ORANGE COUNTY, Calif., Oct. 25, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Many individuals have gone through turbulent times in their lives. In author Sally Anne Grillo Artese's newly released book, "The Letters," she illustrates her family's story of living in France during World War II. Readers will witness the trials and tribulations that the author and her family faced, such as ducking into ditches and sleeping in hay barns just to survive the night. "The Letters" pens a raw tribute to the author's family's resilience and determination.
When Sally Anne's French father met, fell in love and married a young American woman, it was before Germany invaded France. "The Letters" is told through her mother's journal and her childhood memories which shares their life as her parents attempted to give their children a sense of normalcy in a time of strife and uncertainty.
The book also shares how Sally Anne and her family sat out the last four years of the war in their chalet, so close to the Swiss border that Royal Air Force pilots often came for shelter as they made their way over the mountains to the safety of Switzerland. Once they settled in the United States, Sally Anne and her family were introduced to a whole new life and a new set of challenges. "The Letters" can be thought of as a "how-to" guide for all the life lessons within its pages.
"I decided to publish my family's story to show how we overcame many obstacles during a troubling time in life," said Sally Anne. "I wanted to offer readers a view from my eyes as a child on what we went through during World War II. In addition to my perspective, I wanted to tell this story through my parents' letters which account the struggles they faced during a dark time in world history."
As a timeless study of family, it is especially relevant during this current time in the world where people feel isolated and overwhelmed by times of uncertainty. Readers will be captivated by her family's story and form a new appreciation for the life they enjoy.
"The Letters"
By Sally Anne Grillo Artese
ISBN: 9781665704151 (softcover); 9781665704144 (hardcover); 9781665704168 (eBook)
Available at Archway Publishing, Amazon and Barnes & Noble
About the author
Sally Anne Grillo Artese is the first daughter of six children born to Paul Jacques Grillo, architect, and Olivia Miller Grillo. Among the six children, the first three, including Sally Anne, have strong and vivid memories of a childhood in war-torn France. Sally Anne and her family moved to the U.S. as refugees after WWII when she was nine and only knew how to speak French. They were eager to quickly assimilate into their new life and started in Connecticut before traveling west to Indiana. After Sally Anne married her first husband, she grew in deep appreciation of the gifts her parents had taught her, especially her mother, who always was her mentor and role model. Now retired, Sally Anne resides in Southern California, where the sun always shines, and her garden always grows. Writing is her second love, after gardening, cooking, painting, and sewing.
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SOURCE Sally Anne Grillo Artese
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