Captured, a Moment in France is based on this photograph taken in 1944. If anyone has questions about the photograph, feel free to contact me.  Chris

Original photograph - Sgt. James Weldon Mellody being escorted by six German soldiers through the town square in Elisabethville, France.

Colorized Original photograh, - Much easier to see Sgt. Mellody as well as Robert Mourand, a Frenchman saluting Robert from the far end of the square.

Adaptation of the original photograph. In it, a recent photograph of Sgt. Mellody's family visiting the square while being escorted by the Elisabethville Mayor. Pictured is Jo Nell Mellody, Jim Mellody, and Casey Mellody.

In this photograph is Robert Mourand on the right and Jean Mouginot, Philippe Mourand's two grandfathers and both featured in my book. Philippe is the person who discovered the original photograph. it was through his research that made it possible for this story to be told.

Sergeant James Weldon Mellody.

 After almost eight years of writing this story, it is finally available on amazon and for the kindle. Based on actual events that happened during World War 2, it's the story of Robert Mourand, a Frenchman, and Sergeant James Weldon Mellody, an American shot down over Elisabethville, France. It is a story that depicts two examples of the Greatest Generation. 

For the last eight years, I've been working on a 'based on true story' book about this photograph. The book is written, an now being edited. However, I still don't have a title. 

In this photograph, you can see an American airman being escorted by six German guards after he parachuted into a tree in Elisabethville, France. 

My story, is about how he got there as well as a separate story of the Frenchman saluting  him from across the square. 

The stories are about them individually before and during World War II until they are intertwined in this captured moment on film

The book continues on with their lives up until the European war ended. 

I'm quite proud of this story. I only hope I've done both men justice in my telling of such a somber, yet encouraging moment in history.

This is for James Weldon Mellody and Robert Mourand, two heroes from the greatest generation.

This past month, Kim and I took the opportunity to travel to the island of Malta for our summer vacation. Honestly, neither of us knew much about the place other than they specialize in a certain docile breed of long haired dog and their own cross symbol. We knew it was in the Mediterranean Sea, not far off the coast of Sicily and it that it is one of the filming locations for the HBO series 'Game of Thrones'. 

Once we got there, it really became so much more. 

This history alone is incredible. Starting with the Knights of Saint John who came out of Jerusalem and were given the island of Malta. They fortified it and withstood an extensive siege by the Ottoman Empire to the importance the island was for both the Germans and the allies during World War II. A fact we learned while there was Malta actually had more bombs dropped on it during the war than London did during the Blitz. They were on their knees and about to surrender when supplies finally made it through and they were re-fortified. 

The Nazi's wanted Malta as a launching point into North Africa and the allies wanted it for the invasion into Italy. The strategic location also controlled the entire Mediterranean, shipping etc.

We stayed in a home that was built by pirates in 1620 and was more like staying in a museum than a hotel. Even more interesting is the home is still owned and run by the original family that built it.



Here are a few pictures of truly my favorite destination in the world thus far.

Malta, here we come. Our Air Malta A320 and Kim on the tarmac at Valletta's International Airport.

Our hotel room, one of six in the building, and our reading room! This place was fantastic!

The rooftop terrace of our hotel. The Grand Harbor in the background. We watched fireworks from here the evening of their independence day celebration.

Managed to salvage a couple of my days of vacation by taking Kim to Montego Bay, Jamaica!!! Had a great time with my young bride.

It's been a really long time since I did any type of promotion for my four novels. Because it's been so long, I decided to write this entry with an explanation of each of them.

All of my stories have two main characters, Daniel Richards and his daughter Kylee. Every year, the two of them go on a daddy/daughter trip to different places in the world. It is while on these trips they truly have some pretty cool adventures.

The first story, called 'Whispers from the Past' takes place in the Netherlands. Here is a small blurb for this story.

Daniel Richards and his eleven-year-old daughter Kylee travel to the Netherlands on a daddy/daughter vacation. While enjoying the usual sights around the country, they also witness several things that are terribly out of place: things that should have only been seen decades before. While attempting to piece the strange puzzle together, they are mysteriously transported back in time to Nazi-occupied Holland. As they attempt to survive their dangerous surroundings, they are sheltered by members of the Dutch resistance who are fighting to liberate their country from the grasp of the German occupying force. Kylee quickly befriends a mute Dutch girl, and Daniel shares his expertise in aviation with her freedom-fighting brother. Although they become separated, they work independently to preserve the textbook history of the days leading up to World War II.

My second story, entitled 'The Inca Prophecy' takes place in the country of Peru. I'm personally proud of this one because it was my father's favorite of the first three. Unfortunately he didn't live long enough to see the fourth book come out. Here is a blurb for this one.

After arriving in South America, twelve year old Kylee Richards and her father Daniel notice that they are the subject of unexpected attention from many of the people they come into contact with. Little do they know that Kylee is the spitting image of a young peasant girl who was sacrificed to the Inca gods over three hundred years earlier setting off 100 years of prosperity and peace. Kylee finds herself in danger because of a rival tribe’s determination to regain the ancient favor of the gods. Now Kylee and Daniel must struggle to survive in the mystical country of Peru.

I hope the reader likes ghost stories!

My third novel is entitled 'The Kiwi Conspiracy' and takes place in New Zealand. Perhaps this story is a little darker but it's still written for tween aged children. It does contain a story of murder and is pretty intense.

And last, but not least by any means, is my favorite book entitled 'The Eye of Magog' which is another ghost story that takes place in Ireland. This book is for lovers of animals as well as Celtic lore.

My stories are all family friendly and exemplify the relationship I personally had with my daughters as they were growing up. Travel was always a very large part of their existence and personal one on one travel with me and incredible, and hopefully valued, experience.

Currently I am working on my first work of non-fiction, which I've been working on for over four years. It's the story of Weldon Mellody, a US Army Air Corp sergeant shot down over France during World War 2 and Robert Mourand, a French citizen who salutes him during their brief encounter.

Thank you for visiting my page. All of my books are available on amazon.com, or for the kindle and nook libraries. Please let me know what you think.

I really miss sharing my travel experiences in the travel section of the Deseret News. Since they did away with that section, I no longer have a medium to express my love for traveling and the places I've had the opportunity to explore and experience.

This last week, my wife Kim, my son Logan, and I visited Quito Ecuador. Talk about an amazing place and travel destination. I can honestly express it was one of the best places I've ever been.

On day one we went to Termas de Papallacta Spa which is about a ninety minute drive from Quito. Although not as big as the Tabacon Hot Springs in Costa Rica, Papallacta was really cool. There were several thermal pools with varying temperatures that were awesomely relaxing and therapeutic.

The facilities were clean and the grounds beautiful, again not as plush as Costa Rica but there is a huge difference in elevation and the ability to grow things at the vast difference in altitudes.

And the water was perfect for aches and pains, including Logan's broken foot he sustained at wrestling practice within a week before heading to Ecuador. It was a fantastic experience and shouldn't be missed if traveling to Quito.

On day two, the most amazing of our days, we did something I've wanted to do for more than a decade. I actually planned on taking my daughter Heather to Ecuador that long ago and riding on the horses of the Green Horse Ranch through the dormant crater of Vulcan Pululahua.

We mounted our Ecuadorian bread horses, and with our fabulous guide Sarah, went on a ride that will never be forgotten.

Since the ranch is located on the equator, actually termed middle earth, all the horses are named after Tolkien's Lord of the Rings. This picture is of me and my mount Samwise. (He was really shy about letting me take the selfie.

This picture is not perfectly clear but you can see how he was leaning away from me and the camera.

On the ride we experienced everything from different eco-systems to sunshine and fog. The rain started right at the end of the ride as the horses were being take care of. The entire ride was amazing. There is nothing like riding horses through the crater of a volcano. I really wish I had been able to pull this trip off earlier for Heather but eventually she got married. I am grateful Logan and Kim were there to experience it with me.

Thank you Sarah for an incredible day and good luck in your adventures! Also thanks to Astrid, the owner of the ranch, for working with our uncertain travel schedule as standby travelers. Also thank you to Sam (Nitrus), Gimly, and Mithril.

Day 3 was spent on a fantastic organized tour to Otavalo by Quito Bus Tours. This trip included stops at the Quitsato solar clock, Penuche Waterfall, a cruise on Cuicoha Lake, and the market at Otavalo.

The Quitsato solar clock was really interesting. The guides there gave us a whole different perspective on how the world should be mapped, with the equator running north and south. Here we could actually stand in both hemispheres at the same time while surrounded by active volcanoes. (no eruptions while we were there though thankfully)

Penuche Waterfall was a short walk/hike through some beautiful surrounding but a little difficult for Logan on his broke foot. He managed like a trooper and we enjoyed the falls a lot. The one thing I didn't appreciate was all the bites I got on my lower legs by some small bugs that believed me to be their next meal. I'm still itching 4 days later.

The Quitsato Market was cool and also where we stopped for lunch for two hours and shopping. It was fun to see the indigenous market, the largest in South America as well as to eat authentic Ecuadorian food in a number of possible surrounding restaurants.

The boat ride around the Cuicocha crater lake was pretty fascinating. The volcano is still active and you can see bubbles coming to the surface which prove it. I don't think I have the words in my vocabulary that would come close to explaining how beautiful and magical it was. Actually, looking around the lake for me was spiritual. Hopefully some of my photos will do a better job of displaying how I actually felt while there or maybe it wasn't the scenery but something more unexplainable. God does exist!

Ecuador is an amazing land! There are over 40 volcanos and 30 of them on the mainland. Several of them active and there are daily earthquakes. It is truly beautiful and awe inspiring to be there.

Day 4 was spent with us just traveling around Quito on the hop on - hop off tour provided by Quito Bus Tours and a taxi or two.

We were able to visit Teleferico which is a cable car that takes you way up on a mountain, providing beautiful views of Quito below.

We also saw the Basilica del voto Nacional, an amazing gothic inspired church that looks a lot like Notre Dame in Paris. Kim was fascinated the gargoyles on the church were actually animals from the Galapagos Islands.

We were also able to see the statue of the Virgin Mary of Quito which provided even more spectacular views of Quito.

We also were allowed into the an old Jesuit Church known as Compania De Jesus which had an incredible display of gold throughout.

Quito Ecuador is simply amazing! There is so much to see and

do and the people are friendly. I highly recommend it to anyone

thinking about going.