40's Archives - Author K. Williams

Op-Dec: Operation Deceit by K. Williams
2nd Edition, Booktrope Publishing

ISBN13: 9781620155820

Out now! Amazon Paperback | Amazon Kindle | B&N Paperback | B&N Nook

OP-DEC: Operation Deceit by K. Williams released today, Monday March 9, 2015!

“I just read an advanced copy of the work and I’m super excited to recommend this reading. OP-DEC is a World War II spy thriller. Fast paced and an edge of the seat reading. Carsten Reiniger is the most likeable villain you’ll ever meet.”

Get your copy on Amazon or B&N NOW!

Not convinced? Watch the Book Trailer Video and read the reviews:

“Williams’ World War II spy thriller brings to life a shadowy world of espionage, Nazis and secret agents, vividly evoking the pre-war and wartime eras, depicting days of chaos, confusion and uncertainty. The narrative crackles with intensity. She excels at historic details and characterization.” – Kirkus Indie Review”

“Op-Dec: Operation Deceit delves into a story of high society…[with] Claire Healey. [She] uncovers secrets that many with money and power would prefer to keep quiet, and Claire isn’t sure how far they will go. Op-Dec is a riveting read with plenty of twists and turns, highly recommended.” – Logan’s Bookshelf, Mid West Book Review

“…K. Williams’ determined efforts to draw the reader into the visceral and almost-tangible experience of the fatigue, hardship and duration of the journey…this diamond-of-a-novel, author K. Williams has a hit on her hands and a bright future in historical fiction,” – NY Indie Review

Reader Reviews:

“Great read from the start. This book pulls the reader in from the very beginning and moves swiftly and smoothly as it takes the reader on a journey from East Coast high society to the terrifying heart of Nazi Germany. The lively characters lead the reader through each phase of the journey, arousing the reader’s curiosity as to what will happen next.” – Cindy Cheney, Facebook

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“LOVE this book, Claire lives with her aunt after her mother is suddenly taken from her and put into a mental institution by her father. As Claire grows up, it becomes clear that her father is very distant and happy to not have her as a responsibility. After graduation, Claire is invited to her old home only to discover something very untoward about him. He works with the enemy! A Nazi stooge…

Claire and her Aunt are imprisoned by him and a very hunky Carsten and that is just the beginning of the book! The author has captured these characters and her description of them is fabulous. You fall in love with Carsten, even though he’s working for the other side.
Anyone who loves 1940’s America will relate to this story. Anyone who has never tried it really should!” – Ruth Watson, Author of The Voxian Series

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“K. Williams succeeds in blending the turmoil and danger of a historical thriller with a dash of conflicted romance. There is a constant tension surrounding and between the two main characters – a pushing and pulling laced with suspicion, distrust and a longing that must be sublimated.

World War II provides a backdrop charged with brutality, mislaid trust, sparks of sanity and descents into madness. Both mercy and manipulation punctuate events with love ultimately being the greatest defense against hate.

Op-Dec is a fast-paced, fun and furious read that’s not for the faint of heart.” – Natalie Williams, Wildlife Activist and guest blogger of The Blue Honor Blog.

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“I am currently about halfway through this book and thoroughly enjoying it. I find both the characters and the story very interesting and I can’t wait to see what will happen next. Definitely recommended reading!!” Amanda Baird Allen, New York

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“Op Dec: Operation Deceit by K. Williams makes you feel like you’re on the sidelines watching the action from the end of the first paragraph. The characters come off as real people, further making you feel like you are a part of their world. You feel for Claire and the struggle with her father. To the point where, for this reader, his comeuppance couldn’t have happened soon enough. Carsten, keeps you guessing from the beginning, but you can’t help but like him. And watching Claire fall for him, you understand why. It happens in a very natural way. I think my favorite character though has to be her Aunt. I was reading this thinking I want an Aunt like her. As for the action in the book it was like watching a movie unfold.

I finished Op Dec: Operation Deceit hoping for a sequel; because I don’t feel that the story is finished. I am hoping the author plans on following this up. I highly recommend Op Dec to anyone who loves a good spy thriller.” – Rachel Mallet, Saratoga Springs, NY

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“I’m not a big reader. Too often, when I read a book, I have trouble visualizing and keeping straight all of the characters, locations, and props. There have been so many books that I have started, but because I have trouble keeping those elements organized in my head I find myself getting lost and bored. However, if it’s a good story, I just wait for the movie. OP-DEC was different. From the minute I started reading it, it pulled me in. I fell in love with the characters right away and following them through out the story was a real joy… or should I say nerve-racking? The story is intense! I often found myself on the edge of my seat. Williams writes in such a way, that at least for me, it felt as if I was watching an exciting spy movie complete with shaky camera movements. Williams sure can write suspense! She manages to throw off the reader at every turn, keeping you constantly wondering what’s going to happen next or trying to determine who the good guys are. It’s super exciting! I’m happy to say that I had no trouble remember the characters because to me they all felt very real, each with their own unique personality and style. It is very easy to tell who’s talking just by the natural dialog. The locations were also vivid and detailed. So much so that there are certain scenes that are still, to borrow a phrase from Seinfeld, tattooed on my brain. One scene in particular where a grenade goes off still haunts me to this day. I honestly felt like I was right there and that my life was in as much danger as the protagonist. OP-DEC is a fun and must read.” Victor Anibal Rodriguez, Writer/Director, Albany, NY

Read the recent guest blog by Victor Anibal Rodriguez: OP-DEC: Operation Deceit, a Review by Guest Blogger Victor Anibal Rodriguez

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“I got a chance to read an advance copy of “Op-Dec: Operation Deceit” by K. Williams a while ago. I initially found it difficult to relate to Claire – I’m not sure if it was because of the time period, or the lifestyle of her circle, or maybe just because I’m not young and female. And based on the book jacket summary, I guess I expected more sleuthing and spying on her part. I felt that her “prying” was more along the lines of attentive observation and deduction. But I enjoyed the story – especially as the pace picked up. The characters in the book were great: her father grew more and more despicable as time went on, her aunt was feisty and protective and Carsten was fascinating. He was by turns ominous and protective, but always very mysterious. The settings were an integral part of the story as well. The author’s descriptions of the time spent crossing the ocean in a cramped, foul-smelling German U-boat being pursued by Allied ships was very good. Crossing France by car on the way to Germany allowed the introduction of some more good characters as well as the development of Claire’s and Carsten’s relationship. And forget Germany – by then you felt how trapped and helpless Claire and her aunt were (or were they?). To borrow from Shrek, this story is like an onion, and as the layers of deceit are peeled away, the danger and action keep increasing until the book’s conclusion. My first thought on finishing it was – there has to be a sequel now.” – Tom Pinto, New York

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“OP-DEC is a gripping story with many unexpected twists and turns. The author, K. Williams, had me fully engaged in this fast moving adventure from the opening scene. I would love to be there when they cast Carsten in the movie adaptation. I could “see” all of the characters but I have such a vivid image of him! The only flaw I can see is that it ended too soon–a sequel is a must!! Very well done.” – Tiffany Williams, SUNY Empire

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“This was not just a spy-thriller, but so much more. As more of a murder mystery fan, I found the intrigue and suspense, coupled with the action and descriptions of this book absorbing. The more I read, the more I wanted to read…” – Author Sahar Abdulaziz

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“Another 5 STARS for K. Williams. Once again, I picked up one of William’s novels thinking that it would be a nice, leisurely read. Nope. I was wrong–again. The next time I start a book of hers, I will make sure that my work is completed, my children are fed, and that I have enough time the next day to recover from what will certainly be a sleepless night devouring her words.

From the first page to the last, this book captivated me. The story takes off in the prologue, hooking your attention with murmurings of dark family secrets and a formidable father who will stop at nothing to keep them hidden. This book has it all: conspiracy, lies, history, Nazi spies, and that one character that you absolutely hate to love.

Aside from it being a fast-moving, edge-of-your-seat mystery, William’s thorough research and attention to detail add so much flavor to this story that you feel better about yourself for reading it.” – Elicia Hyder, Author of The Soul Summoner and The Bed She Made.

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More to come!

Coming soon! Movie reviews by K. Williams and guests…

In the meantime, enjoy this free read about The Psychology and History of Film Noir: Film Noir as Genre to the Present Day …

Joan Bennett leaning against a street lamp in a promotional shot for the film Scarlet Street (1945)

Noir is one of the most compelling film forms in the cinematic repertoire. Part of its allure lies in the darkness of the image, both subject and lighting. Additionally, noir is rich in symbolism and meaning, one of the best styles for the application of psychoanalytic theories, noir reveals the mind of the time it is made in and the minds of those who made and still make these types of film, including the culture and people associated with the filmmakers. To put it simply, once the surface is scratched, noir offers a deep well of thought provoking possibilities.

Theorists who appreciate the importance of those films considered illustrative of Film noir find a vast and rich landscape to explore. However, there is a struggle that remains to this day in defining just what noir is. The lack of definition has become a hallmark of this film form. Many theorists agree with James Naremore who stated: “nobody is sure whether the films in question constitute a period, a genre, a cycle, a style, or simply a phenomenon” (Naremore, 12). Marc Vernet explains the difficulty in nailing down a set definition, “The closer the object is approached, the more diluted it becomes,” echoing the psychoanalytic concept of the beloved object (Copjec, 4).

For some noir is not a definable genre, but an anti-genre, mirroring the quintessential anti-hero that populates its shadowy scenes (Naremore, 20). Wrought with “doomed characters who become obsessed with bewitching women,” (Hirsch, 2) noir was born sometime during the early 1940s. The period before and during World War II is remembered as “a complex, ambiguous, even contradictory world, but most of all, as a troubled world,” (Kleinegger, 129). These turbulent times were ripe fruit for inspiration that allowed noir to come into existence. For example, Wheeler Winston Dixon describes noir as reflecting a new perspective or sentiment symptomatic of the period: “Defiant fatalism was something new…a sense that there was a point where even bothering to continue to exist was more of a problem than it was worth” (Dixon, 25). Dixon’s statement is depressing, but reveals a great deal of what the filmmakers and members of the American culture faced at the time. Art is often an exhibit of cultural mood, or attitude. The emotions and stories contained in Film Noir features are sophisticated compared to this simple summary, often jumbled and knotted up inside of the narrative (Hirsch, 17, 74-75). To say that the American public was depressed barely describes the tones of the age.

Still of Gene Tierney and Mark McPherson in Laura (1944)

The 1940s were “a period when psychoanalysis was just coming into vogue” for Western culture (Dixon, 30). It was a period that produced a great many new ideas, all products of the decade’s turbulence, and former decade’s lessons. Film of the period can be seen as an evolution of styles, a response to cultural shifts and the expanding knowledge of the populace. For instance, “the public’s distrust of conventional authority figures…coupled with a fear of their own internal mental landscape” made noir a prominent cultural discourse (Dixon, 31). The decade of the 1940s was full of people who survived the Great Depression and the Great World War nearly two decades before. In the United States, cynicism toward authority and the American Dream was the result. Just as the emotional temperature of the nation was made by multiple facets of experience, Film noir crossed genres and styles. The ability of Noir styled films to cross genres was important to the business of Hollywood, and though they did not consider it a genre, they knew of the potential of such films to bring in the desired box office take (Copjec, 131). Banking on the historically burdened mindset of the American consumer paid off.

Still by Gunnar Nydrén/ Jan Emzén for Tree Leaf Films – Film Noir

In the following pages, a closer definition of Film Noir will be attempted, and the struggle with this elusive form will be explored. An examination of those details particular to the Film noir will be undertaken in an effort to decide if noir is a style or genre from a long gone time period, or one that continues in current film. History (both political and cinematic) and psychology will play an integral part in making these determinations. History inevitably sets the cultural backdrop, often cluing the viewer of film into the attitudes and ideas flowing through the period in which a film is made. In addition, psychology provides the means to interpret the noir images on screen, and to seek out the similarities among them to determine that they do create a genre and also exist to this day. Read More