PamelaZdenekBooks
Frequently Asked Questions
From The Back Cover...
The spirit of The Southern Cross is one that is being lost every day as the veterans of World War II leave these earthly bonds for ones they have earned in Heaven. From a true tragedy and rescue mission in a small, sleepy shipbuilding harbor in Maine, to the shadowy auspices of the spy world in Washington D.C., it winds through the vast Pacific to the far reaches of Australia. A daring escape during the bombing of Manila in the Philippines brings the characters to the codebreaking world of the “Bletchley Parks” of Australia, in Melbourne and Brisbane.
A powerful tale of tragedy, the passionate romances during this era, and the ensuing winds of war encircles the incredible bonds of two hearts that once beat together simultaneously in the womb; two souls separated by fate, and by the heartbreak that destiny sometimes brings to our lives, changing our life paths forever.
The heart of every word is dedicated to those who have lost someone they loved very deeply, and for those who have been immediately forced by exigent circumstances to pick up the shattered pieces of their soul and carry on, for survival.
Author Pamela Zdenek
A Little More About Me...
I am quite passionate about history, travel, and especially, optimizing life with my family. An equal passion has always been writing poetry, short stories, and “practice” novels. The idea for my first historical fiction novel, The Southern Cross, was spawned while sitting at Douglas MacArthur’s desk in Brisbane, Australia, where he conducted much of the war. I lived in Brisbane for almost two years, enjoying research for the book and relishing every moment in the spectacular scenery of this exquisite country. The beauty of historical fiction is that with history as the ever-fascinating backdrop, fictional characters add the elements of natural human faults and foibles that greatly enhance the facts surrounding actual events.
I returned to Texas after our stint in Australia. In my spare time, my hobbies are pickleball, ethnic cooking, hiking trips, and adventure traveling to foreign countries with my wonderful husband of over 42 years. Together, we have raised four children, who eventually “fled the homeland”, scattering throughout Texas, Colorado, and California. Hence, the vast travel. Prior to writing novels, I worked in the energy field in regulatory and government affairs, serving on numerous committees, and representing corporations in industry organizations. I now write full-time and am working on my second novel, “The Southern Cross” sequel, Cygnus.
In 2014, Mark and I moved to Brisbane, after he was selected to represent his company in a consortium of American, Chinese, and Australian companies in the energy industry. As the political winds often move, my long-term position with an Australian wind farm company was phased out when the new Australian PM greatly favored coal over wind. I found myself with far too much time on my hands while my husband was working. So, I bravely got behind the wheel of our new Honda, learned to drive on the “other” side of the road (by much trial and error!), and off I explored!
One of my favorite spots, “Down Under,” was on Main Beach, near Surfers Paradise. The hideaway place where I parked was near a beautiful rise of dunes that heralded an exquisite view of the Pacific Ocean on one of Australia’s most famous beaches. As you traversed a tiny wooden bridge across the small rise of pristine white sand, you found absolute paradise on the other side.
Sitting on ‘my spot’ at this beach under a shaded palm, I was mesmerized, watching the crystal blue waters crash onto the shoreline before me. The sounds of the exquisite birds endemic to Queensland, Australia… the sight of the waves as they made their way to shore, the warmth of the sunshine on my face… this was my own little slice of Heaven. I began to dream of the novel. I would close my eyes and picture the scenes as they unfolded.
Words have always flown from my mind to my heart and onto paper fairly easily. So what began as a few pages on my laptop quickly formulated into the idea of a novel about Australia~ the people, their fortitude, their joie de vivre, and especially, the epic battles they fought in protecting this beautiful nation during World War II.
How Were the Characters Formed?
The story weaves itself first around twin sisters, Americans Kerri and Kate Yeager, raised in Maine in a small town that houses an active naval shipyard. They found themselves on opposite sides of the world at the initiation of the war. I’m an identical twin myself, and I wanted to honor the incredible and extensive bonds that twins form at birth. It is a unique and profound identity of two people who share their in-utero life, and define their personalities as part of a “whole” being split at conception. The separation of such an indelible bond represents the anguish of a world divided. I lost my beautiful twin several years ago, and I well know the profound pain of such separation. The sisters’ story depicts the best of our bravery during times of loss, our commitment to our goals, and our resilience during the worst of times.
Sean Stuart-Lawrence, the predominant male character, is a hybridization of both the British and Australian citizens who were caught up in the war, with families- and loyalties- on both sides of the world. The American doctors Tim Taylor and Patrick Danforth personify the adventure, the spirit, and the audacity of the Americans. These Americans formed a “brotherhood of soldiers” who learned to fight side-by-side with the Aussies, to conquer Japan in an area of the world thousands of miles from our continent!
As for the rest of the characters, I found so many fascinating individuals who, by sheer happenstance, ended up in the Pacific Islands as the war against Japan was initiated. After reading about the bombing of Pearl Harbor (and Manila at the same time, don’t forget!), the gruesome horror of Corregidor and the Bataan Death March captured my soul. The spirit of the people caught in the aftermath of Japan’s cruel occupation moved me tremendously. I was also highly intrigued by MacArthur’s escape. These characters were woven into the book, and their stories needed to be told. Some, like Chick Parsons, were true real-life heroes; others were created by hybrid characterization of many brave and heroic individuals. Of special note are the Filipino and Aboriginal characters: Danilo and Yarran. They represent their nations, and the honor, bravery, history, and beauty of their heritages. They are manifestations of their collective plights as a people during this time of war, and also, of their plight in the present time as well.
The Initial Setting in Maine, After the Prologue...What is the Connection There?
Two sister subs – the USS Sailfish (née Squalus) and the USS Sculpin – kept popping up during my research of the Pacific war. Because my daddy served in the navy in WWII, I have a deep affinity with naval battles. I decided to delve into their history. I was fascinated by the tragic sinking and subsequent recovery of the Squalus. And even more fascinated because the Portsmouth Naval Base where they were built (and the Squalus was restored) is actually where several of my husband’s relatives currently work. His grandfather also worked there in the past.
My husband’s maternal side of the family hails from Kittery Point, Maine, where the naval base is located. During his summer family trip there in 1981, when we were dating, it was arranged that I would come along to meet the family. It ‘sealed the deal’ for our impending marriage. I was smitten with him. And I fell in love with Maine. So, this part of the ‘Southern Cross’ saga was absolutely meant to be!
In Researching Your Novel, How Did You Discover the Context of Your Story?
During WWII, the U.S. subs were repaired and supplied just around the corner from our apartment in New Farm, Brisbane. There were monuments along the way of the Riverwalk where I jogged regularly. I began to wonder how the U.S. even got to this part of the world to fight the war! After exploring the former submarine base nearby, I began researching the historical aspects of Australia… and Brisbane. I happened across the MacArthur Museum in downtown Brisbane and discovered that the Brisbane base wasn’t just a stopover on their trek to the battles in the Pacific Islands. It was a careful and deliberate union of leaders – Australian Prime Minister John Curtain, United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill – that brought us here.
They were brilliant leaders who knew that if Japan divided and conquered us, we would be lost. If the Japanese conquered Australia and Germany conquered Great Britain, the U.S., who came into this war later, would be fighting on dual fronts at the cost of millions of lives. I was not aware yet that MacArthur conducted much of the war from this country and from his office in Brisbane! But at this point, I was already hooked!
Why Australia?
Why Brisbane?
And how did MacArthur and his entourage arrive, plan, and successfully strike the Philippines from this vantage point? The truth, and the ever-changing political aspects of war, manifested from all corners of the globe… and I knew this was a story that had to be told.
