We chat with author Kelly Bowen about her latest release Tomorrow Is For The Brave, which is a gripping World War II page‑turner about a courageous woman who risks it all for what is right—perfect for fans of Natasha Lester and Kristen Harmel.
Hi, Kelly! Welcome back! How have the past three years been since we last spoke?
Thank you so much for having me! It is an absolute pleasure to be here and share!
The last three years have been wonderfully busy. I started my historical fiction journey with The Paris Apartment, continued with The Garden of Lost Secrets, and here I am with Tomorrow is for the Brave. All three are WWII-set novels, though each offer a diverse window into different aspects and locations of the conflict. As an amateur historian, this has been an absolutely incredible experience.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I have been a voracious reader for as long as I can remember (birthday gifts were ALWAYS books) and I love stories from pretty much any genre – from non-fiction biographies to fictional fantasy and everything in between. My favourites often fall in the historical lane but a well-written story is captivating no matter where, when, or how it takes place. I wrote for fun throughout school and enjoyed every writing assignment that came my way. I eventually graduated with post-secondary degrees in veterinary physiology and endocrinology with a healthy dollop of statistical modelling (which generally didn’t lend itself to writing fiction!). I didn’t write my first full-length novel until after my first son was born. It was truly terrible but it was such a rewarding and fantastic endeavour. I wrote five more (I like to think they slowly got a little better each time) and it was my fifth novel that I sold. It has been an absolute joy and privilege to be able to write!
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: I think I was in kindergarten. It was Mrs. Mooley by Jack Kent. It’s about a cow who believed that she could jump over the moon, even when every other barn animal laughed at her. But with practice and perseverance, she did just that and proved them all wrong! I still have this book.
- The one that made you want to become an author: Sharpe’s Tiger by Bernard Cornwell. I inhaled this entire series as fast as a could get my hands on each novel. I was absolutely enthralled by the storytelling and the development of characters that were wonderfully imperfect and flawed.
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley. This was such a magical tale and had everything that I love in a novel – action, history, romance, and mystery.
Your latest novel, Tomorrow is for the Brave, is out May 14th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Gritty, suspenseful, romantic, thrilling, authentic
What can readers expect?
I’ll start with the copy from the back of the book here for a teaser:
1939, France: Lavish parties, fast cars, and a closet full of the latest fashion— to the average eye, socialite Violet St. Croix seemingly has it all. But what she truly wants is a life full of meaning and purpose. So when France falls to Germany, Violet defies her parents’ wishes and joins the war effort. With her impeccable skill for driving under pressure, she is soon sent to North Africa to shepherd French Foreign Legion officers carrying valuable intelligence through dangerous territory.
But as the Allies encounter one mishap after another, Violet becomes convinced there is a spy in their ranks. And when her commanding officer is murdered, Violet realizes she might be the only one who can uncover the traitor and save the lives of countless soldiers on the front lines. Convincing others to believe her is difficult enough. Finding someone she can trust just might be impossible.
As a reader, I am most often drawn to stories with a lot of action and mystery and I think that is reflected in the stories I write. That being said, the soul of every story is defined by the relationships of the characters within. In Tomorrow is for the Brave, Violet will find a loyal friendship that will shape each individual and an unexpected connection that will ultimately be put to the most extreme test.
Where did the inspiration for Tomorrow is for the Brave come from?
Both my grandfathers served in WWII (RCAF and RCEME) and I’ve always had a keen interest in this conflict. While neither spoke much about their time during the war, they shared their experiences in other ways (I was able to build both a basic electrical circuit and a rudimentary radio by the time my fourth grade science fair rolled around). As I got older I started reading accounts and memoirs of other men and women who had served that gave me a much more complete insight into the war that went beyond dates and places on maps.
Tomorrow is for the Brave was inspired by the life and experiences of Susan Travers, the only woman to have served with the French Foreign Legion. I stumbled upon Ms Travers’ story when I was researching the Allied North African campaign of 1942 while doing research for my previous novel, The Garden of Lost Secrets. Born in England and predominantly raised in France, Susan Travers left behind a life of luxury when war broke out in Europe. She originally volunteered for the French Red Cross, though she hoped that she would be assigned as an ambulance driver. In her own words, she was ‘completely hopeless as a nurse’ but she could shoot a rifle and drive a car and she reasoned that those two skills would be more valuable. As it turned, out she was right. Her years of service driving both ambulances and Legion officers’ vehicles, through air raids, artillery assaults, bombings, and punishing desert conditions eventually earned her both the Legion d’Honneur and Medaille Militaire for meritorious action and acts of bravery in combat against an enemy force. While my story is completely fictitious, I would encourage anyone interested in the North African Allied campaign to read her memoirs, titled Tomorrow is for the Brave (which inspired the title for this novel too!). It’s truly a fascinating read about an extraordinary woman.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I really enjoyed writing Violet’s character. At the start of the story, we are introduced to a woman who is still discovering who she really is and trying to find the confidence to live on her own terms. Throughout the story, she is tested in ways she couldn’t have imagined, and by the end, has embraced her imperfections and her strengths without apology. Inserting my characters into scenes of intense action and hardship (inspired by the real-life experiences of those who were really there) has a way of stripping emotion down to expose the most honest and authentic version of each. Without giving too much away, Violet’s response to the Axis Stuka attack during the siege of Bir Hakeim (Chapter 25) was one of my favourite chapters to craft.
Can you tell us a bit about your research process for this book?
Research is quite honestly one of my favourite parts about being a writer. While I use texts and archived reports and old photographs to structure the historical frame, I rely heavily on memoirs to develop my characters. Memoirs give me a glimpse into the human side of history – directly from the people who lived it. What they saw, what they felt, small things that they would always relate to an event like smells or colors or emotions. The Memory Project Archive, which has archived hundreds of WWII interviews with veterans is one of my favourite resources.
Tomorrow is for the Brave is set largely during the North African Campaign of 1942, a campaign that is generally lesser known than others, yet marked a supremely critical turning point in the war. This campaign pitted the Allies against one of the most tactically accomplished Nazi generals, Erwin Rommel (aka the Desert Fox) and the merciless, punishing conditions of the environment. The more I poured over archived field maps and reports (official and unofficial), the more my amazement and respect grew for the men and women who fought and triumphed against inconceivable odds.\
What’s next for you?
Working on developing some ideas for my next historical book. Details to come soon!
Lastly, are there any book releases that you’re looking forward to picking up this year?
So many great releases this year! I’m going to list some here that I have read or am impatiently waiting for (though this is by no means exhaustive!)
- The Secret Keeper by Genevieve Graham (this is WWII-set but from a Canadian perspective which, as a Canadian, always hits home for me!)
- The Last Twelve Miles by Erika Robuck (based on the true story of two women who ran a criminal (and legal) enterprise during the Prohibition era.)
- The Women by Kristin Hannah (about a young woman who joins the Army Nurse Corps during the Vietnam war in 1965.)
- The Phoenix Crown by Kate Quinn and Janie Chang (1906 San Francisco, a relic, and a mystery – what’s not to like?)
- A Travel Guide to the Middle Ages by Anthony Bale (this one is non-fiction and I’ve always been fascinated by the Middle Ages.)
