Welcome to the Blog Tour for The Baker’s Legacy by D. P. Cornelius, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours! I’m delighted to have the author on the blog today to share some insight into the story!
THE BAKER’S LEGACY by D. P. Cornelius
GENRE: Middle Grade / Young Adult Historical Fiction
RELEASE DATE: March 1, 2022
PAGES: 168
Teen-aged Resistance fighter Liddy has persevered, going toe-to-toe with Nazi officer Keppler. Living out her faith has helped save the Mittendorf family bakery in Berlin.
But now, as WW II is winding down, the city is under siege by the Russians, and the family’s very survival lies in the balance.
The final invasion brings with it an unthinkable atrocity forced upon Liddy. With mounting misfortunes, she questions not only the viability of an unwanted pregnancy, but also her once strong faith.
Meanwhile, Liddy’s sweetheart and fellow Resistance warrior, Marek, who was snatched away from her by the Nazis, has been longing to reunite. Escaping from a gruesome work camp, he strives mightily to find Liddy, but time and again is re-buffed.
The end of the war brings hardship to all. But out of nowhere, the redeemed Keppler, imprisoned in a POW camp, comes back in a most startling way.
Sequel to The Baker’s Daughter, Illumination Award Winner.
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by D.P. Cornelius, author of The Baker’s Legacy
As we look at world history, what are some of the worst times that have tested peoples’ faith? Reflecting on that, I felt inspired to first read Eric Metaxas’ book, Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy. Afterwards, I pondered if I could write a story about some fictional teens reacting to the same WW II backdrop that the German pastor dealt with. Doing so, I believed, would foster the genuine value of historical fiction in revealing a time that all young folks should learn about.
To draw the reader in, I wanted to feature teens in a budding relationship, whose faith led them to do similarly challenging deeds, just as Bonhoeffer had confronted Nazism. Real acts of supreme personal sacrifice had to be part of the equation—not just talk.
When I read that Bonhoeffer’s letters were actually smuggled from his Berlin prison by some guards, I had a convenient set-up for my storyline. I made the father of teen protagonist Liddy a night guard there—involved in bringing the pastor’s wisdom to an outside world crumbling under the weight of war, and in need of inspiration.
Along the way, if Liddy would suffer through some experiences that caused her to doubt God’s love, couldn’t that love feel so much stronger if she were to overcome the obstacles? How powerful would that love become if it turned into her own sacrificial love?
The teen male protagonist, Resistance champion Marek, experiences many challenges consistent with the times as well. At the end of the story (suggested by the publisher, LPC), he gets re-captured by the Nazis. (I received some criticism in reviews for leaving his fate open-ended!)
Enter the sequel, The Baker’s Legacy. It relates Marek’s struggles as a prisoner-of-war to re-connect with Liddy, who is desperately trying to save the family bakery after medical and war issues waylaid her parents.
The story also deals with officer Keppler’s experiences in a post-war POW camp, including his new-found faith that had been re-ignited by Liddy. How could a Nazi officer rooted in such evil actually be redeemed? Perhaps only by someone acting out her faith, not just talking about it.
It’s an historical fact that thousands of German women were raped by conquering Russian soldiers as they stormed Berlin. In the story, Liddy is one such woman. (The actual event is handled very carefully with only minimal innocent language).
The issue of whether she should keep the baby of a hated father is dealt with, similar to how author Francine Rivers dealt with those options, including abortion, in her noted book, The Atonement Child.
The fate of the baby, as well as the bakery, are carefully revealed. Does Marek ever re-connect with Liddy? What role does redeemed German officer Keppler play? This tale of faith marches toward an uplifting conclusion, and I’m pleased the complete story has now been told.
CONNECT WITH DOUG: Website | Twitter
(1) winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card plus the winner’s choice of a signed book written by the author
(1) winner will receive their choice of a free signed book
Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight March 1, 2022 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on March 8, 2022. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US/CAN only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.
This giveaway is hosted by JustRead Tours, not RimSP
Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!
What about you? What makes you want to read The Baker’s Legacy by D.P. Cornelius?
Thanks for the chance to win!
Sounds like an interesting read.
Congratulations on your release of The Baker’s Legacy, Doug, I enjoyed the guest post and I enjoyed following the tour and learning about your book, which sounds like an intriguing and thrilling read for me! Good luck with your book and I hope the tour was a success! Thanks for bringing it to my attention and have a funtastic day!
I appreciate themes of faith in historical novels!
A meaningful, profound and memorable story which reflects the era. This book would be for my grandchildren who are avid readers and appreciate historicals and this unforgettable story.
I would enjoy reading as well as my granddaughter.
My niece would like this book.
Thanks for the contest.
This sounds like a wonderful book. Thank you so much for sharing. God bless you.