Penelope Marzec: Guest Post: SEARCH LIGHT by Annette O'Hare

Wednesday, July 12, 2023

Guest Post: SEARCH LIGHT by Annette O'Hare

My guest today is Annette O’Hare, an award-winning author of inspirational romance from a bygone era. Her love for preserving history shines through in her novels. Drawing on her background in drama and comedic sketch writing, Annette desires to reveal the love of God to her readers while hopefully giving them something to smile about. She and husband Dan live in Southeast Texas and enjoy spending time with family, RVing, and saltwater fishing.

Annette's latest release is SEARCH LIGHT, is a Bolivar Lighthouse inspirational historical.

Read the blurb!

In 1942, Women’s Army Corporal, Pauline Lopez is on duty atop the Bolivar Point Lighthouse. Her job: to spot German submarines in the Gulf of Mexico responsible for sinking supply ships bound for the U.S. When Pauline reports enemy activity, the call is deemed a false alarm, soiling her military reputation.
Pauline meets Army Air Corps pilot, Captain Frank Chessher at a USO dance. Frank believes Pauline’s story, but the next time she reports enemy activity, no one believes her.
Will Frank hear her mayday call and come to her rescue, or will she become another casualty of war?

Read an excerpt:

   Mary Ellen was right. No sane person would risk coming anywhere near the Texas Gulf Coast
with the fortifications of the United States behind it. And yet somehow, freighters were still being sunk or damaged and their crewmen injured or even killed by enemy fire.
   A glint of light flashed from the water. Pauline jumped to attention and raised the binoculars to get a better look. “Oh, my goodness.” She adjusted the focus wheel making the object appear crisper through the eyepieces. She turned to her friend.
   “What is it now?” Mary Ellen’s devil may care manner annoyed Pauline.
   “Come here. I need you to see this.”
   Mary Ellen’s shoulders drooped; her head dipped to the side. “Really?”
   Pauline pleaded with her eyes. “Yes, really!”
   “All right.” Mary Ellen groaned and rose from the floor with the speed of a wounded tortoise.
   “Would you please hurry?”
   “Okay, okay.”
   Pauline took the binocular strap from around her neck and handed them to Mary Ellen. She pointed out the window. “Look down there, directly to the south. It’s in the water just west of Fort Travis.”
   “It’s pitch black. I can’t see a thing. What am I looking for?”
   “In the water close to shore. Can’t you see it?”
   Mary Ellen sighed. “No. What… Hey, wait a minute.”
   “Do you see it now?”
   “Yes.” Mary Ellen giggled and continued looking through the binoculars. “Oh, boy, those guys are going to be in a heap of trouble.”
   “What? Give me those.” Pauline yanked the eyeglasses from her hands.
   “Hey!”
   Pauline took another look, confirming what she’d seen before, and lowered the binoculars.
   “What do you think you’re seeing? Because I see a rubber raft full of men, rowing toward Galveston Island.”
   “Calm down, Pauline.”
   “How can I calm down when we’ve just spotted the main thing, we were warned to keep a look out for? What is wrong with you?” Pauline trembled.
Mary Ellen grasped her friend’s forearms to steady her. “Come on now. You need to get a grip on yourself.” She gave her a reassuring gaze. “Now listen to me. I don’t want either one of us looking like a couple of fools for calling this in. It looks to me like a bunch of kids out on a jaunt. You know how kids are. School is out, and they’re all up to no good.” Mary Ellen giggled. “They probably stole their pop’s raft. So, what do you say, can’t we just let this one go?”
   Pauline steeled her body, willing away the shuddering inside her. She ripped her arms away from Mary Ellen’s grip on her. “I can’t believe you. This is a matter of national security.”
   Raising her hands, Mary Ellen backed away, she puffed out her chest. “Look, I just don’t want you getting called on the carpet by the Little Colonel for reporting mischievous schoolboys having a little fun on a nice summer night.”
   Chatter crackled over the two-way radio, drawing their attention. Pauline picked up the handset from the floor and started for the door. The long cord trailed behind her. “I’m going back out to get a better look.”
   “Suit yourself.”