Stars Over Clear Lake Read online

  There is no record of how many POWs migrated to the U.S. after the war. Those who did were often sponsored by the employers they’d worked for as POWs. I spoke with descendants of former POWs who had migrated to Iowa after the war, and they maintained that the POWs had been treated well in Iowa, that there was nothing for them back in Germany but devastation and ruin.

  More than 2,600 ballrooms once dotted the landscape of the United States. That number has dwindled to one hundred. The Surf Ballroom is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The original ballroom burned down in 1947 from unknown causes, and I took creative license in imagining the fire and its cause. The new Surf was rebuilt the following year across the street. Virtually every musical legend has played there. Although many big bands performed throughout the years, the Surf is better known as the place where Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J. P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson gave their last performances before their plane crashed in a field north of Clear Lake, Iowa. Every year a “Winter Dance Party” is held on the weekend closest to February 2, the anniversary of their final performance.

  My own parents met at the Surf, as have thousands of couples over the years. If there are ghosts haunting it, they must be the ghosts of people who found it a magical place.

  Acknowledgments

  I’ve been fortunate to have my writing hand held by editors, encouraging friends, and relatives. Mary Logue read an early version of this story and convinced me it was worth pursuing. Alexandra Shelley knew how to ask the right questions, and turned a scattered mess of a story into a publishable draft with her professional guidance and detailed critique. My agent Irene Goodman unfailingly encouraged me while pushing me to higher standards. This story would never have seen the light of day without her.

  Thank you to everyone at Thomas Dunne and Macmillan, especially my editors Melanie Fried and Anne Brewer who championed this book, assistant editor Jennifer Letwack, copy editor Anna Leuchtenberger, and all who worked on bringing this story to light.

  This book owes its creation and fulfillment to many oral historians, some I’ve known my whole life, and others I met while researching this book. My aunts Dixie Mennen and Betty Smith were both generous in sharing their memories of the Surf Ballroom and the big bands that played there, as well as the effects of World War II on their hometown and their own personal lives. Jean Casey, former director of the Clear Lake Library, referred me to H. Duesenburg, who volunteers in the history center and knows almost everything about Clear Lake. He helped me find pictures, posters, and old newspaper articles about the Surf Ballroom. Laurie Lietz, executive director of the Surf Ballroom and Museum, provided me with additional support and materials. Andrew Thoreson answered my fire-related investigation questions. Ralph Beha helped with the German translation. Dr. Richard Rattay shared his father’s story as a former POW who later resettled in Iowa.

  My critique groups The Intrepids and Whole Novel Group have kept me on a writing schedule for years. They offer wholehearted support while challenging me to do better, and my life has been enriched by their friendship. I owe Janet Graber a special thank-you for reading many versions of this story over the years, each time with fresh insight and helpful suggestions.

  I wouldn’t have written this story if my parents hadn’t met at the Surf Ballroom, if they hadn’t fallen in love and provided nurturing lives for their seven children in North Iowa. I hope they’re enjoying a special dance in celebration of this book.

  Young Adult Novels by Loretta Ellsworth

  In Search of Mockingbird

  Unforgettable

  In a Heartbeat

  The Shrouding Woman

  About the Author

  Loretta Ellsworth grew up in Mason City, Iowa, near the famous Surf Ballroom, where her parents met. A former teacher and a graduate of Hamline University with a master’s degree in writing for children, she is the award-winning author of four young adult novels. She has four children and six grandchildren and lives in Lakeville, Minnesota. Stars Over Clear Lake is her first novel for adults. You can sign up for email updates here.

  Thank you for buying this

  St. Martin’s Press ebook.

  To receive special offers, bonus content,

  and info on new releases and other great reads,

  sign up for our newsletters.

  Or visit us online at

  us.macmillan.com/newslettersignup

  For email updates on the author, click here.

  Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Notice

  Dedication

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-one

  Chapter Twenty-two

  Chapter Twenty-three

  Chapter Twenty-four

  Chapter Twenty-five

  Chapter Twenty-six

  Chapter Twenty-seven

  Chapter Twenty-eight

  Chapter Twenty-nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-one

  Chapter Thirty-two

  Chapter Thirty-three

  Chapter Thirty-four

  Chapter Thirty-five

  Chapter Thirty-six

  Chapter Thirty-seven

  Chapter Thirty-eight

  Chapter Thirty-nine

  Chapter Forty

  Chapter Forty-one

  Chapter Forty-two

  Chapter Forty-three

  Chapter Forty-four

  Chapter Forty-five

  Chapter Forty-six

  Chapter Forty-seven

  Chapter Forty-eight

  Epilogue

  Author’s Note

  Acknowledgments

  Young Adult Novels by Loretta Ellsworth

  About the Author

  Copyright

  This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

  THOMAS DUNNE BOOKS.

  An imprint of St. Martin’s Press.

  STARS OVER CLEAR LAKE. Copyright © 2017 by Loretta Ellsworth. All rights reserved. For information, address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010.

  www.thomasdunnebooks.com

  www.stmartins.com

  Cover photographs: couple © Elisabeth Ansley/Trevillion Images; sky © David & Myrtille/Arcangel Images

  Title-page photo courtesy of freeimages.com

  The Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available upon request.

  ISBN 978-1-250-09703-3 (hardcover)

  ISBN 978-1-25009704-0 (e-book)

  eISBN 9781250097040

  Our e-books may be purchased in bulk for promotional, educational, or business use. Please contact the Macmillan Corporate and Premium Sales Department at 1-800-221-7945, extension 5442, or by e-mail at [email protected].

  First Edition: May 2017