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Vicki Olsen in front of bookshelves, holding glasses.

Photo Credit: Hans Sterl

What Vicki is Reading

I don’t know about you, but I never have enough time to read all the books on my TBR list and I keep adding new books faster than I can read them. Reading is high on my Things to Do List; reading is the best way for a writer to hone their skills. See what I am reading and what is on my TBR list for the annual Goodreads reading challenge.


French WW2 reinactors in military uniforms posing in front of Le château de Tailly-l'Arbre-à-Mouche, historic home of General Leclerc

78th Anniversary of D-Day

Château de Tailly-l'Arbre-à-Mouches, the family home of General Leclerc located near Tailly, in the Somme department to the west of Amiens.

I am the white hair in the back row — half hidden in the rose bush.

About Vicki

Her unique upbringing shapes Vicki Olsen’s storytelling. As an Air Force brat, she spent her childhood moving across Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, Illinois, Idaho, and Germany. Her experiences inspire the rich settings and diverse perspectives in her work. With strong Southern roots, she weaves authenticity and heart into her stories, captivating readers around the globe.

“I began writing by accident.” … from an interview with Alex Pearl

“I first met Sarah, my protagonist in A Sparrow Falls, as an adult minor character in a different book. She had a different name then.”…from an interview with Linda Hill

“During World War 2 my father’s plane was shot down over France. That is where the idea for The Duty of Memory was born”…from an interview with Susan Peterson for 501 Life Magazine

Goodreads 2025 Reading Challenge banner with books and the slogan "Meet your next favorite book."
Illustration of a white magnolia flower with green leaves on a black background.
Illustration of a white magnolia flower with green leaves on a branch.
Illustration of a white magnolia flower with green leaves on a black background.

Awards


A book titled "The Duty of Memory" by Vicki Olsen, featuring a black and white photo of a man in military attire with a French flag. Text announces it's a nominee for the 2025 American Library in Paris Book Award, winner to be announced in November 2025. Includes the American Library in Paris logo.
"A Sparrow Falls" book cover featuring a bird and floral design, by Vicki Olsen, next to "The Wishing Shelf Book Awards 2018 Finalist" badge.

Vicki’s Journal

CLICK ON THE PICTURES TO READ MORE

Comparison of two group photos in France, one from 1944 and another from 2019. The 1944 image shows six young adults; the 2019 image shows a group of older adults, some holding a framed picture of the earlier photo. Both images have descriptive text identifying the people in them and their relationships across generations.

75 Years Later We Recreated The Photo

Lucien Bertin was only 17 when he posed for this picture with two French Resistants and three American airmen. In 2019, he posed with the daughter of one of the Resistants and children of the three airmen.

Yvonne Fossier’s daughter (3rd from left) was an infant in 1944, but she played an important role in the Resistance. Read her story in THE DUTY OF MEMORY

Click on the Magnolia 
to Read the Interview
Book cover of "A Sparrow Falls" by Vicki Olsen, featuring a sparrow and floral design. Accompanied by a 2019 TCK Publishing Reader's Choice Awards Finalist badge.
Wiesbaden Air Force Base, Germany 1960

Reunited With After 57 Years

Wiesbaden, Germany 1960. Me with my parents, my brothers and Michel and Daniel Radziminski, sons of French Resistant, Bruno Radziminski.

Read Bruno’s story in THE DUTY OF MEMORY