From This Day Forward
by Valerie Megeney

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From This Day Forward is an epic story about the search for a purposeful life, the many different paths of love, and the complex forces that bind people together across vast distances and in the face of great difficulties and through tough times. Losing his parents at age four, spending ten years in a Catholic orphanage, four years completing an apprenticeship program in the aircraft industry, and being caught up in the world’s upheaval and conflict made Walter von Bergen no stranger to challenges. Struggling to survive post-war Germany, with the Cold War between Russia and the Western world and the threat of a nuclear attack looming, Walter and Thea, his wife, feared for the future of their six children. A letter from a cousin arrives, asking Walter to go abroad to inspect a landholding in Quebec, Canada, which he purchased sight unseen. For Walter, it was the perfect solution, and when Thea, anxious and bewildered, finally relented after his promise to return within the year if he was not successful, Walter set sail on The Seven Seas bound for Montreal. Once on board, Walter meets a fascinating cast of characters, each with their own reasons for making the journey, whose lives will quickly intersect in myriad and lasting ways. But what does the future in the New World hold? Will Ingrid and her young son find the stability and freedom from judgment and persecution they so desperately need? Will Dan, the former journalist who delights in spreading venom among his fellow passengers, mend his ways before tragedy strikes? Will Thea change her mind about uprooting the family to join Walter in Canada after she discovers a letter that he has concealed from her? Will Walter’s shipboard romance derail their marriage?

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Valerie Megeney, the daughter of German immigrants, is a storyteller and world traveler who speaks German, French, and English. She actively participates in cultural events both locally and internationally. Her adventures include biking across Europe, climbing Kilimanjaro and Machu Picchu, swimming in the Adriatic Sea, and walking the Camino in Portugal. Along with other countries, she has savored the flavour of the Orient. She and her husband, Richard, reside in Pemberton/Whistler, British Columbia, have two children, a daughter and a son, and three grandchildren. "From This Day Forward" is Valerie’s debut book.

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Valerie Megeney