D-Dames

by Laura VanArendonk Baugh

Four stories of women and elemental magic in World War 2. Meet young women finding both courage and powers as they resist the Axis forces in England (fire), Wales (air), Northern Ireland (earth), and Scotland (water).

Stories included are:
“The Second Great Fire”
“Land Girl”
“Depth Charge”
“Eryri” (2021 Realm Award for Best Short Story)

This collection includes the stories first just as they are. Then, through the magical expanding space of ebooks, the stories are repeated with annotations about history and author choices. This allows for an undistracted first reading and then some friendly chatter about the stories. Enjoy!

Book is approximately 50,000 words.

159 pages, ebook

About the author

Laura was born at a very early age and never looked back. She overcame her childhood deficiencies of having been born without teeth and unable to walk, and by the time she matured into a recognizable adult she had become a behavior analyst, an internationally-recognized and award-winning animal trainer, a costumer/cosplayer, a chocolate addict, and of course a writer.

Laura writes fantasy in a variety of subgenres as well as non-fiction in the art and science of behavior and training.

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Reviews

[Nadine Keels · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had yet to try any of this author's work before, but I went to her website and knew I wanted to read this short story collection the minute I saw the title and book cover.

I think it's pretty safe to say this is the only time I've ever read historical fantasy fiction based on World War II. I thoroughly enjoyed all four stories and their depictions of imperfect, believable, powerful women. They aren't almighty heroines who know everything and make nothing but superb decisions all the time (which would've been too over-the-top to be interesting). But these women are gritty and incredible when they kick into gear at critical moments, whether the actions they take are dramatic or subtle.

These tales have what I love about good short stories: sharp lines and meaningful details with no dispensable scenes. Vignettes like these reveal what's important and let it be enough, trusting the reader's discernment and imagination. Demonstrating how a story doesn't have to be long to be substantive, with strong characters.

Oh! And after reading the stories straight through, you'll definitely want to check out the annotations and bonus images. They're like dessert that's more than dessert.

I received a complimentary copy of this book for an honest review.

[Jeffery Maxim · Rating 5 out of 5]

A clever concept deftly executed. Each of the short stories is grounded in actual WW2 events, creating a great backdrop for four fantastic women to shine.