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http://phyllisschieber.wordpress.com/2010/07/26/dianne_ascroft/

Dianne Ascroft is a Canadian writer, living in Britain. She has been freelance writing since 2002. Most of her writing focuses on history, arts/music and human interest stories. She particularly enjoys interviewing music personalities and has had the pleasure of chatting with a variety of people including former Bay City Rollers lead singer, Les McKeown and the classical singing trio, The Priests. Her articles have been printed in Canadian and Irish newspapers and magazines including the Toronto Star, Mississauga News, Derry Journal, Banbridge Leader, Senior Times and Ireland’s Own magazine. Hitler and Mars Bars is her first novel.

Dianne started life in a quiet residential neighbourhood in the buzzing city of Toronto and has progressively moved to smaller places through the years. She now lives on a small farm in Northern Ireland with her husband and an assortment of pets. If she ever decides to write her autobiography the working title will be Downsizing.

Hitler and Mars Bars is the story of a remarkable child and era. Set in war-torn Germany and post-war Ireland it is the tale of German boy Erich’s struggle to keep his dreams alive in an alien world.

Growing up in a Children’s Home in Germany’s embattled Ruhr area Erich knows only war and deprivation. His beloved mother’s disappearance after a heavy bombing raid leaves him desolate and desperate to find her. After the war the Red Cross transports Erich and his younger brother, Hans, across Europe, with hundreds of other German children, to escape the appalling conditions in their homeland. Erich and his brother find new lives in Ireland but with different families. During the next few years Erich moves around Ireland, through a string of foster families, experiencing the best and worst of Irish life. He finds love and acceptance in some and indifference and brutality in others. When a farmer and his wife welcome him into their loving home and re-unite him with his brother he finds the family he craves. But his brief taste of happiness is dashed by circumstances beyond his control.

This is the story of a German boy growing up alone in Ireland. He dreams of finding his mother. He yearns for a family who will love and keep him forever. He learns his brother is his ally not his rival. Plucky and resilient he surmounts the challenges his ever changing world presents.

Filed under: book review | Tagged: Canada, Dianne Ascroft, Hitler and Mars Bars |