The Bookplate is proud to announce the next segment of their Authors & Oysters events at The Retriever Bar. All events are held in the back room of The Retriever. Greg Melville & Peter Jay were featured in the most recent Authors & Oysters event on October 29th with their books, Over My Dead Body and Timepieces.
Alix Rickloff
On Wednesday, November 2nd at 6pm, all are invited to The Retriever to meet local author Alix Rickloff for the release party for her new historical fiction, The Girls In Navy Blue. A gripping and compelling dual timeline novel about three women who joined the Navy during WWI to become yeomanettes and the impact their choices have on one of their descendants in 1968.
“1918 – America is at war with Germany, and, for the first time in history, the US Navy has allowed women to join up alongside the men. Ten thousand of them rush to do their part. German-American Marjory Kunwald enlists in the Navy to prove her patriotism. Suffragette Blanche Lawrence to prove that women are the equal of men. And shy preacher’s daughter Viv Weston in a desperate attempt to hide from the police.
Even as the US military pours into France and the war heats up, the three yeomanettes find friendship and sisterhood within the Navy. But all their plans for the future are thrown into chaos when Viv’s dark past finally catches up with her.
1968 – Newly divorced and reeling from a personal tragedy, Peggy Whitby unexpectedly inherits her estranged great-aunt Blanche’s beach cottage outside Norfolk Virginia. But her fragile peace is rattled when she begins to receive mysterious postcards dated from 1918 when Blanche served as a Navy yeomanette. Curious to learn more about her mysterious aunt and uncover the truth behind the cryptic messages, Peggy is drawn deeper into the lives of the three young Navy girls. But her digging uncovers more than she bargains for, and, as past and present collide, Peggy must decide if finding out about her aunt is worth the risk of losing herself.”
Critically acclaimed author of historical fiction, Alix Rickloff’s family tree includes a knight who fought during the Wars of the Roses (his brass rubbing hangs in her dining room) and a soldier who sided with Charles I during the English Civil War (hence the family’s hasty emigration to America). With inspiration like that, what else could she do but start writing her own stories? Her previous titles include Secrets of Nanreath Hall and The Way to London. Her latest release The Girls In Navy Blue releases 11-01-22.
“Rickloff spins a tale of friendship, loyalty, and secrets…an endearing account of the first women in the navy and how they proved themselves worthy.” — Booklist
“A beautiful coming of age under fire story that will live with the reader long after the book is over. This is truly WWI fiction at its finest.” — Aimie K. Runyan, international bestselling author of The School for German Brides
For more event details contact The Bookplate at 410-778-4167 or [email protected]. This event is free and open to the public. Reservations are not required. The next Authors & Oysters event is on 11/9 with David O. Stewart and his book, George Washington: The Political Rise of America’s Founding Father. The Retriever is located at 337 ½ High Street, in Chestertown, Maryland.
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