Now I interview my hero, who starts out an anti-hero, the German commandant from Outcast Artist in Bretagne, by Diane Scott Lewis

 

To purchase the ebook or paperback, click HERE 

I previously interviewed my heroine, Norah, to dig deeper into her character. Today it's my hero (who you'll think at first is an anti-hero) It's fun to talk to them out of the written context of the story. I hope you enjoy it.

Today I interview Major August von Gottlieb, the commandant of Southern Brittany.

Major, I understand that though you're in the German army, you don't care for Hitler's policies?

A tall, handsome man, with blond hair and blue eyes, the Major sits and adjusts his greenish-gray tunic with the Iron Cross. "I came to realize that Hitler is a madman. His policies are getting good people murdered. When I was assigned here, in this bucolic village, I found I wanted a different life. But it isn't so simple to leave the German army. I would be shot as a traitor, unless I plan carefully."

Have you set any of these plans into motion?

"First, unlike so many officers, I refused to starve the population by sending away the food supplies. I make certain the villagers keep their fair share."

Do any of your fellow officers resent this?

"Ja, they do, and are sure to make snide remarks to me. But I am in charge." He rubs his cleft chin, his gaze penetrating. "I was nearly killed in an incident having to do with Hitler a few years back. It's made me more determined."

I see the pain cross his features. Have your superiors complained?

"I was visited by one colonel, but I eased his mind. We need strong workers here to build the special port."

And what will this special port be used for?

His eyebrows rise. "I cannot divulge that yet. It is something I plan to, let's say, take care of so no further damage is done to England or France from this area."

A noble plan. I hear you have a young lady that you're interested in.

"I do. We are both in love." His eyes soften and he smiles tenderly. "She is English, so that is another strike against me. I hope we can manage a future together. I feel such passion for her. But there are many obstacles." He stares off for a moment. "She has had a rough time of it, and I want to soothe her and be a decent man for her."

The villagers have vilified Norah because of her relationship with you.

"I regret that. If I'm not destroyed by the peril to come, my wish is to escape with her to Switzerland and get married. I want to honor her. There are so many secrets and scheming around us." He fists his hand, his gaze troubled. "But I cannot tell anymore than that." Gottlieb stands and puts on his high-capped hat. "I have work to do. I must bid you good day, frau."

Well, thank you for speaking with me. I wish you both success. Hmmm, an officer working from within to sabotage Hitler. I'm intrigued how he will do it, and what needs to be 'taken care of.' Norah had mentioned a weapon in her interview.

Diane lives in Western Pennsylvania with her husband and one naughty dachshund.

I interview my character, Norah. How could she find a connection to the German Commandant? by Diane Scott Lewis

 

To purchase Outcast Artist in Bretagne, click HERE

It is fun to dig deeper into your characters. An interview to let them speak for themselves is always intriguing to write. Here they can talk directly, and answer uncomfortable questions if need be.

Interviewer. "I'm sitting here with Miss Norah Cooper in the small village of Saint Guenole in Brittany. Miss Cooper, you were trapped in France after the Germans invaded, visiting your cousin for personal reasons, and now you just want to go home to England. You're an artist and decided to draw the Major, the man in charge of the occupation. Why was that?"

"He offered me a great amount of money, and I needed to pay my way." Norah brushes a hand through her strawberry-blonde hair in quick strokes. "My cousin's husband threatened to demand I leave. I was eating their food. But I really had no place to go at the time."

"You didn't find this idea with the Major repulsive?"

"Yes, at first. But the Major surprised me." Norah smiles, looking a little embarrassed. "He was very kind, and then I learned a secret about him that really changed my mind."

"And what was that?"

"He hates Hitler's policies. Plus he brought more food to the village after I asked him to." Norah sighs. "He wanted the war to end and live a peaceful life."

"Then an attraction grew between you two?"

"Slowly." Norah gazes around. "When we got to know each other better. I never thought I'd find anyone who cared about me as much as he does. He felt the same after an arranged marriage. His wife died two years ago. And I had my...unfortunate experience."

"Weren't you afraid of being ostracized? Shunned by your family?"

"I am ostracized. The villagers, my cousins. My family in England doesn't yet know. It is very difficult. I went to live in the gardener's abandoned cottage." Norah leans close. "The Major, August, he told me a terrible weapon was on its way. And he planned to disable it so it wouldn't be used against my country."

"I see. Very commendable. Then you fell in love with him?"

Norah smiles again, though it's a little sad. "We fell in love. As crazy as that sounds. I discovered the man he really is, inside. We have a passionate relationship. But I knew it would be perilous."

"Do you have plans for a future?"

"He has to complete his sabotage. I got involved with forging documents to help escaping Jews. We kept secrets. But our love is strong." Norah presses her fingers to her cheeks. "We speak of escaping to Switzerland. But there are so many obstacles. Threats of arrest. Even a firing squad. I still hope we can have our happy ending. Or maybe I'm being naïve."

Interviewer. "I hope you can find a happy ending in the midst of war. Thank you for explaining your situation to me."


Diane lives in Western Pennsylvania with her husband and one naughty dachshund.

Beguiling Begonias by A.M. Westerling

Begonias, both tuberous and fibrous, are one of our favourite flowering plants for the garden. If you’ve followed my earlier gardening posts, you’ll know I frequently say, “The secret to a successful garden is to find the plants that like the space you have.” We love begonias because begonias love us!

 

Our yard is a mixture of shade and sun and begonias thrive wherever we plant them. I’ve put them in the ground, in containers and hanging pots, making sure I use planter box mix for the containers and hanging pots. I fertilize immediately with root fertilizer then afterwards every two weeks with 20 20 20. I also dead head regularly to promote more blooms.

 

Begonias are originally from central and south America so in our northern climate, they’re annuals. However, they flower all summer long. The blooms on the tuberous begonias have a deep, vibrant colour, including red, orange, yellow, pink and white with large, lobed leaves. These come in two forms, either upright or trailing and can reach 3 feet or more in outdoor containers. We have a display of tuberous begonias on our patio, picture below.

  

Fibrous, or wax, begonias have waxy leaves in either pale green or dark green. They grow in mounds of 6 inches to twelve inches and have single or double flowers in red, pink or white. I'm really pleased the way this pot of fibrous begonias turned out this year. It's a sunny spot and as you can see, they're quite happy there. (Below) 

Another sunny spot is beside our bird bath. Fibrous begonias always do well in the front left spot. This was last year, and below that is this year's display. 

 

A few planting tips: Begonias prefer a location that’s partially shady or filtered sunlight. Don’t plant them too close together so they have good air circulation to prevent powdery mildew. Keep the soil moist but don’t overwater as this might lead to fungal diseases and stem rot. (I know whereof I speak, I overwater from time to time and next thing you know, one of the stems keels over at soil level. *smacks forehead*). Don’t get water on the leaves to avoid leaf spot (yes, I’ve done this too.) Also, don’t panic if you forget to water them, they don’t mind dry soil. I’ve never had a problem with pests but apparently they are susceptible to mites, thrips, whitefly and mealy bugs.

 

A warning to pet owners, they are toxic to pets, particularly the tubers. They are not toxic to humans although they may cause an allergic reaction. Begonias are deer resistant.

 

Begonias have a number of medicinal purposes. The entire plant can be used and it has a sweet, acrid flavour. You can make an infusion by soaking the flowers in hot water to eliminate headaches and rid the body of toxins. The crushed leaves and flowers can also be rubbed directly on the skin to heal sores or burns and to relieve pain. Apparently, begonias can be used to treat bronchitis, candidiasis, colds, digestive disorders, dysentery, liver problems, swelling, scrofula and menstrual disorders.

 

I visited the following websites for this post:  www/gardendesign.com and www.herbpathy.com

 

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You can find my Viking romance A Heart Enslaved and all my other books on the BWL Publishing website HERE.