Since the publication of her second nonfiction book, Scandalous Women of the Old West (2020), author Donna Pedace has focused her research and writing on women who have achieved something deserving of public recognition. Her newest release, Women Warriors: The Hidden Spies of WWII (RMK Publications, July 2024), brings readers the stories of 50 female agents who went on dangerous missions behind German lines during World War II. You’ll find Donna on Facebook and her Amazon Author Page.

Women Warriors tells the stories of female spies who worked behind the scenes in Nazi-held France. When did you discover the Special Operations Executive (SOE), a secret British organization created in 1940? What was the kick in the pants that started you on the book?
While researching material for another book, I came across a small slip of paper with just a few sentences about the women who served in the SOE. I was familiar with the SOE, but I hadn’t realized that women had been among its field agents. I tucked the note away, only to rediscover it a year later. That rediscovery sparked my curiosity, and I began delving into their stories. I was captivated by what I found — these women had led extraordinary lives. I felt strongly that their contributions deserved far greater recognition.

What unique challenges did this work pose for you?
Researching women is always more difficult than researching men. Until just 15 or 20 years ago, most history was written by men — and they often overlooked, minimized, or entirely omitted the influence of women. In the case of the SOE, the challenge was even greater. The organization was disbanded almost immediately after World War II, and its records were scattered. A devastating fire at England’s National Archives later destroyed a significant number of documents. To make matters worse, all files on the SOE women agents were classified by the British government — some of them still were when I began my research. Fortunately, I was successful in having them lift those restrictions.

Tell us about one or two of the women from the book who you respect the most.
Nancy Wake was an extraordinary woman. She initially worked with the French Resistance, but after a Gestapo bounty was placed on her head, she was forced to flee France. Determined to continue the fight, she joined the Special Operations Executive and later returned to France as one of their agents. Unlike the other women, Nancy lived side by side with the Resistance fighters — sleeping in barns, hiding in forests, and operating out of abandoned houses and fields. She earned their deep respect and often led them on missions. Remarkably, she was the first woman reported to have killed a German soldier in hand-to-hand combat, using a karate chop technique she had learned during her SOE training.

Another remarkable woman was Noor Inayat Khan, a descendant of Indian royalty and a devout follower of the Sufi faith. Despite her belief in nonviolence, she volunteered as a radio operator for the SOE — one of the most dangerous roles in occupied France. After many of her fellow operators in Paris were captured or killed, Noor defied SOE orders to evacuate and chose to remain behind, maintaining the critical communication link between London and six different Resistance networks. Eventually, she was captured by the Gestapo, brutally tortured, and later executed. Yet, throughout her captivity — longer than that of any other female agent, German records tell us that she never revealed a single piece of classified information.

How did Women Warriors come together?
The serious research took just over a year, and during the final four months of that period, I began drafting the chapters. The actual writing process took about six months, during which I wrote for four to five hours each day. My editor began reviewing the manuscript after I had completed the first ten chapters and continued working on it intermittently for about four to five months. Since my editor was based on the East Coast, we relied heavily on both email and frequent phone calls to maintain close communication. This ongoing dialogue was essential to ensure he fully understood the details, my focus, and the intent behind each chapter.

How is the book structured, and why did you choose to put it together that way?
I chose to devote a separate chapter to each woman to clearly distinguish their individual stories and allow each one to stand on its own. The chapters are arranged in chronological order, following the timeline of the women’s work with the SOE.

Any “Oh, wow!” moments while doing research for this book?
Despite being fully aware of the dangers, their courage never ceased to amaze me. The average life expectancy for radio operators in the field was just six weeks — yet they volunteered to do what they could to fight the Germans. Eleven of the women were executed, two others died from illness in concentration camps, and several more were captured and brutally tortured. I was deeply moved to learn that, according to German records, not a single one of them ever revealed classified information.

What was your favorite part of putting this project together?
I truly enjoyed the research process — it was exciting to uncover so much I had never known before. Writing, on the other hand, has always been hard work for me. I don’t particularly enjoy it, but the thrill of discovery through research kept me motivated and made the effort worthwhile.

As a nonfiction writer, how do you choose your next writing project?
I focus exclusively on women from our history, guided by two criteria: whether the topic genuinely interests me, and whether I believe the women have achieved something deserving of greater public recognition.

What does a typical writing session look like for you? Do you have any writing rituals or something you absolutely need in order to write?
My research schedule tends to be quite erratic. Once I start learning about a woman, I often spend long, long hours diving down various rabbit holes to uncover every detail. I usually have to order research books, which means I’m often waiting for them to arrive. I prefer to buy these books so I can keep them on hand for frequent reference. While much information is now available online, I make a point to double- or even triple-check information to ensure as much accuracy as possible. Online research also allows me to connect directly with others who have studied the same women, and we compare notes to deepen our understanding.

When it’s time to write, I typically dedicate four to five hours each afternoon. After lunch, I close the door to create a quiet, uninterrupted space because I don’t handle distractions well — I need to maintain my train of thought. Fortunately, my husband is very understanding of my need to separate myself.

What writing projects are you working on now?
I have already conducted extensive research on early women pilots, and that may become the focus of my next book.

KL Wagoner loves creating worlds of fantasy and science fiction. Her current work in progress is The Last Bonekeeper fantasy trilogy and short stories in the same universe. A member of SouthWest Writers since 2006, Kat has worked as the organization’s secretary, newsletter editor, website manager, and author interview coordinator. Kat is also a veteran, a martial art student, and a grandmother. Visit her at klwagoner.com.