would go to publication. It was my daughter Mindy who said Mom you have to get this book published---I loved it. Since she was an avid reader of Stephen King and not a reader of romance I felt she was on to something, which is where my journey to become an author began. With Echoes in the Night, I'd seen a photo of a soldier carrying another soldier over his shoulders, like a brother carrying a brother out of harms way. I have two more grandsons who are now out of high school and into college. for a moment I thought what if that was my two grandsons? So the characters of Matthew and Marcus in Echoes in the Night are based my two grandsons.
DeleteSounds like a good read. I graduated in 1971 so was a little bit behind this era, but a lot of family went to Nam and most would not have a lot to say about what happened. Many lives were changed by the events that happened while the guys were over there. Plus many of the women that were left behind had their lives changed and not always to the good.
ReplyDeleteLynda, that is so true. the war changed the lives of he men who went but also the women they left behind. dear John letters were pretty common back in those days as they probably were during all the other wars. But somehow, it seems more tragic to think of a lonely soldier getting a letter from his girl calling off their engagement. I always envisioned Bobby Vinton singing Mr. Lonely when I wrote a Dear John letter in my books.
DeleteI would like to thank you all for your wonderful posts and joining me on my blog to help promote my new release Echoes in the Night. I have chosen a winner of my newly released book. Sarah McNeal. Congratulations Sarah, and thank you so much for participating and helping make this a day to remember.
ReplyDeleteI am so happy to have won this book. I know it's going to be a great story. Thank you so much.
ReplyDelete