It’s always a sadness to me that I physically can’t read every book that I’d like to. That’s most definitely the case with Anne Montgomery’s new novel. However, I am delighted to find out more by staying in with Anne today.

Let’s see what Anne told me:

Staying in with Anne Montgomery

Welcome to Linda’s Book Bag Anne. Thank you for agreeing to stay in with me.

I’m happy to be here, Linda.

Tell me, which of your books have you brought along to share this evening and why have you chosen it?

Your Forgotten Sons is my new novel that will be released on June 6, 2024, which is the 80^th Anniversary of D-Day. The story details the life of Bud Richardville who was assigned to the Graves Registration Service during World War II where soldiers were tasked with locating, identifying, and burying the dead.

Happy publication day for tomorrow Anne. That sounds like quite a task for the Graves Registration Service. What can we expect from an evening in with Your Forgotten Sons?

Bud’s story came to me in a strange way. I’d travelled to Baltimore at the request of a dear friend. She was facing a delicate, possibly life-changing surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital and asked that I stand in as her healthcare power of attorney.

The night before the operation, Gina, handed me a Ziplock bag. Inside I found a packet of yellowed letters. We’d spoken of Gina’s elusive uncle—her mother’s handsome, rakish brother—on occasion over the years, and of the odd circumstances surrounding his death near the end of World War II.

I followed Bud’s trail through the postmarks—dates and locations—on those letters and travelled with him from England, to the beaches of Normandy, to the Battle of the Bulge and beyond.

I learned that those who served in the Graves Registration Service had arguably the toughest job in the military and that they rarely, if ever, got credit for their efforts.

Wow. That sounds like a brilliant catalyst for the novel. It has me completely intrigued.

What else have you brought along and why have you brought it?

When I think about Bud, I sometimes hear the popular music of the time. Big Band songs that young people danced to. Swing music with horns blaring. I can see Bud as he was before the war. He was easy-going and happy. People liked him, especially women. I’m guessing he could be a charmer. But war with its relentless cruelties beat him down.

I imagine Bud’s experience was one so many went through. Thanks so much for staying in with me to chat about Your Forgotten Sons Anne. Happy publication day for tomorrow.

Your Forgotten Sons

Bud Richardville is inducted into the Army as the United States prepares to enter World War II in 1943.

A chance comment has Bud assigned to the Graves Registration Service, where his unit is tasked with locating, identifying, and burying the dead. Bud ships out, leaving behind his new wife, Lorraine: a mysterious woman who has stolen his heart but whose shadowy past leaves many unanswered questions.

When Bud and his men hit the beach at Normandy, they are immediately thrust into the horrors of what working in a graves unit entails. Bud is beaten down by the gruesome demands of his job and losses in his personal life, but then he meets Eva, an optimistic soul who despite the war can see a positive future. Will Eva’s love be enough to save him?

Published by Next Chapter on 6th June 2024, Your Forgotten Sons is available for purchase online in all the usual places including here.

About Anne Montgomery

Anne Butler Montgomery has worked as a television sportscaster, newspaper and magazine writer, teacher, author, and amateur sports official. Her first TV job came at WRBL-TV in Columbus, Georgia, and led to positions at WROC-TV in Rochester, New York, KTSP-TV in Phoenix, Arizona, and ESPN in Bristol, Connecticut, where she anchored the Emmy and ACE award-winning SportsCenter. She finished her on-camera broadcasting career with a two-year stint as the studio host for the NBA’s Phoenix Suns. Montgomery was a freelance and/or staff reporter for six publications, writing sports, features, movie reviews, and archaeological pieces. Her novels include The Castle, A Light in the Desert, Wild Horses on the Salt, The Scent of Rain, and Wolf Catcher.

Anne Montgomery taught sports reporting at Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication and taught high school journalism for 20 years. She was an amateur sports official for four decades, a time during which she called baseball, ice hockey, soccer, and basketball games and served as a high school football referee and crew chief.

Anne Montgomery is a foster mom to three sons and a daughter. When she can, she indulges in her passions: rock collecting, scuba diving, theatre, and playing her guitar.

For more information, visit Anne’s website, find her on Facebook and Instagram or follow Anne on Twitter/X @amontgomery8.