Elizabeth Buchan is the author most recently of the novels The New Mrs. Clifton and I Can't Begin to Tell You. From her Q&A with Deborah Kalb:Q: Your two most recent books are set during World War II and its aftermath. Why did you choose that period to write about in these novels?Visit Elizabeth Buchan's website.
A: I am always intrigued how, even if the writer has already written about it, a subject sometimes refuses to die and nags away until something is done. But, then. who wouldn’t be fascinated by the women who worked in the Special Operations Executive (SOE) during the Second World War?
My second novel, Light of the Moon, was about a female SOE agent operating undercover in occupied France where she discovers, like Edith Cavell, that patriotism is not enough.
Researching for it proved to be addictive and I made many contacts and some cherished new friends who worked in the undercover agencies.
They told me about the beautiful and fantastically brave Violette Szabo (Carve Her Name with Pride), the equally splendid and intriguing Christine Granville, and the extraordinary Nancy Wake who they revered for their cool bravery and resourcefulness.
All of the agents, both the men and the women, knew that...[read on]
The Page 69 Test: Separate Beds.
Writers Read: Elizabeth Buchan (March 2011).
My Book, The Movie: Separate Beds.
--Marshal Zeringue