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The Camera
A young priest, Father Leauvin, is sent to the front during World War One in Verdun, France. His faith is shaken, not by war, but by love.
At the steps to his church, Father waves at a charming young lady. He turns and goes in the church where he gathers his things for his voyage to the front. One of his things is a camera, a Tourist Multiple.
He has a passion for taking pictures and this singular hobby drives his bishop, Bishop Manteau, to wonder where Father Leauvin’s heart and soul reside, with Christ or with his personal pleasures.
The bishop warns Father to mind his feelings and his faith.
Father Leauvin goes to the front and is given an escort, Sargent Phillipe Bouchard.
Sgt. Bouchard is happy to have Father with him. He’s happy because to escort a priest around means that he’ll avoid going into no man’s land. No man’s land is the dead ground that lies between the German trenches and the French trenches. Machine guns, sniper rifles, mortars and heavy artillery have their sights on that void between the enemies.
Father is mortified when the German’s attack and carnage spills over onto his cassock; he runs onto no man’s land and offers help to a downed soldier. The soldiers leg is a meaty end and Father finds himself lost in the melee; his faith and courage flee.
After the attack, Father regains his strengths. He takes pictures of the wounded, dying and the dead for the sake of other people to know what happens in war. Afterwards, he admires a picture of a woman that he met and ponders life outside his calling.
Therein lies his dilemma. He’s unsure whether to keep with his calling to Christ or give into his personal desires.
At the steps to his church, Father waves at a charming young lady. He turns and goes in the church where he gathers his things for his voyage to the front. One of his things is a camera, a Tourist Multiple.
He has a passion for taking pictures and this singular hobby drives his bishop, Bishop Manteau, to wonder where Father Leauvin’s heart and soul reside, with Christ or with his personal pleasures.
The bishop warns Father to mind his feelings and his faith.
Father Leauvin goes to the front and is given an escort, Sargent Phillipe Bouchard.
Sgt. Bouchard is happy to have Father with him. He’s happy because to escort a priest around means that he’ll avoid going into no man’s land. No man’s land is the dead ground that lies between the German trenches and the French trenches. Machine guns, sniper rifles, mortars and heavy artillery have their sights on that void between the enemies.
Father is mortified when the German’s attack and carnage spills over onto his cassock; he runs onto no man’s land and offers help to a downed soldier. The soldiers leg is a meaty end and Father finds himself lost in the melee; his faith and courage flee.
After the attack, Father regains his strengths. He takes pictures of the wounded, dying and the dead for the sake of other people to know what happens in war. Afterwards, he admires a picture of a woman that he met and ponders life outside his calling.
Therein lies his dilemma. He’s unsure whether to keep with his calling to Christ or give into his personal desires.
121 pages, Paperback
Published August 15, 2017
1 person is currently reading
370 people want to read
About the author
Michael S. Lachance
10 books28 followersFor 2025, Happy New Year!
Released! Trailer Brake Romance, Doris and Gerald didn't know each other, but they knew their suffering with the loss of the love of their lives. Doris's husband, Joe, was gone and she spent her hours after work at home and in front of the TV. Gerald's wife, Linda, died of cancer and he sat at the dining room table with a stick pin and his hand hovered over the next destination, but he had no idea where to go next with his love gone. Their kids told them not to sit, heartbroken over their loves, but to get on with life.
So, they helped them hook up their travel trailers and get on the road. Doris and Gerald challenges were too much for them, but together, they just might overcome and fall in love again.
Released! Rodeo Clown, Emmett's a hot headed and hot body cowboy who rides bulls at the rodeo, drinks until drops, and fights at the drop of his hat. Michelle, his sister, was the only person who had any say over his bad cowboy attitude until William moved into a home down the road from them. To save Emmett after a deadly bull ride, William will have to decide if he wants to reconcile his dark past, save their friendship, and give up his savings.
Satchel of Secrets (a man on a mission to deliver answers to prayers) a
It's Such a Small World and Then, It's Not (In France, two men are brought together by Mona Lisa, a mallard duck)
Treaty of Versailles, The Power of Love, freshened up for 2025 with edits and new details!
Skipper Pete Books and Skipper Pete Travel on YouTube for book readings, comedy shows by me, and travel.
Every child starts off as a story teller. Michael's family lived in west Ft. Lauderdale, FL out near the everglades. He was a fort builder, horse rider, hiker, adventurer, Disney park nut, party-goer, bad at math in school kid, 80's child--David Bowie-Let's Dance, Prince-1999, Billy Idol-Rebel Yell, Neil Diamond-America, all the movies that made us human--Sixteen Candles, Uncle Buck (GIANT PANCAKES), Duckie from Pretty in Pink, The Breakfast Club geek, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Weird Science (mall scene), Stand by Me - Gordie Lachance (You have to ask?), Foot Loose (Yeah!), The Goonies (LOVE adventurers), and a closet case hanging with his gal pal at Backstreets and at Cathode Rays on the "other side of the tracks! in FTL"
Michael joined the Air Force. I did basic training in Texas and then traveled to California to Asia to South America to Europe, an island in the Pacific, and an island in the Mediterranean.
He traveled throughout Europe and will be in Paris April 2025 for more stories! His friend in Poland does not get Polish jokes! His other friend lives in Colmar, France where the Alsatian wines are brewed.
His romance stories are against the odds like the angry aunt who thinks a boyfriend soon to be husband should be thrown to the curb or the Roman soldier who battles barbarians for the love of his witch, the protagonist overcomes! Some stories don't always end with a happy ending, like China Town, but life is that way.
Michael is a member of Romance Writers of America, Goodreads Authors, and Amazon Authors.
Reviews are an author’s resume, please help by leaving reviews for any book you read, thank you and best to you this coming year,
Yours truly,
Michael
Released! Trailer Brake Romance, Doris and Gerald didn't know each other, but they knew their suffering with the loss of the love of their lives. Doris's husband, Joe, was gone and she spent her hours after work at home and in front of the TV. Gerald's wife, Linda, died of cancer and he sat at the dining room table with a stick pin and his hand hovered over the next destination, but he had no idea where to go next with his love gone. Their kids told them not to sit, heartbroken over their loves, but to get on with life.
So, they helped them hook up their travel trailers and get on the road. Doris and Gerald challenges were too much for them, but together, they just might overcome and fall in love again.
Released! Rodeo Clown, Emmett's a hot headed and hot body cowboy who rides bulls at the rodeo, drinks until drops, and fights at the drop of his hat. Michelle, his sister, was the only person who had any say over his bad cowboy attitude until William moved into a home down the road from them. To save Emmett after a deadly bull ride, William will have to decide if he wants to reconcile his dark past, save their friendship, and give up his savings.
Satchel of Secrets (a man on a mission to deliver answers to prayers) a
It's Such a Small World and Then, It's Not (In France, two men are brought together by Mona Lisa, a mallard duck)
Treaty of Versailles, The Power of Love, freshened up for 2025 with edits and new details!
Skipper Pete Books and Skipper Pete Travel on YouTube for book readings, comedy shows by me, and travel.
Every child starts off as a story teller. Michael's family lived in west Ft. Lauderdale, FL out near the everglades. He was a fort builder, horse rider, hiker, adventurer, Disney park nut, party-goer, bad at math in school kid, 80's child--David Bowie-Let's Dance, Prince-1999, Billy Idol-Rebel Yell, Neil Diamond-America, all the movies that made us human--Sixteen Candles, Uncle Buck (GIANT PANCAKES), Duckie from Pretty in Pink, The Breakfast Club geek, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Weird Science (mall scene), Stand by Me - Gordie Lachance (You have to ask?), Foot Loose (Yeah!), The Goonies (LOVE adventurers), and a closet case hanging with his gal pal at Backstreets and at Cathode Rays on the "other side of the tracks! in FTL"
Michael joined the Air Force. I did basic training in Texas and then traveled to California to Asia to South America to Europe, an island in the Pacific, and an island in the Mediterranean.
He traveled throughout Europe and will be in Paris April 2025 for more stories! His friend in Poland does not get Polish jokes! His other friend lives in Colmar, France where the Alsatian wines are brewed.
His romance stories are against the odds like the angry aunt who thinks a boyfriend soon to be husband should be thrown to the curb or the Roman soldier who battles barbarians for the love of his witch, the protagonist overcomes! Some stories don't always end with a happy ending, like China Town, but life is that way.
Michael is a member of Romance Writers of America, Goodreads Authors, and Amazon Authors.
Reviews are an author’s resume, please help by leaving reviews for any book you read, thank you and best to you this coming year,
Yours truly,
Michael
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
October 11, 2019
I won this book/novella from Goodreads and I’m so happy that I received this novel.
This descriptions of the landscape of war and each character is written in such a way that you could visualize the events as they unfold. In parts, I had to re-read sections in the book because I wasn’t sure which character was talking and what characters was listening.
In my opinion, this book was a conceptual piece. The reader is put directly in touch of the choices that are demanded of oneself or the choices that a person has the opportunity to decide under their own control.
Fascinating novel!
This descriptions of the landscape of war and each character is written in such a way that you could visualize the events as they unfold. In parts, I had to re-read sections in the book because I wasn’t sure which character was talking and what characters was listening.
In my opinion, this book was a conceptual piece. The reader is put directly in touch of the choices that are demanded of oneself or the choices that a person has the opportunity to decide under their own control.
Fascinating novel!
November 1, 2019
Unlikely
I liked the simpleness of the story. It did seem highly unlikely that the events could occur in real life as they did in the book.
I liked the simpleness of the story. It did seem highly unlikely that the events could occur in real life as they did in the book.
November 4, 2019
I won this Kindle edition book in a Goodreads
Giveaway. Thank you to everyone involved.
Loved the book. Amazing characters!!
Giveaway. Thank you to everyone involved.
Loved the book. Amazing characters!!
October 4, 2017
Great attention to detail. Made me feel like I was living on the front line. Didn't want to put it down until I knew the fate of Father Lauvin!!
December 2, 2019
Reading this book felt like i was right there with them. Not sure if it was a happy ending !?!? - I guess no war has a happy ending! Well written, i would definitely recommend ...
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews