Lies: We can and should do better

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Truth should matter, don’t you think? I mean, it’s fundamental that in order to make sound decisions that benefit ourselves and others, we should gather the facts, ruminate a bit, and come to a logical conclusion.

And today—Wow!—we have the world’s knowledge at our fingertips. Never in the history of man has so much information been available to so many. And yet, we seem to know less about the truth today than we ever have.

Why? The guardrails were smashed when anyone with a computer or phone could say anything at any time about anyone or anything, anonymously and without limits. Yes, I know that here in the U.S. we have free speech—and we could debate what that exactly means for a millennium or two—but let’s look at this like when we were kids.

Remember when your mom said, “Did you take that Snickers bar from the store?” And you pressed your lips together, and scrunched up your eyes, and considered which was worse, stealing or lying? Then you confessed and she made you apologize to the store owner and you had to put the candy back? There was probably some kind of punishment for your youthful transgression, but when it was over, well, at least you told the truth, right?

It’s pretty clear that the vast majority of us learned that lying was bad about the time we figured out how to color inside the lines. And yet today grown-ups of all stripes lie with abandon, then say something silly like, “Yes, I lied. But the underlying topic of my lie was important, so I thought I’d bring it up by um…lying.”

Does your head hurt? Mine does.

Now some of you may say that lying in certain situations is just fine. Like when mom is twirling around in a godawful dress clearly thrilled to death. When she says, “Don’t you love it?” You say…haltingly perhaps…“You look great, Mom.” And that’s just fine. No harm, no foul, in my opinion. Others might believe you need to bring the hammer of truth down on Mom and her purple-plaid dress, but not me, so we shall agree to disagree. However, when a lie can hurt others—human, animal, or the natural world itself—these fabrications should never get traction anywhere in our world.

So, what can we do to filter out the lies? Don’t share anything that you haven’t personally verified. Check the source of the information, check the bias of the source, cut and paste the information and do your own check, then pass it on to reputable fact-checking organizations. And please don’t tell me the fact-checkers are lying. I saw that recently and almost fell into despair.

And let’s not forget that words aren’t the only things that lie. Please put on your skeptical glasses and investigator’s hat when looking at those pictures of mermaids, the Loch Ness Monster, and other plants and animals that are clearly not real. Why add fakes to an already breathtaking world?

And here’s the really important thing. Get your facts from a bunch of different sources. Please, never, ever justify passing on a fact because you heard it on the one media outlet you’re glued to. It’s fine if you have a favorite news source, but be brave and check out a few others, especially those you don’t normally listen to.

In the end, the world will be a much better place if we put in the work and verify the information we’re passing around, because lies can hurt.

I know we can do better.

Now let’s all hold hands and sing Kumbaya.

Your Forgotten Sons

Inspired by a true story

Anne Montgomery

Bud Richardville is inducted into the Army as the United States prepares for the invasion of Europe in 1943. A chance comment has Bud assigned to a Graves Registration Company, 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 secretive nature and shadowy past leave 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?

Release Date: June 6, 2024

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Bookstores, libraries, and other booksellers can order copies directly from the Ingram Catalog.

Anne Montgomery’s novels can be found wherever books are sold.

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Preparing for retirement: It’s not all about the money

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I do a lot of podcasts on all kinds of subjects, and lately I’ve been invited to speak on a bunch of shows about retirement.

I know what you’re thinking. “We’ll of course you have, Anne! After all, you’re pushing 70.” Which makes me perfectly qualified to discuss all I didn’t understand before those Social Security checks began appearing.

First—and I’m guessing many of you already know this—prospective retirees must focus on their post-work financial lives long before the day they punch that last clock. Having enough money to live comfortably is incredibly important. However, a fat bank account and sound investments are not enough to make one happy. We retirees also need to consider how we’d like to spend our days.

Some of you are surely thinking, “I’ll play golf every morning!”, or “I’ll see my grandchildren all the time!”, or “I’ll travel the world!”

But here’s the thing. In regard to golf and other sports, though it pains me to say it, there will come a time when we are simply unable to participate in the sports we love. As far as the grandchildren are concerned, they have lives—school and sports and music lessons and camp and their peers. And as much as they love you, Grammy and Grampy, you are probably not anywhere near to the top of their to-do list. (Don’t hate me for that statement, just think about it is as dispassionately as possible.) As far as traveling is concerned, have you been out there lately? While I’ve traveled extensively and still do, all I can say is it’s exhausting, especially those long-haul flights with your knees scrunched up against the seatback in front of you. Navigating airports and time zones and hotels just isn’t as much fun as it was in my thirties.

Now, despite the relatively bleak retirement picture I’ve painted, let’s think about the things we can do. We can and should participate in sports and exercise regularly, for both the physical and social benefits they provide. We just have to adapt to our changing bodies and acquiesce when our bones suggest we try something less strenuous. Not easy, I know. I can’t ice skate or ski anymore, but I never considered pre-retirement that I would also be unable to officiate football and baseball. The good news is I can still swim and scuba dive. So branch out physically before you retire. Sure, go golfing if that’s your thing, but maybe try yoga too. Just find something that keeps you moving on a regular basis.

As for the grandkids, for the vast majority of us, that’s not an everyday thing, especially when the kids live far away. Travel, too, is mostly a special occasion, which means there’s still a lot of free time left in Retirement Land, so we must make a plan. For example, those who have a hobby in mind for those after-work years— like gardening, or cooking, or coaching, or painting, or playing the zither— should take a pre-retirement course. Check with your local college or community center and see what’s available. Doing this before retirement will let you know if you really do want to pursue the hobby. And if you don’t enjoy it, try something else. Just be open-minded and you might be surprised by what you fall in love with.

Now let’s talk about your social life. You need to get out in the world on a regular basis. Remember when you were working and you had to get up, get dressed, and deal with other people every day? That was good for you. You made social connections on the job. Approximately 76% of workers admit to having a close friend at work. But often, when we retire, relationships change dramatically. While we should do our best to stay in contact and get together when we can, remember that as we age friends tend to drift away, so our social circles shrink considerably, unless we make an effort to meet new people.

How do we do that? Find something you’re interested in and join a club where you’ll meet others with whom you share a passion. Also, don’t wait until your practically paralyzed by boredom to volunteer. We retirees are filled with knowledge and myriad skills that we should share with others. Sites like https://www.volunteermatch.org/ can help you find opportunities in your community. And don’t forget, no one says you can’t work part-time. So if you loved your job or always wanted to try a different one, go ahead. The idea is to get on a schedule. Even something as simple is deciding to read at a certain time every day will help.

Of course, I don’t mean your retirement world must be packed with never-ending commitments. Pick and choose what works for you. Stay in touch with family and friends, exercise, get out into your community on a regular basis, and I promise you’ll have a happier, more fulfilling retirement.

Your Forgotten Sons

Inspired by a true story

Anne Montgomery

Bud Richardville is inducted into the Army as the United States prepares for the invasion of Europe in 1943. A chance comment has Bud assigned to a Graves Registration Company, 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 secretive nature and shadowy past leave 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?

Release Date: June 6, 2024

Universal Buy Link

Amazon

Apple Books

Barnes & Nobel

Google Books

Kobo

Bookstores, libraries, and other booksellers can order copies directly from the Ingram Catalog.

Anne Montgomery’s novels can be found wherever books are sold.

Goodreads

Amazon

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A life lesson from a Major Leage Baseball player

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One of my favorite interviews of all time took place one lovely afternoon in Arizona during Cactus League spring training. Some of you may know that the Phoenix area bursts with ballplayers and fans every year in a runup up to the regular Major League Baseball season. It’s a pretty big deal, so it was no surprise that I found myself holding a microphone while basking in the popcorn-and-hotdog-infused air, waiting for the man I was going to interview.

Pitcher Jim Abbott played ten years in Major League Baseball despite being born without a right hand.

But first, let me mention that about two months ago I tripped in a pothole and suffered a severely broken arm, one that had to be surgically repaired and fitted with some mean-looking pins to put everything back into place.

I can’t say it hasn’t been a struggle. I really thought that when the cast came off and pins were out I’d instantly be running around like when I was 12 and fractured my wrist ice skating. I don’t recall any long, drawn-out rehab. It was just no more cast, you’re free, bada-bing bada-boom.

But, no. Two weeks after I had the cast and the pins removed, my biggest success was being able to touch my thumb to my forefinger. That was the moment I realized it would be a long time before my arm would be fully functional.

If you’ve never lost the use of an appendage, let’s just say it can be rather daunting. The idea that I needed help pulling up my pants was my first hint that things were going to be difficult. Put peanut butter on my toast? Nope. Fold the laundry? Nope. Unscrew a jar? Not a chance. So, as you can imagine, I was both feeling sorry for myself and was immensely grateful that my sweetie pie was doing all the things I couldn’t.

Still, I’m an independent sort and quickly got tired of asking for help. So, recently, when I found myself staring at my shoes, I knew something had to change. And that’s the moment I thought of that interview back in 1989.

A severely broken and surgically repaired left arm prompted the memory of an interview I did 35 years ago.

The ballplayer in question was Jim Abbott, a pitcher who over a ten-year career played with several major league teams and was on the California Angels roster that year. I can still recall being charmed the first moment he smiled. As a woman sportscaster back in a time when we were almost as rare as unicorns, I didn’t always get a positive reaction from those I interviewed, so I was delighted when Abbott put me instantly at ease. Still, I shouldn’t have been surprised, because Abbott understood about being different. He was born without a right hand.

“As a kid I really wanted to fit in,” Abbott said on his website. “Sports became a way for me to gain acceptance. I think this fueled my desire to succeed. I truly believe that difficult times and disappointments can push us to find abilities and strengths we wouldn’t know existed without the experience of struggle.”

I considered Abbott’s words, flexed the fingers on my broken arm, and remembered watching video of him fielding. Opposing players often tried bunting against him, thinking to exploit any limitations his missing hand might cause, but he would almost magically flip his glove, grab the ball, and throw the runner out at first.

That day, in the bright Arizona sunshine, I asked Abbott how he managed day to day with just one hand. “How do you tie your shoes?” I asked.

He laughed and explained that his parents never babied him. “They would just look at me and say, ’Figure it out.’”

With that in mind, I wandered over to the Internet for a solution and here’s what I found:

One-handed shoe tying

1. Hold one shoelace down with your foot, and pull the other lace tight. Make sure the laces cross over when you do this.

2. Make a loop while still holding the lace under the other shoe.

3. Bring the loop behind and under the straight lace.

4. While holding the loop in place between your thumb and index finger, let the straight lace out from under the other shoe.

5. Use your other fingers to wrap the free lace completely around the loop.

6. Use your thumb to push the middle of the lace through this newly formed loop.

7. Holding one loop in place with your free foot, pull the other loop tight.

That’s it!

Easy peasy, right?

Um, no. I still haven’t mastered it, but with the words of Jim Abbott ringing in my head, how can I quit?

“Figure it out.”

Your Forgotten Sons

Inspired by a true story

Anne Montgomery

Bud Richardville is inducted into the Army as the United States prepares for the invasion of Europe in 1943. A chance comment has Bud assigned to a Graves Registration Company, 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 secretive nature and shadowy past leave 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?

Release Date: June 6, 2024

Universal Buy Link

Amazon

Apple Books

Barnes & Nobel

Google Books

Kobo

Bookstores, libraries, and other booksellers can order copies directly from the Ingram Catalog.

Anne Montgomery’s novels can be found wherever books are sold.

Goodreads

Amazon

.

Authors! Learn to love that microphone

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Writers write. That is abundantly clear. But is that enough in today’s whirlwind of book marketing? It is not!

Authors especially are sometimes categorized as introverts. Some of the all-time greats— Edgar Allan Poe, George R.R. Martin, J.K. Rowling, C.S. Lewis, and Agatha Christie are among the many that have admitted to being shy. Which makes me wonder how they would fair in today’s marketplace if they were just starting out. My initial thought is they would fail—despite their brilliant prose—because today authors must speak if they want to get the word out.

Here’s where I’ll point out that authors aren’t the only ones afraid of public speaking. It turns out that getting up in front of a crowd tops the list of American phobias. Over 25% of those polled say they would rather face drowning, bugs and snakes, heights, and claustrophobia among other perceived scary situations than get sweaty palms at a podium.

So, what’s an author to do?

Get better at public speaking! Get better the way we improve at anything. Practice! Practice! Practice!

Note here that in another life I spent a great deal of time in front of a microphone when I was a TV sportscaster. And over a 20-year period in the classroom I taught communications skills. So let me pause for a moment to put on my teacher’s cap…Okay. Good!

Admittedly, I’m a bit of a ringer since I spent a lot of years holding a microphone when I was a sportscaster, still I believe anyone can master public speaking skills.

Now, the first thing to remember is that you have a whole lot to say. You would not write books if you weren’t bursting with ideas, which means there’s plenty of material to mine for interesting things to talk about. So banish the terror of standing speechless before a mic.

With that in mind, you bravely agree to speak to a local book club, so the first thing to do is ask about expectations and the venue.  Where and when will you be speaking? How long will you be speaking? Is there specific information the host would like you to touch on? Will you be taking questions? Will you be at a podium? (For those feeling skittish, a podium can be helpful in hiding shaky knees and gives one a spot to place notes, as well as something to hold on to. While a podium might not always be available, it never hurts to ask.)

And now it’s time to decide what you want to say.

“Oh, gosh!” you’re probably thinking. “How do I begin?”

Glad you asked! Simply, in a few sentences, introduce yourself. While the host will no doubt give you a brief introduction, have your own prepared. And make sure to say how happy you are to have been invited, even if it’s a complete lie because your gut is churning and all you want to do is run away. Calm your nerves by remembering the folks at the book club are not mean high school kids who are waiting for you to fail so they can laugh at you. They want you to be great. So tamp down the terror and smile!

As for the talking points, take into account what the host suggested. Did she ask you to discuss your new book? Marketing tips? Why a weekly blog is important? The everchanging world of publishing? Take that assignment seriously. Do some research, but you don’t have to be an expert. Just share your personal experiences.

If the host didn’t specify a particular subject, talk about what inspired you to write your book, describe the main characters, briefly outline the plot without giving away any spoilers, describe the setting and explain why it’s important to the story, and talk about the road to publication.

It’s important that your talk is conversationl in style and that you make eye-contact with those in the audience.

Once you’ve got all the ingredients assmbled, practice your speech in the mirror. And if you’re concerned that you might lose your train of thought, feel free to keep some notes, but never type out your speech and try to memorize it. Go for the conversational approach and remember to make frequent eye contact with the members of your audience. It’s also nice if you can inject some humor at your own expense. Don’t shy away from the times when things went horribly wrong. I’m betting your audience will be able to relate to your disappointments more than your successes.

Later, after you’ve collapsed in your car, taken a few calming breaths, and checked your watch to see if it’s even remotely close to cocktail time, think about your performance. Note what went well, what went wrong, and how you can improve the next time, because there must be a next time. Remember earlier when I said “Practice! Practice! Practice!”? Well, I meant it.

Because public speaking opportunities are not all that common for most of us, I have a secret weapon in regard to practicing. It’s called podcasts. Because I’m way too lazy to do my own, I offer myself as a guest on other people’s programs. I subscribe to a service for $15 a month. (I use podcastguests.com, but there are probably others.) Twice a week, I get a list of podcasters looking for guests. Here’s where I’ll recommend that you don’t limit yourselves to literary podcasts, instead be willing to talk about anything you feel comfortable speaking about, because almost always the podcaster will get down to your books and a link to your website, which even happened when I was a guest on a program about caring for stray cat populations. There are podcasts on thousands of subjects, so don’t be shy. And be happy to be appear on any podcast. I’ve been interviewed by a 14-year old and had a blast. I’ve been on podcasts that have aired hundreds of shows and others that have only done ten. Every one is an opportunity.

And here’s the thing. If you don’t like how you did on a podcast, you don’t have to share it. Like the book talk, ask yourself, “What could I have done better?” Then make adjustments and put yourself out there again.

I promise you’ll catch on. And then don’t be surprised if, eventually, you find yourself loving that microphone.

You can check out my podcast page here.

Your Forgotten Sons

Inspired by a true story

Anne Montgomery

Bud Richardville is inducted into the Army as the United States prepares for the invasion of Europe in 1943. A chance comment has Bud assigned to a Graves Registration Company, 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 secretive nature and shadowy past leave 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?

Release Date: June 6, 2024

Universal Buy Link

Amazon

Apple Books

Barnes & Nobel

Google Books

Kobo

Bookstores, libraries, and other booksellers can order copies directly from the Ingram Catalog.

Anne Montgomery’s novels can be found wherever books are sold.

Goodreads

Amazon

.

Life after sports: Athletes need to have a plan

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Like a lot of sports fans, I’ve been thinking about Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa who suffered his third NFL concussion in a recent game against the Buffalo Bills. Understandably, the question now is whether the 26-year-old should continue donning a helmet.

Dec 27, 2021; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) calls for the ball from center Michael Deiter (63) against New Orleans Saints during the first half at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

In recent years, the medical community has shined a light on the devastating effects concussions can have on a person’s quality of life. The links between Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Alzheimer’s, and dementia are frightening clear. Note that in the case of CTE, the degenerative brain disease has been confirmed through autopsies in 345 out of 376 former NFL players.

Logic would dictate that Tua—who has guaranteed compensation to the tune of $167 million dollars, though exactly how much he would retain is not yet clear—should retire, especially considering that he has a wife and two young children. And yet, Tua says he wants to play again.

Dr. Myron Rolle, an American neurosurgeon and Rhodes Scholar who is currently doing a Pediatric Neurosurgery Fellowship at John’s Hopkins, shared the following on Instagram. “I would hate to see him fall down this pathway of wanting to play this sport, wanting to be tough for your teammates, wanting to be on the field, wanting to not disappoint people…I hope we can get to him…to speak life into him and protect him from himself. For him, it’s time to step away. It’s time to rest and recover and to put away any ideas of retuning to play.”

Note that Rolle understands Tua’s world more than you might expect. The former safety played football at Florida State, then spent three seasons in the NFL with the Tennessee Titans and the Pittsburg Steelers, before he retired and turned to medicine. I heard him speak in a CNN interview recently where he admitted that he also had a difficult time hanging up his cleats, even though he had another career waiting for him.

It was that last part that caught my attention. That Rolle had a plan for the years after football. Which made me wonder how many young athletes have the foresight to see beyond the game to a time when their skills and bodies decline and they are no longer competitive, but when they have many more years to live.

Dr. Myron Rolle, a former NFL player turned neurosurgeon, understands Tua Tagovailoa’s desire to stay in the game, but is hoping the quarterback will retire.

As a former high school teacher, I can’t count the number of times teenage boys insisted that their only goal was to play professional football, basketball, or baseball. I would then gently point out that those few who make it to the pros rarely play more than four years. “What do you want to do after that?” I’d say. Blank stares were all I got in return.

I looked into Rolle’s background to see what made him different. I smiled when I read that on top of participating in high school football, basketball, and track, he sang in a school theater production, played saxophone in the band, and was the sports editor for the student newspaper.

Why is this important? It shows that Rolle had interests outside of playing sports, something I always recommended to my students. Participating in extracurricular activities can help young people move toward careers they might enjoy, an especially important idea for young athletes, since the vast majority of them will never play a team sport after high school.

Now consider college athletes who often spend up to 40 hours a week practicing, working out, playing, and traveling. When that commitment ends—as it will for 98% of them—what happens next? Are schools encouraging them to branch out and consider life after sports?

I will now share two personal examples, both of which took place when I was teaching sports reporting at Arizona State’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism. I’d expected to see some football players in my class, or at least some walking around the department, but I did not. My boss eventually told me that the coach forbade his players from taking any of our courses for fear they would fail a class and lose their eligibility. Similarly, one of my students explained that her lacrosse coach recommended she forgo my class for the same reason, but she wanted to be a sports reporter, so she took it anyway. I doubt ASU is any different from most universities that seem to value the athlete more than the student.

One wonders if the NFL, which teaches rookies about player agents, finances, education, drugs and steroids, alcohol and HIV prevention, might also prepare them for life after football. Somehow, I doubt it. But wouldn’t it be nice if they did?

So perhaps it’s left up to high school teachers—and lets not forget parents—to encourage young athletes to diversify their interests, so that when the end of their sports lives eventually comes, they will be prepared to meet a fulfilling future.

Your Forgotten Sons

Inspired by a true story

Anne Montgomery

Bud Richardville is inducted into the Army as the United States prepares for the invasion of Europe in 1943. A chance comment has Bud assigned to a Graves Registration Company, 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 secretive nature and shadowy past leave 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?

Release Date: June 6, 2024

Universal Buy Link

Amazon

Apple Books

Barnes & Nobel

Google Books

Kobo

Bookstores, libraries, and other booksellers can order copies directly from the Ingram Catalog.

Anne Montgomery’s novels can be found wherever books are sold.

Goodreads

Amazon

.

A PBS Tribute to Sergeant Joseph “Bud” Richardville

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Five years ago, my dear friend Regina Liparoto and I began a journey, one dedicated to telling the story of her uncle, Sergeant Joseph “Bud” Richardville, a man who served in the Graves Registration Service during World War II. Bud’s job—no doubt one of the least appreciated and most harrowing in the military—required that he locate, identify, and bury the dead.

I learned Bud’s story through a packet of 75-year-old letters and family oral history, stories Regina collected throughout her life. The result was Your Forgotten Sons, a novel inspired by Bud and those with whom he served in the GRS that was released this past June 6th in honor of the 80th anniversary of D-Day.

Recently, I traveled to Indiana where I met with Regina and members of the Richardville family, descendants who gathered to remember the soldier they never knew, but one they wanted to welcome back home.

And here is where I’d like to thank the people at Vincennes PBS for being there as we honored Bud.  You can find that story here.

Your Forgotten Sons

Inspired by a true story

Anne Montgomery

Bud Richardville is inducted into the Army as the United States prepares for the invasion of Europe in 1943. A chance comment has Bud assigned to a Graves Registration Company, 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 secretive nature and shadowy past leave 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?

Release Date: June 6, 2024

Universal Buy Link

Amazon

Apple Books

Barnes & Nobel

Google Books

Kobo

Bookstores, libraries, and other booksellers can order copies directly from the Ingram Catalog.

Anne Montgomery’s novels can be found wherever books are sold.

Goodreads

Amazon

.

Me and Calamity Jane

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There’s something I haven’t mentioned.

But first…when I was just a toddler, my mother began calling me Calamity Jane. Why, you ask? Because I was her child most likely to come home with dark bruises, or a splinter the size of a two-by-four, or a broken bone, or shards of glass in my feet.

This Marquis de Sade-esque, Chinese finger-puzzle device was not as fun as it looks.

I was constantly charging through streams and woods and climbing trees. I started ice skating at five. Skiing at eight. So perhaps many of my injuries were easily explained. Still the Calamity Jane moniker carried with it more than a hint of clumsiness on my part, which I noted each time my mother rolled her eyes after I’d had some sort of misadventure.

And now I’ve done it again. This coming after the last few years where I’ve met more surgeons and physical therapists and chiropractors and massage therapists than I care to mention. Note that while most of my surgical adventures have been to shore up long-ago sports injuries that have disintegrated with age, this was not one of those times.

Simply put, I tripped in a pothole while out on my morning walk. And to make matters worse, I cried! Something I didn’t do when I fractured my spine while officiating a football game or breaking my leg while umpiring baseball. Nor did I weep after two rotator cuff surgeries or cervical spinal fusion. Yet, there I sat, butt on the ground, clutching my arm, screaming like a five-year old with her hair on fire.

In my defense, the injury was pretty gruesome. My wrist was going in a decidedly wrong direction. When it became apparent that I was in shock and couldn’t walk, my sweetie pie placed me off the road and charged up the hill like Superman to get the car. Then Ryan returned and whisked me off to the hospital.

After the emergency room folks took a good look, it was announced that I had broken three bones, and—because I never do anything halfway—I’d dislocated it as well. “We call that a skateboarder’s injury,” a nurse commented later, which was a much better story than taking a header while walking, but one I doubted anyone would believe.

After a quick examination, a pleasant doctor asked to have a specific device retrieved, then turned to me and said, “I think this will be more humane.” My doped-up brain hung onto that last word, but it wouldn’t be until later that I understood.

Considering that Calamity Jane was a crack shot and a trick rider, I’m guessing she wasn’t the least bit clumsy.

After suspending my arm in a Marquis de Sade-esque, Chinese finger-puzzle device for 30 minutes, she squinted at my hanging appendage. “I’d hoped that might straighten it out,” she said. Then the doctor placed one hand around my black-and-blue wrist, gently traced one finger down the inside of my arm, and yanked.

I screamed.

Unperturbed, she put her palm on the dislocated spot and pushed.

I screamed again.

I screamed so loud, the entire, bustling ER came to a halt. A nurse stuck her head in and enquired if everything was alright.

The doctor nodded, then turned to me. “I’m sorry,” she said.

I faded a bit after that. But later I awoke to a kindly man with a big smile staring down at me. “We’re going to have to fix your arm.”

The next day that nice surgeon pinned my broken parts back together. I guess he straightened my wrist out too. I didn’t ask how, since I don’t really want to think about it. I haven’t yet seen the results, as I’m still in a cast.

And here’s where I want an “Atta girl!”, since I’m still a bit embarrassed by all that crying and screaming. Three-and-a-half days after surgery, I boarded a plane—one of five on my schedule—so I could get to a book tour in Indiana. I got through five live events and several TV interviews, but only because Ryan did everything for me. I needed a wheelchair to traverse the airports. I couldn’t dress myself and was barely able to even brush my teeth. I can still see him lugging all our stuff around like a pack mule.

 So, yeah! I’m a trooper! And I want a T-shirt that says so.

And, of course, Ryan deserves one too.

As for Calamity Jane, the woman was a renowned trick rider and a crack shot, evidence that she was clearly no klutz. So, from here on out, I will proudly wear her name.

Your Forgotten Sons

Inspired by a true story

Anne Montgomery

Bud Richardville is inducted into the Army as the United States prepares for the invasion of Europe in 1943. A chance comment has Bud assigned to a Graves Registration Company, 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 secretive nature and shadowy past leave 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?

Release Date: June 6, 2024

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A little smile can go a long way

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I while back, I was ensconced in a neck brace, the result of a surgery that had me unable to drive. So, my sweetie pie dropped me off at the health club for a nice soak in the whirlpool, a dip in the cold plunge, and a steam. I was feeling pretty good, as I made my way to a round metal table topped with an umbrella, where I sat and waited for Ryan to retrieve me.

As the health club is in the middle of a swanky mall, people were coming and going on what was a lovely, blue-sky-puffy-white-clouds kind of day. However, despite the ambiance, no one appeared the least bit happy. I watched people from behind my sunglasses. Maybe 30 folks walked by, not one of whom even attempted to make eye contact.

Note that in my neck brace I probably appeared slightly feeble, and at my age I could have been a grandmother to any one of them, so I couldn’t have appeared the least bit threatening. And still, there was a reluctance to communicate.

A young man strutted past talking importantly to himself.

A women pushed a baby carriage trailed by two small children. One little boy stared at me, perhaps intrigued by my neck brace. I smiled, but his mother moved on.

A couple marched by, heads down, grimly absorbed in their phones.

A dozen more people went by without looking at me or anyone else, at which point I started to worry about humanity.

Then, a thirtyish woman stared at me briefly and almost smiled. But she seemed embarrassed by the gesture, pressed her lips into a tight line, and turned away.

In the Psychology Today article, “Smiling at Strangers” Dr. Alex Lickerman explains that often strangers don’t smile at one another because they are so busy thinking about other aspects of their lives, that they are everywhere expect where they actually are.

But smiling, even at strangers, is good for us. It can trigger positive feelings that release hormones that help decrease stress levels. And, as Lickerman says, smiling at a stranger can be a kindness.

“To smile at a stranger in a meaningful way, then, requires we muster some kind of real feeling for them—that we care about someone we don’t know, if only in a small way. Thus, for me, smiling at strangers is a small exercise in compassion.” 

I will admit here that I didn’t always smile at strangers. But when I became a teacher, a peer sat me down and explained that it would be benificial if I could perhaps be a bit nicer. Eventually I started saying hello to anyone who walked by when I was on campus.

Today, I continue the practice when Ryan and I are out on our morning walk with the dogs. We say “Good morning!” to everyone we pass, and often the change in that stranger’s demeanor is shocking, a bright smile replacing what had been a dour countenance.

As I waited for my ride, I had pretty much given hope, but then a young man gave me a nod and a small smile. At which point, a fortyish women in black stopped, graced me with a beautiful smile, and called out, “Feel better!”

And I did!

Your Forgotten Sons

Inspired by a true story

Anne Montgomery

Bud Richardville is inducted into the Army as the United States prepares for the invasion of Europe in 1943. A chance comment has Bud assigned to a Graves Registration Company, 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 secretive nature and shadowy past leave 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?

Release Date: June 6, 2024

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Anne Montgomery’s novels can be found wherever books are sold.

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A soldier finally comes home

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Five years ago, my friend Regina gave me a mission. “Tell Bud’s story,” she said after handing me a bag of 75-year old letters. “Then we’ll bring him home.”

Bud was her uncle, her mother’s older brother, a man who like millions of others was drafted into the American military as the Allies prepared for the invasion of Europe during World War II.

Sergeant Joseph “Bud” Richardville was the son of sharecroppers and he lived in poverty in Vincennes, Indiana in a tiny home hard by the railroad tracks. As a boy, he was caught stealing food and coal, which landed him in what was then a home for wayward boys. At the Gibault School, Bud grew up, developed leadership skills, and discovered a love of baseball.

When Bud shipped out he did so as a member of the 606 Graves Registration Service, where he and his fellow soldiers performed probably the most difficult job in the military. Their task? Locate, identify, and bury the dead.

I followed Bud’s trail through the post marks on his letters home, dates and locations that placed Bud at Normandy on D-Day, in the frozen forests of the Battle of the Bulge, with General George Patton in Czechoslovakia, and at numerous other locations throughout Europe. But when the war ended, Bud did not come home. He was buried by his GRS brothers in a cemetery in Épinal, France.

Though Bud Richardville’s remains lie in an American cemetary in Épinal, France, on August 30, 2024, he was welcomed home to Vincennes, Indiana.

It was Regina’s hope that Bud could be repatriated and laid to rest alongside his family members in Vincennes, but those interred in the graceful American cemeteries that dot the globe must, generally, stay where they are.

So the book that tells Bud’s story and those of the others with whom he served is his homecoming. Your Forgotten Sons shines a light on the mostly ignored work of the men of the Graves Registration Service, those who toiled in the most difficult of circumstances to give the fallen the honor and reverence they deserved.

But there was more. On August 30th, 2024 a quiet group assembled outside the Indiana Military Museum in Bud’s hometown. Family members, friends, local dignitaries, veterans, and members of the press gathered to honor Bud. A plaque commemorating his service and that of the others in the GRS was laid. There was an honor guard and a 21-gun salute. A bugler played Taps.

And…there was a proclamation.

Proclamation

Sergeant Joseph “Bud” Richardville

Indiana Military Museum

August 30, 2024

WHEREAS, more than 80 years ago Sergeant Joseph “Bud” Richardville—a son of Vincennes—was summoned to serve the United States of America in World War II; and

WHEREAS, Sergeant Joseph “Bud” Richardville served with Hodges’s First Army as a member of the 606th Graves Registration Company, action that took him to Normandy on D-Day, through France and on to Luxembourg, Belgium, Czechoslovakia and Germany; and

WHEREAS, Sergeant Joseph “Bud” Richardville served in one of the most difficult of military capacities, where his job was to locate, identify, and bury the dead, the evidence of which remains with us today in the elegant cemeteries he and his men left behind; and

WHEREAS, we salute and pay tribute to the dedication and bravery of Sergeant Joseph “Bud” Richardville in the face of the heartrending duties he performed;

NOW therefore I, Joe Yochum, Mayor of the city of Vincennes, do hereby proclaim August 30th, 2024, as;

“Sergeant Joseph “Bud” Richardville Day”

in the City of Vincennes. And I urge our residents to observe this day in honor of Bud and his distinguished service to our country.

And so…Sergeant Joseph “Bud” Richardville had finally come home.

Your Forgotten Sons

Inspired by a true story

Anne Montgomery

Bud Richardville is inducted into the Army as the United States prepares for the invasion of Europe in 1943. A chance comment has Bud assigned to a Graves Registration Company, 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 secretive nature and shadowy past leave 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?

Release Date: June 6, 2024

Universal Buy Link

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Google Books

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Bookstores, libraries, and other booksellers can order copies directly from the Ingram Catalog.

Anne Montgomery’s novels can be found wherever books are sold.

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The crabby conundrum: Part deux

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Hermit crabs routinely need larger shells as they grow. They then take a new one and leave their old home behind.

And now that the flooding has receded and the lights are back on after Tropical Storm Ernesto…

Not too long ago, I posted a blog about the hermit crabs that periodically wander through my home on St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin islands. At first, the little guys startled me, especially the one that was almost as big as my fist. But eventually, we got used to them. Now, my sweetie pie and I just pick them up and gently place them back outside.

Then we discovered the crabs were looking for something: crabby real estate. It seems they grow out of their shells and often congregate to switch out, a situation where hopefully everyone crawls away with the perfect place to live, until it’s time again to upsize. Since we live above a rocky beach, Ry and I headed out to gather some shells, which we placed in a corner of the patio, so we periodically get to watch the crabby get-together and find joy when they all wander off in their new digs.

Sargassum seaweed can pile up on beaches in great heaps, a result of climate change. (Photo by Mark Yokoyama)

Then something changed. There weren’t enough shells that fit, so we had crabs wandering around looking quite ill at ease in poorly-fitting homes, which prompted us to head back to the beach. But when we got there we discovered that huge swaths of sargassum had swept in. For the uninformed, sargassum is a red seaweed that in moderate amounts is a good thing. It’s a habitat for small fish and tiny sea turtles, is a wonderful fertilizer, and is, so I’ve heard, quite eatable. But with climate change the blooms have become massive, and when they come to shore the piles can become several feet thick, a red blanket that covers everything on the beach, so any suitable shells were impossible to reach.

Then I did what many of us do when we’re in need of something. I went to Amazon. And you wouldn’t believe how many hermit-crab shells were for sale. Great big bags of them. But whenever I went to buy some, I was told they were “currently unavailable.”

In a never-give-up moment, I called what I thought was a local pet store, but instead I reached a women on the mainland who told me tales of all the hermit crabs she’d provided homes for over the years, even explaining how she’d paint dates on their shells so she could recognize them whenever they returned. At first, I was delighted to meet a kindred spirit, but then I realized that perhaps we both sounded a bit deranged.

She explained that while she had no shells, I could call the Virgin Islands Fish & Wildlife people for some help, which I did. The woman who answered the phone paused for a very long time after I explained my predicament.

I dumped all my shells into a container on the patio, so the hermit crabs could find new homes.

“I don’t know anything about that!” She sounded as if I might be a danger to myself or others.

“Do you know of anyone else I can ask?” I said sweetly.

“No!”

The next morning, a large crab in a small shell pulled himself slowly across the patio. He was clearly depressed. (Don’t ask me how I knew. I just did.) Now I realize I’m not talking about a basket of kittens here, still I felt for the little guy and the rest of his poorly-housed freinds.

So I went back on line and eventually I found a women who specializes in all things hermit crab. In Tennessee. Amy at the Naples Seashell Company assured me she could ship shells to my little island, but her website encouraged me to measure the shell openings for each crab who required a new home and order an appropriately sized shell for them to move into. Note that some of the shells are the size of a pencil eraser and they get progressively bigger, up to the size of the previously mentioned fist-sized behemouth. While I did grab the tape measure, I realized I had no idea where the crabs live when they’re not sauntering through my home, so I picked out a whole bunch of shells in different sizes—note they range from an eighth of an inch to several inches—and placed my order.

My formerly depressed hermit crab got a new home and an instanat change in attitude.

When they arrived, I spilled the shells into a shallow pan, put them in the corner of the patio, and waited for the games to begin. At which point I noticed the depressed crab huddled in the corner. In a matter of seconds, he zeroed in on a shell and—with no quibbling about price or closing costs—hoisted himself into his new home, and then trundled off. I’m guessing he’ll tell the others some new dwellings are on the market.

I’ll let you know how it goes.

Your Forgotten Sons

Inspired by a true story

Anne Montgomery

Bud Richardville is inducted into the Army as the United States prepares for the invasion of Europe in 1943. A chance comment has Bud assigned to a Graves Registration Company, where his unit is tasked with locating, identifying, and burying the dead. Bud ships out, leaving behind his new wife, Loryane, a mysterious woman who has stolen his heart but whose secretive nature and shadowy past leave 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?

Release Date: June 6, 2024

Amazon

Apple Books

Barnes & Nobel

Google Books

Kobo

Universal Buy Link

Bookstores, libraries, and other booksellers can order copies directly from the Ingram Catalog.

Find Anne Montgomery’s novels wherever you buy books.

Goodreads

Amazon