New Author Spotlight! IE Welcomes Arthur McMaster

Guest blog post by KC Freeman

What does one retired college English professor have to do with post-World War II thriller suspense, intrigue, and epic romance? In this particular case…quite a lot. 

Arthur McMaster began his career as a foreign intelligence officer so he knows the spy business well enough to craft an engaging thriller set in post-World War II. However, it’s his lifelong pursuit of lyrical creativity that infuses his novels with such beauty the reader may wonder: Is this fact, fiction, romance, or pure poetry?
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We had the privilege of sitting down with Arthur to pick his poetic mind about what makes his writing so special and to give us some insight into his latest literary masterpiece, In the Orchards of Shadow and Light (previously In the Orchards of Our Mothers).  

New IE Author Arthur McMaster

Arthur’s inspiration began with a curiosity about his mother’s older sister, Clare, who married a Frenchman named Berlangier. She died quite young, a few years after WWII. Being a guy from the American intel community, with a big imagination, he crafted a story where Claire (small spelling change) was an operative in the World War II United States intelligence agency, the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) which later became what we know today as the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Stationed in England, Claire meets her clandestine partner Jacques Berlangier – French Resistance leader. Naturally, they fall in love. The story bursts with secret stuff, suspense, and romance. 

Arthur wants his readers to see and accept that so much that matters to us happens by chance. We plan, yes, but when the right doorway opens, and anything is possible, we must allow ourselves to be open to walking through that door, as Claire and Jacques do, against all odds. They become more than they could ever be alone and apart.

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If you’re looking for eloquent, expertly researched, action-packed, historical romance and suspense with a unique, poetic voice, check out Arthur McMaster’s latest masterpiece, In the Orchards of Shadow and Light, coming in 2026.

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​For his most current work, the title, In the Orchards of Shadow and Light, is rich in allusion. Orchards and mothers both offer sustenance—physical, emotional, and even spiritual. The Berlangier Orchards, where mothers did so much to keep them viable while the men were at war, is how the legacy is sustained. There’s a second allusion, as well based on a poem by Auden, that foreshadows the idea of loss within such orchards. 

Fans of espionage fiction will love In the Orchards of Shadow and Light. However, Arthur believes the story will appeal to all historical fiction aficionados. He’d love to engage more with book clubs, too. 

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Arthur believes the story will appeal to all historical fiction aficionados. He’d love to engage more with book clubs, too. 

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Arthur started writing short fiction in high school, including poetry, even though he admits he had not yet realized that one must read poetry, get immersed in it, in order to begin to truly write well. He has published a lot of poetry and several short fiction pieces. He declares he owes his success to one professor in his undergraduate years who helped him to gain competency. The gateway for him was James Wright (volume, The Branch Will Not Break).
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Years later, having wrapped up his intelligence career, he trooped off to Florida for a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Creative Writing. He also wrote a bunch of stage plays, about half of them have been produced.  And now, in his third career, he writes novels!

Arthur, as a guy who has been teaching creative writing for years, emphasizes that characters are more important to good storytelling than plot. So, when he gets an idea, he chooses the setting and gives the main character a challenge. He prefers inner-directed challenges rather than outer ones since both propel the journey. Details are crucial and he diligently researches as he writes to deepen and sharpen the work. Arthur wants the reader to travel with the protagonist toward an end that may not be clear until the Volta, an Italian word for the Turn. He is also keen on cliffhangers.

Arthur's novel, In the Orchards of Shadow and Light, will be available anywhere you buy books in print and e-book from IngramElliott Publishing in 2026. 

Also by Arthur McMaster:

• In the Orchards of Our Mothers (previously published)
• The Whole Picture Show, (poems)
• Musical Muse, Wives & Lovers of the Great Composers
• Birdies Never Die
• The Spy Who Came Down with a Cold (poems)
• Need to Know, a Memoir ​

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Image by judymccleery from Pixabay