Rosie Winter - Winter in June
Winter In June by Kathryn Miller Haines
Winter in June is the third book in the Rosie Winter Mysteries published in 2009. It falls between her books The Winter of Her Discontent and Winter Returns. Haines takes the reader on a journey through World War II 1940’s New York City. Haines heroine is Rosie Winter an actress in World War II 1940’s New York City. She uses her connections in the theater world to get her and her Best Friend Jane parts in a USO tour going to the South pacific. Rosie and Jane have a reason far beyond entertain the troops in WWII Pacific Theater of Operations. Rosie is looking for her ex boyfriend Jack. Jack went missing from his unit and Rosie wants to find some information about his disappearance.
Plot
Rosie Winter and best friend Jane pack their bags and head for San Francisco to catch a boat to the South Pacific. While waiting in line for the boat they find out that a woman has been found murdered and floating in the bay. This delays their boarding on the ship and allows Rosie time to think about the girl and what might have caused the woman to meet her untimely fate in the water. Rosie does not know that Irena Zinn, the body in the water, would be so closely related to her coming new friends and her trip. Once aboard a once luxurious cruise ship, now turned navy vassal for the war effort, Rosie and Jane meet the rest of their tour mates and the A Class star who will be their USO den mother. Cast of characters ends up being a bitter comedian named Violet and a shy singer named Kay. The A Class star is none other than Hollywood’s own Gilda DeVane. Rosie and James main mission for going to the pacific, is not to entertain the troops, although that is plus. They are going to see if they can see about Jack and his mysterious disappearance after the mysterious capsizing of his navy vessel on a mission. When they, finally, hit the Islands they start performing in the shows and hoping from Island to Island. The search for answer as to what happened to Jack takes some time to develop but an old voice lends Rosie some new information. Peaches aka Paul Ascot whom Rosie meet Prior at the Stage Door Canteen in New York City had been providing Rosie with information and shows up on the island with Billy, Jane’s new squeeze. Rosie finds out that Jack is dead chased into the water by military police. However, this might not be her final word on Jackand his disaprancJ. Through adventure and mishap Rosie unravels the mystery of what happened to jack, as well as, the mystery of Irena Zinn and how she ended up floating in The Bay of San Francisco.
Major themes
Miller Haines takes us on a journey with each book and situation that she writes Rosie into. Whether it be in 1940’s New York or the South Pacific in the middle of World War II. We see Rosie grow and adapt with the each new situation that she encounters, on her own personal journey, through understanding a World at War, where a friend can be your enemy and an enemy can be your friend.
Development history
Miller Haines graduated from The University of Pittsburgh with a Master of Fine Arts in Fiction. After she graduated, she took her Master's Thesis and set about trying to get it published because she believed that she had a basis for a good novel. However, once she started talking with agents, she faced almost immediate rejection.
One agent in particular decided to take a chance on her, but after months of edits turned her down, saying that the novel was not publishable due to possible marketing issues.
Miller Haines herself admitted that she was very weak with plots, so she started the process of trying to develop her plotting skills. Development of her plotting skills came to her from reading mystery novels. She used the ideas and information she found in the mystery books she was reading to develop Rosie Winter. Because she had been studying mystery books, Rosie’s stories became mystery novels.
Literary significance and reception
Haines is not only a writer but a playwright and a librarian. Many of her plays have also been featured in various festivals and theater productions across the country. She is also the author of some short stories that have been included in short story anthologies.
Awards and nominations
Her plays with The Pittsburg New Works Festival have won many awards, including Best Playwright, Best Production, Best Actress and Best Director.
Adaptations
Currently Ms. Miller Haines' works appear in print, via publisher Harper Collins, or on the stage in various locations.