Celebrated Author Gail Kittleson Celebrates Release of Land That I Love, a Sweeping Literary Novel of War and Peace, Love and Loss, Friendship and Animosity, Fathers and Sons.

Amazon.com bestselling author Gail Kittleson is celebrating the unveiling of her new novel, Land That I Love, which released to retail earlier this fall in hardback, trade paperback, and all major ebook formats from WordCrafts Press. Set in the German Hill Country of Texas during World War II, Land That I Love is a sweeping literary novel of love and loss; friendship and animosity; fathers and sons; and coping during times of war and peace. Yet it is more than a love story; it is about the racism and bigotry that still exist in our world. As Kittleson’s characters struggle with the problems of everyday life, they teach us that we survive hard times by being good neighbors despite our differences, and that hatred can be conquered by love, understanding and forgiveness.

I turned my attention to the dancing. One woman in particular caught my eye. In the typical native costume with a ribbon in her hair and a bright apron, her eyes sparkled like the stars. Graceful, lithe, and seeming much younger, Mrs. Bultmann flitted through traditional moves, linking elbows, taking hands, clapping and being twirled through the air by muscular townsmen.

The whole time, her dark eyes glittered like gems. I had never noticed her smile before, most likely because she always concentrated on her students at school activities. I simply stood and stared. This wild rhythm was created for letting loose, and unfettered by daily cares, Mrs. Bultmann responded. Nothing about her appearance stood out, but her every move captured my imagination.

Alarm zigzagged my spine. I had experienced this once before, when Victoria’s fine features held me in a daze. But that strong physical attraction seemed quite different from what I was experiencing. All those years ago, my enchantment rendered me incapable of imagining life without Victoria, while this was different. Mrs. Bultmann’s strength stood front and center. A woman left alone, perhaps by mutual consent, to care for their son. But at this celebration, she allowed herself to let go. She found a way to enter this annual festivity, a sign of wholeness in spite of her situation. All I wanted was to watch this singular dancer, could have watched her forever, though I had never even heard her first name.

Smitten, perhaps, might best describe my state. No, this surpassed that sort of smitten. Yet, I had sworn I would never again fall prey to a brutal allure that might upend my life.

“Gail Kittleson has established herself as an author who brings World War II to life through engaging stories laced with historical fact,” said book review site Patti’s Porch. “Like her other novels, her astute research is woven through the pages of her latest novel, Land That I Love.”

“Kittleson has created characters whom you will come to love and care for as you see their lives unfold in sometimes unexpected ways,” declared reviewer, Sonia Solomonson. “Be prepared to get drawn into this book and the complexities of the lives of Everett, Donnie, William, Lillian and so many more beloved characters. You will stay with this until the last page, I guarantee.”

“Gail Kittleson proved herself to be a skilled researcher and writer of historical fiction with her Women of the Heartland series of World War 2 novels that focused on the lives and adventures of ordinary women caught up in extraordinary circumstances,” said WordCrafts Press publisher, Mike Parker. “Land That I Love caught me off-guard, in a good way. Set in the turbulent era of the Great Depression through the Second World War, the story unfolds at a kinder pace, allowing the reader to savor the rich language and compelling literary style of bygone days. Some books feel like old friends. Land That I Love is definitely one of my new old friends.”

About the Author

Words have always been comfort food for Gail Kittleson. After instructing expository writing and English as a Second Language, she began writing memoir. Now, intrigued by the World War II era, Gail creates women’s historical fiction from her northern Iowa home and also facilitates writing workshops/retreats.

She and her husband, a retired Army chaplain, enjoy their grandchildren and in winter, Arizona’s Mogollon Rim Country. You can count on Gail’s heroines to ask honest questions, act with integrity, grow in faith, and face hardships with spunk.

Visit Gail online at: gailkittleson.com