You can test locally still using sendgrid - from the command line do heroku config and you can grab the values that Heroku has set for sendgrid username, password and domain and then set them in your development. Rb along with the actionmailer settings and it will route your message through sendgrid from your local development app.
I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.