Promises Series Archives - View from the Front Porch

29 01, 2024

Where Do Stories Come From?

By judythemorgan|2024-01-29T08:09:17-06:00January 29th, 2024|behind the books, Beyond and Behind the Story|0 Comments

People often ask if my books are autobiographical. They aren’t, at least not completely. Things that happen in my life spark story ideas.

Sometimes it’s the location or an event.

That’s especially true of the first book in the Promise Series: Love in the Morning Calm.

The idea for the story came from my experiences as a Department of Army Civilian at Headquarters, Eighth Army, Yongsan, South Korea. Morning Calm is another name for South Korea, hence the title.

During the Vietnam War, I followed my husband on his unaccompanied tour to the 8th Army, Korea Procurement Agency. As unauthorized dependents, my daughter and I could not live on post in Yongsan. Instead, we rented an apartment high above the Han River in Han Nam Dong’s U.N. Village.

We did enjoy the other privileges like Post Exchange (PX), commissary, and medical facilities. I even rode the Army bus to work at the compound several miles away.

In Love in the Morning Calm, Lily lives where we did and works at G3, Eighth Army as I did.

But that’s where the character similarities end. 😉 The plot is not my personal story but a made-up love story of Lily and Alex.

I used events that happened while we were there to build the plot. President Lyndon Johnson’s secret visit to Eighth Army during his Southeast Asia Tour was what brought Lily Johnson and Major Alex (Ace) Cabot together. I was the secretary for the G3 group overseeing the presidential visit.

Other real experiences and places appear in story scenes too. Chungpyung Reservoir where we picnicked with friends.

The Bando Hotel where my husband and I had dinners and Walker Hill where the Presidential Reception was held.

And there really was a gold dress like Lily wore at the Presidential Reception.

Creating plots for books allows me to weave my life experiences, and places I’ve been into the stories I write.

In that sense, the stories I write are little memoirs. Not wholly, but in pieces.

I’ll be sharing the stories behind my other books in future blogs, come back. And, if you want to read about Lily and Alex’s story, here is the link: Love in the Morning Calm

In the furor of the ’60s, when women were fighting for their rights and men the Viet Cong, a young Tennessee preacher’s daughter seeks personal liberation. Lily finds instead a love that defines her even as it forever alters her definition of freedom and liberation.

Green Beret Major Alex Cabot meets Lily Reed, a Department of Army civilian at Eighth Army Headquarters in South Korea. He’s a high-potential career officer, who should resist the temptation of any woman, but he can’t ignore Lily.

In an uncertain time, in a temporary safe zone, yielding to temptation changes both their lives forever.

11 11, 2020

Veterans Day 2020

By judythemorgan|2020-11-07T07:57:30-06:00November 11th, 2020|behind the books, Book Release Announcement, Holidays|0 Comments

Today is Veterans Day.

I come from a family of veterans which means I have a deep-rooted interest in the day.

My husband is a retired Army officer. My father served in the Army Air Corps as a navigator. My uncle was a Marine on Imo Jima. My cousin was in the Air Force. Three brothers-in-law served in the Navy.

To all those who have answered when called, gone where ordered, and defended our nation with honor, I send a sincere thank you.

I also served as a Department of Army Civilian at Eighth Army Headquarters, Yongsan, South Korea, during the Vietnam War. That time provided the spark for my novel, Love in the Morning Calm. Lily and Alex’s story expanded into a four book series titled PROMISES.

The PROMISES boxed set is now available for a limited time for $.99. Click here to get your copy.

19 11, 2018

Let the Holiday Shopping Begin

By judythemorgan|2018-11-13T16:58:29-06:00November 19th, 2018|A Writer's Life, Book Release Announcement|2 Comments

Good news for those of you who have started your shopping already. I have a new release to offer.

Book Blurb

When David Sands lost his wife, he promised he’d sell their condo contents and donate proceeds to their non-profit that supports families of MIA and POW soldiers. He’s been procrastinating for three years.

Debra Hughes, antiques business partner and best friend to David’s late wife, promised to look after David, to help him through his grief. Debra kept her promise to her friend, but the strong feelings she developed for David rocked her calm world.

Now the estate executor requires David to fulfill his promise and hires Debra to oversee the antiques sale. Will David and Debra be able to work in close proximity without avowing their love and declaring new promises -- this time to one another?

It’s taken awhile to get this one written. Lots of life erupting, but at long last Book 4 of the PROMISES series is here.

There are now four published novels telling a continuous story of two men and one woman who met at Eighth Army Headquarters, Yongsan, South Korea in the sixties.

The idea for these stories came from my days as a Department of Army Civilian at Headquarters, Eighth Army. Though the books are completely fictional, you’ll find much from my days in South Korea sprinkled throughout.

Each sequel is a standalone novel that chronicles the stories of Lily Johnson, Alex Cabot, David Sands, and Shirley Carlson from the turbulent Vietnam War years through the decades that follow. To paraphrase a reviewer of the series, if you were around in the sixties, you will be immersed with memories. If you weren’t around then, you’ll understand better what it was like.

Buy links are in the column on the right. Simply click on the book cover. Or click here for my Amazon author page.

4 06, 2018

Southern-isms Explained

By judythemorgan|2018-05-15T15:48:19-05:00June 4th, 2018|A Writer's Life|1 Comment

We took a trip to Iowa for our granddaughter’s college graduation. Earlier in this spring, we attended another granddaughter’s master degree graduation. So proud of our grandchildren. All twelve of them.

We stopped on the way to visit with our former Tennessee neighbors. We purchased our house, built during the 1940s Manhattan Project, in 1970 and it still looks great.

Our friends, who lived across the street, now live in a lovely log cabin overlooking the Clinch River. We spent hours on their screened porch talking. One evening we cooked hot dogs over their fire pit. It’s become a tradition whenever we visit them.

We had such fun reliving early marriage adventures and visiting the old neighborhood.

With their permission, I’m using their home as a setting in the final book of the PROMISES series, Promises to Keep, which will come out later this year.

What warmed my heart the most on our visit was all the southern-talk that popped up in conversations. Southerners do have a language of their own. Here are a few southern-isms with my translations:

Full as a tick

This was a new phrase for me. Seems if a tick drinks too much blood, it actually bursts. Not a particularly appetizing comment for the dinner table, in my opinion. I much prefer “stuffed like a turkey at Thanksgiving” that we say around here.

It all comes out in the wash

My mother used this one a lot. Mostly referring to an enormous stain I’d gotten on a favorite dress. Translated it means “Everything will be alright in the end.”

Scarce as hen’s teeth

Loved this variation meaning something is rare. Clearly, chickens don’t have teeth. Personally, I am thankful chickens are toothless because those beaks can do enough damage on their own.

Thinking about all these isms, reminded me of this one. (I didn’t hear it on our trip.)

A whistling woman and a crowing hen never come to any good end

My grandmother said that every single time she caught me whistling. In her opinion, whistling was a male-only habit. We all know hens don’t crow. Roosters do. Her point was to behave in a ladylike manner. Daddy always added this part whenever he caught me whistling: “If you want to be treated like a lady, you need to act like one.”

26 02, 2018

Happy Blogiversary!

By judythemorgan|2018-02-02T09:54:28-06:00February 26th, 2018|A Writer's Life, Make Me Think Monday, Writer's Life|0 Comments

Anniversaries mark accomplishments and are fun to commemorate. This month I celebrate my blogiversary.

On February 24, 2012, I published my first blog with WordPress.com. You can read that very first blog, here.

My original plan was to blog every day. I quickly discovered creating a daily blog took time from my fiction writing.

That goal gradually evolved into two times a week for me and once a week for my daughter aka Chicken Wrangler Sara who blogs every Friday about Life on the Miller Farm.

Guest bloggers also contribute periodically.

When WordPress.com hosted the blog, I received yearly stats on my blogiversary. I switched to hosting the blog on my own website and don’t have such accurate accounting. I get stats, not cumulative data. But, over the years, I’ve posted hundreds of blogs and had thousands of views, followers, and subscribers.

By the way, it’s easy to subscribe and have the blog appear in your inbox. Simply, go to the home page and enter your email address in the box on the right sidebar.

Chicken Wrangler Sara and I cherish your comments. We respond to every one. We attributed our blog success directly to you readers. As a special thank you, we’re offering a FREE Kindle or paperback copy Love in the Morning Calm to one lucky commenter today.

Blurb for Love in the Morning Calm:

In 1966, while on temporary assignment to South Korea, Green Beret Major Alex (Ace) Cabot meets Lily Reed, a Department of Army civilian at Eighth Army Headquarters. Alex is a high-potential career officer, who should resist the temptation of any woman, but he can’t ignore his interest in her.

Lily is a firm supporter of the budding women’s lib movement. She enjoys her freedom and new life away from her stifling hometown. Her plans leave no room for any man. No matter how captivating his smile.

In an uncertain time, in a temporary safe zone, yielding to temptation changes both their lives forever.

Love in the Morning Calm is Book 1 of my newly created Promises Series, which consists of three published novels grouped into a continuous story of two men and one woman who met at Eighth Army Headquarters, Yongsan, South Korea in the sixties. Each sequel is a standalone novel that chronicles their stories from the turbulent Vietnam War years through the decades that follow.

The book winner will be drawn on Monday, March 2 and notified by email so be sure you include an email contact with your comment.

Thanks for visiting the front porch. We hope to stop by often.