Family of Spies Launched!

It's official! 

Family of Spies has launched and will land on bookstore shelves over the next few weeks.

My thanks to everyone who came out to McNally Robinson Bookseller's to celebrate. 

What a party!

Jamie and I. Excited. Nervous. Pens ready.

Illustrator, Jamie Gatta and I, were thrilled to see so many students from Beaumont School. And of course I was proud to introduce Kennedy who created the awesome Family of Spies' book trailer, which you can view here: Family of Spies Book Trailer.

McNally's atrium was packed with kids, adults, friends, and family and looking on a sea of smiling faces, is something I will never forget. 

Family of Spies was inspired by family lore that swirls around my grandfather's still-sealed World War 2 records and my cousins from across North America, including Hawaii, flew to Winnipeg for this event. We quickly planned a Winnipeg Crawford family reunion and re-introduced ourselves after decades of separation. Books aren't just about getting lost in a good story, they can bring families together! At least they are, if you are a FAMILY OF SPIES! 

Gorgeous cookies by Prairie Ink.

(See what I did there? Clever, yes?)

A huge thank you to McNally's launch staff who seamlessly guided the afternoon. You make every author, whether they've published one book or twenty-five books, feel like J.K. Rowling.

Family of Spies was completed on the day movers arrived at our home in Hertford, England to pack us for our return to Canada. While in England, I met two writers through The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators and we formed a critique group called, The Streamers. (Named after our pub, The Millstream. Of course.) This novel would remain unfinished if it weren't for The Streamers. Alice and Louise graciously agreed to do my book launch introduction via video, and as expected everyone found them as funny, thoughtful, and amazing as I do. As they took us down "memory lane" of how we three met and worked so well together, my heart was full. I am happy to say, The Streamers has gone international, and we meet via Skype every three to four weeks to critique each others work.

Two thirds of The Streamers: Alice and Louise from Hertford, England

Sharing the writing journey of Family of Spies

And then the presentation continued and in what felt like just a few minutes, I was signing books.

Thank you!

Signing, signing, signing. Smiling, smiling, smiling.

E.H. Crawford

 This day was made possible by Yellow Dog, an imprint of Great Plains Publications. 

Thank you for all you do for Canadian writers.

And my thanks to my cousin, Jim Crawford of Newfoundland - our family historian. Thank you for helping me keep all our Crawford Harrys and Henrys straight. 

Finally, I am extremely grateful that I am fortunate enough to write books and find an audience who enjoys the stories I create.

Jodi

xx

Spies, Code Breaking, Secret Missions, Clairvoyance? Yes, Please!

When cousins, Ford, Ellie and Gavin, discover their great-grandfather was a rogue World War 2 spymaster, they must outrun MI6 and the CIA through the streets of Paris, relying on their wits and Ford’s newfound clairvoyant skills to unlock Great-Granddad’s spy secrets buried in the past. Great-Granddad hid something important to the war effort and these agencies want it back! Family of Spies, is a middle grade novel inspired by my Rhodes Scholar grandfather and his still sealed World War 2 records. He was a pilot with the R.C.A.F. and family lore of code breaking, secret missions, connections to Bletchley Park, and links to Canada’s top spy, William Stephenson fueled my imagination when writing this story.

This is the manuscript I finished while we lived in Hertford, England. I typed the final words while movers packed everything around me.

Hit my deadline with no time to spare!

Once back in Winnipeg, the revisions began. Darlings were killed, scenes rewritten again and again, sentences tightened, character arcs strengthened and now two months later, I journey down the path to publication. My upcoming days and weeks will be filled with writing engaging hooks, synopses, and queries in search of a home for Family of Spies.

Wish me luck!

The Queen's Rum Runner

I've started the research phase of my next book, which is an historical fiction based on my grandfather. He was a fascinating man, who died when I was only three.

The few memories I have of him are questionable. Do I truly remember my grandfather or are my memories only copies of the photos I've seen of him holding me as a toddler?

Every family has one person of interest. Someone who is unusual or extraordinary for varying reasons.  
My grandfather is our family's legendary member.  

With my grandfather, it is his war years that interest me most. But I can't look at that period of time in a vacuum; I must examine his entire life to try and understand the entire man.

His name was Edward Hugh Martin Crawford and he was born in Newfoundland in 1894. My grandfather didn't speak until he was seven years old - and as family history retells it, his first word was actually a full sentence. He was a brilliant student, leading his classes in academic achievement and earning the Rhodes Scholarship in 1914. He studied law at Oxford University and flew for the RCAF in World War II from 1941-1946.

When he returned to Canada after the war, he brought home an MBE (Member, Order of the British Empire), a serious alcohol addiction (which he later overcame), and experiences never shared with us.

When asked what he did during the war his simple answer never changed.

"I ran liquor to the troops."

Many soldiers don't speak of their time at war, and this was even more true of that generation. Proper manners of the time, pushed common curiosity aside. But curiosity abounds in me. It always has.

To stoke my burning curiosity, several years ago, my mom found his wartime flight log. Strange trips were recorded. And might I add, no mention of rum running.

Rumours of his involvement with famous spy, William Stephenson - "Intrepid" - abound. 

They both were Winnipeggers. Both geniuses. Both in the Royal Military.

Our quest to find out the truth has led my brother and cousins to request information from the RCAF. Every request has been denied and his records resealed.

Why? What don't they want us to know? 

This is what I've discovered so far:

"CRAWFORD, W/C Edward Hugh Martin (C5251) - Member, Order of the British Empire - No.2 Air Command Headquarters - Award effective 13 June 1946 as per Canada Gazette of that date and AFRO 660/46 dated 5 July 1946. 

Born in Newfoundland. Home in Winnipeg; enlisted there 10 May 1941 in Administration Branch; appointed Flying Officer, 14 June 1941. At No.7 AOS as of 18 September 1941. Promoted Flight Lieutenant, 25 March 1942. To AFHQ, 30 June 1942. Appointed Judicial Officer, No.2 Training Command, as per RCAF Routine Order 1731 dated 30 October 1942. Promoted Squadron Leader, 1 February 1943. To Northwest Air Command, 31 May 1944. To No.2 Training Command Headquarters, 2 September 1944. Promoted Wing Commander, 1 November 1944. To No.5 Release Centre, 5 January 1946. Retired 14 January 1946. Award presented 30 October 1948.

This officer has displayed outstanding devotion to duty and intense interest in the Service throughout his career. His wide experience in legal and administrative matters has been applied most diligently to the benefit of the Service, his brother officers and all other ranks. His attitude towards his Service obligations has been exemplary and has been reflected in the work of all those with whom he has been associated."
- Airforce Association of Canada 

This doesn't tell us too much about his day-to-day activities, does it? Certainly doesn't give us any clues as to what he was involved in, that 77 years later, the military still won't release information. What is the big secret?

My limitless imagination is working on overdrive.

Now I begin to dig through old letters, newspaper articles, read countless books on Intrepid and WW2, and consider our old family stories. Then comes the really fun part - weaving together historical fact with a fictional story line.