Historical Fiction
Date Published: 10-10-2024
Publisher: Books to Go Now
Amidst the devastation of World War I, a young American woman named Abigale
Belorman discovers a profound calling: to restore hope to the WWI wounded
soldiers. In France they were called ‘Gueules Cassees’, or
‘Broken Faces’. Using her sculpting skills, she begins crafting
intricate masks that conceal the scars of war, offering a semblance of
normalcy to those who have endured unimaginable suffering.
Colm Harp, a skilled metalsmith, is driven by his own wounds and a personal
tragedy to join Abigale's mission. His younger brother, Danny, has returned
from the war with devastating facial injuries, and Colm is determined to
give him a chance at a life worth living. Together, Colm and Abigale embark
on a journey of compassion and resilience, their work becoming a beacon of
hope for countless wounded soldiers.
As they navigate the challenges of war-torn Europe and the
limitations of early 20th-century medicine, Abigale and Colm discover the
transformative power of human will. Their story is a testament to the
resilience of the human spirit, the enduring power of love, and the
extraordinary lengths people will go to make a difference in the
world.
War changes all their lives, but if you can improve one
person’s life, is yours not for the better? What if you could help
hundreds? What would you give up?
Excerpt
The light was on and it was business hours. When no one answered, Colm tried the knob and found the door unlocked. He pushed it open a crack and leaned in listening for noise. He thought he heard a voice and gingerly opened the door all the way.
“Hello,” he called out and took a couple of steps inside, closing the door behind him.
Plaster masks of men’s faces lined the wall to the right and a long workbench stretched along the left wall. From somewhere out of sight, peat burned. The odor reminded him of Ireland and his hearth at home. Pieces of dry clay, chisels, carving tools, and other evidence of numerous projects were spread over the bench in the large room, which had a tidy appearance.
He believed the shop was empty of workers at first, but then a small man in gray overalls moved out from the shadow of a dingy window.
“Bloody hell,” the man cursed aloud, except it wasn’t a man. The female railed on, “Bollocks. Why won’t this work!”
There is no way that this could be the diplomat’s wife. The shop’s location baffled him but now he wondered why she’d hire a woman whose coarse language was apparently commonplace to her. Then again, Mrs. Spenser was American. Americans had a reputation for their disregard of propriety.
About the Authors
Broken Faces is a collaborative new fiction from Chris Karlsen, the winner
of the NYC Big Book Award and Chanticeer’s Global First Prize for
historical suspense.
Jennifer Conner has over 80 books and has landed in the Amazon top twenty
authors.
Contact Links
Chris Karlsen
Jennifer Conner Website
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