Diane Covington-Carter - Finding Gilbert: A Promise Fulfilled

Finding Gilbert

A Promise Fulfilled

Finding Gilbert

A Promise Fulfilled

Marshall & McClintic Publishing

200 Coyote Street #1122, Nevada City, CA95959

MarshallMcClinticPublishing.com

Copyright 2018 DianeCovington-Carter

All Rights Reserved. No part of thispublication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or byelectronic or mechanical means, including photocopy, recording,information storage and retrieval system, or digital media withoutwritten permission from the Publisher except in the case of briefquotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This book is set in Times New RomanText.

Printed in the United States of America

First Edition: June2018
Smashwords Edition

First Edition ISBN-13:978-0-9910446-9-6

Cover Photos

Front and BackCovers: US Navy Ships, Normandy Invasion,June 1944

Front Cover:

Bottom Left: Gilbert DesClos held by an American Soldier, June1944

Center: Donald Kenneth Johnson, officialNavy photo, 1944

Bottom Right: SharonJohnson, age 5 and Diane Johnson, author, age 3 with father Donald,as he left for the Korean War, Fall 1951

Author photo: Carrie Dobbs2018

To my father,

who taught me that love

is the most important thing

and to my husband, Landon,
for being the love of my life

Reviews for Finding Gilbert:

Writers Digest Self-Published BookAwards

Judges commentary:

FindingGilbert isnot only a memoir, it is a mystery. It is also a multi-layeredstory: through looking for Gilbert, the author also finds, in manyways, herself and her family.

The story is told well, in the authorsstraightforward and honest voice, and the reader feels a part ofher journey. And its satisfying that the book doesnt end whenGilbert is found; that happens just a little more than halfwaythrough the story. The story continues with her life and Gilbertsand his familys life.

The book has poignant moments; for instance,when Gilbert tells her that his father promised to come back forhim. The author does a nice job of not layering these with a lot ofsentiment, but letting the story speak for itself. She also weavesin background information, including family history and worldhistory, without bogging (the reader) down in unneededexposition.

Her choice to use narrative form is a goodone; the story is believable and she makes dialogue and events thatshe obviously was not there for work.

WritersDigest E-book Awards
Judges commentary:
FindingGilbert is a testament to how eventhe most seemingly unrelated happenings can have long-termconsequences. During the 1944 invasion of Normandy, theauthors father, Donald Kenneth Johnson, took Gilbert, aseven-year-old French orphan under his wing.

Although he attempted to adopt the boy, the capriciousness of fatetore them apart and Gilbert remained in France while Johnson wentback to his home in California.

Author Diane Covington-Carter grew up on herDads stories of Gilbert, feeling as though he was the brothershed never had a chance to know. She made a pilgrimage to Normandyin the early 1990s, a few years after her fathers death, settinginto motion a far-reaching sequence of events that impacted severalgenerations.

Part memoir, part detective story, this book is a testament to bothpersistence and the enduring power of love. The authorfaithfully recounts misunderstandings, bumps in the road andrewards as the two families fates begin to intertwine and theypopulate each others lives. This makes for compellingreading.
The power of a book whose underlying theme is at the end, its allabout who you love and letting them know is undeniable.

Readers praise for Finding Gilbert:

This book is truly, one ofthe top books I have ever read. I am grateful that Diane was ableto develop her love for writing so we all can delight in thetreasure of her writing style and stories. It was extremely hard tolay aside her words to carry on with my dailytasks.

Started it last night,made myself eventually go to bed; woke up at 3 a.m., read till 5a.m. and finished it when I woke again at 6:30! Wonderfulbook. Obviously I loved it!

I just finishedreading Finding Gilbert. It was really a great story. I couldn'tput the book down. Your book was more than I expected. Thank youfor writing it.

I started reading the bookthe afternoon I received it and kept reading into the evening untilI finished. A friend had recommended the book to me because myfather had served in WWII and always spoke of his time in Francewith respect.

Even though this book is amemoir, it reads like a novel. There are enough twists and turns tokeep you reading and the story is easily accessible to any post waror current family member. The search for Gilbert is a major focus,but the richness and delight in other themes that are revealed assurprises of destiny are moving, provoking and lasting.

This book would appeal to anyone interested in embracing thedestinies of life's paths, and the synchronicity of events makingsense in the span of a lifetime. I also learned more about theAmericans who served in WWII and my compassion for their serviceand bravery has deepened. I appreciate this author for sharingherself and her loved ones with us. I am left with an experience ofcelebration and love.

If anyone reading thisknows Steven Spielberg or Tom Hanks, please send this book tothem immediately. Finding Gilbert willmake a remarkable movie. This story has everything a great movie would wantfamily, Normandy, a youngwoman's story of growing up after WW1I.You will love reading Diane's story.

This book is beautifullycrafted, an exceptional story about honoring the past and theconnections that link us. A profound time in our history is wovenin with the story of a loving, tender woman as she emerges into herown destiny, healing and full power. My compassion and ability tolisten to the nuances grew as I read this story. I lovedit!

Wonderful heartfeltaccount of a daughters love for her fathers memory. The storyflows through both historic and personal times taking you from theyellow Formica kitchen table of the 50's to the French countrysideof WWII. Diane's gifted writing lets you experience this lifetimesearch, bridging two generations, following the heart.Bravo!

I loved this book, veryeasy to read, well written and clearly a lot of research went intoit. A very emotional read that left me thinking that it will make awonderful movie.

A touching story of afather's war experience and its impact on his daughter and those heknew in France.

Even though I had read thebook she wrote after this one I enjoyed her every word. I laughedand cried! Her writing evokes so many emotions. Diane is a greatwriter and I will enjoy more of her works.

This is the second book byDiane Covington-Carter I have read. I can't add much more thanothers before me except to say how much it moved me. I heartily andsincerely recommend it.

Finding Gilbert is abeautiful story about Diane Covington-Carter miraculously findingher orphan "brother" after 50 years. This book has everything;history, adventure, wisdom, quests, stories, love. BravissimoDiane! Looking forward to the next chapter and another greatmemoir.

What an amazing,surprising, touching work this book is. Diane's and her father'sstory (which really reads more like a can't-put-down-novel) ismoving and touching beyond compare. Not only is the storyfascinating, but it is told expertly. Diane is a true storyteller,both as a guide and a crafts woman. Thank you for sharing thisstory, all of it, with the world. I will cherish my signed copy ofthe book for all of my days.

I loved this book! It's myfavorite of Diane's 3 memoirs. She brought me to tears many times.I couldn't put it down. It was amazing that she was able to findGilbert and give him the closure he needed, to let him know thather dad never forgot him. Then that Gilbert's family became hersecond family was so touching. I read this book, because I hadrecently been to Normandy. I could visualize her father there withthis young boy. It made such an impression on me. This is a mustread for WWII buffs.