Monthly Family Update – December 2022

Here are the contents of this month’s newsletter:

Order signed and personalized copies of my books
Mark your calendar: At First Light to be featured on the Stephen Ambrose History Happy Hour
Mark your calendar: At First Light to be honored at the National WWII Museum
At First Light wins an international book award
Readers continue to dish out love for At First Light
The successful public relations campaign for At First Light continues
“Ask Dr. Walt” in Today’s Christian Living

1) Order signed and personalized copies of my books

Here’s a great gift idea — either purchase for yourself, a loved one, or a friend, a book or books from me, autographed and personalized. Signed books can be a unique holiday gift for the readers in your life. Go to this blog to find out the available books and how you can obtain the ones you want (while supplies last).

2) Mark your calendar: At First Light to be featured on the Stephen Ambrose History Happy Hour

I’m scheduled to be on a one-hour show with the Stephen Ambrose History Happy Hour on Sunday, December 11 at 400 PM EST. They write about themselves:

“Each Sunday at 4 PM EDT, host-historians Christopher Anderson in London and Rick Beyer in Chicago each grab a cocktail and go live to talk history (and maybe some smack) during History Happy Hour. They welcome fascinating and knowledgeable guests … for entertaining history discussions.”

I hope you’ll tune in.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE OR ORDER THE BOOK

3) Mark your Calendar: At First Light to be honored at the National WWII Museum

I’m so happy to have just learned that my and Mike Yorkey’s book about my father’s exploits in WWI, At First Light: A True World War II Story of a Hero, His Bravery, and an Amazing Horse, will be honored during an evening celebration at the National WWII Museum in New Orleans on Tuesday, January 10. If you know anyone in New Orleans, let them know. Here’s the tentative schedule:

4:30 pm — Author arrives at the venue
5:00 pm — Reception with perhaps some pre-signing by the author
6:00 pm — Opening Remarks
6:05 pm — Author’s Presentation about At First Light and the “Forgotten Front”
6:45 pm — Audience Q&A
7:00 pm — Program concludes, book signing
8:00 pm — Book signing concludes

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE OR ORDER THE BOOK

4) At First Light wins an international award

I’m delighted to announce that At First Light was just named a Short-List Finalist in the Non-Fiction category for the International Page Turner Awards (London).

You may remember that earlier this year At First Light was awarded a Silver Medal in the Memoir/Biography category by the Military Writers of America.

I’m also excited to announce that the book is being considered for a number of other state or national awards:

2022 Kemper and Leila Williams Prize in Louisiana History
2022 Society for Military History, Distinguished Book Awards
2023 Military History Matters Books of the Year
2023 Army Historical Foundation Distinguished Writing Awards
2023 Gilder Lehrman Prize for Military History
2023 U.S. Military History Group Awards
2023 Louisiana Readers’ Choice Awards
2023 Louisiana Book Festival
2023 Colorado Book Awards

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE OR ORDER THE BOOK

5) Readers continue to dish out love for At First Light

It’s almost unbelievable, but At First Light: A True World War II Story of a Hero, His Bravery, and an Amazing Horse has received 97% 5-star ratings on a number of online review sites, including:

Amazon (102 ratings [98 are 5-star]),
Barnes & Noble (53 ratings [52 are 5-star]),
GoodReads (76 ratings [71 are 5-star]),
Walmart (44 ratings [43 are 5-star]), and
Target (39 ratings [all are 5-star]).

Quite a number of reviewers comment that it’s the best or one of the best WWII books that they’ve ever read, and quite a few say they think it should be made into a movie.

From their lips to God’s ears, as the old saying goes. If you haven’t read it, I hope you will. And if you have, I hope you’ll leave a 5-star review on Amazon, B&N, and GoodReads. Thanks.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE OR ORDER THE BOOK

6) Successful public relations campaign for At First Light continues

Ascot Media is continuing a successful PR campaign for my WWII book, At First Light, that will continue through the holiday season. Here’s what happened in November:

55KRC Cincinnati Morning Show with Brian Thomas (11/02/22)
The “Forgotten Front” Of World War II (11/2/22 — The Chattanoogan Op-Ed)
Live at 9, WREG-TV, News Channel 3, Memphis (11/07/22)
The Jeff Kennedy Show on 93.5 FM / 930 AM in Flagstaff (11/07/22)
The “Forgotten Front” Of World War II (11/8/22 — The Colorado Springs Gazette Guest Column)
“The Bottom Line” with Roger Marsh on KBRITE and KLTT in Southern California and Denver (11/08/22)
Westwood One’s “The Jim Bohannon Show” (with substitute host Rich Valdes — the 3rd segment of the show — 11/10/22)
Livewire with Bill Thomas (11/11/22 — KWRE-AM St. Louis)
The Bill Martinez National Radio Show — (11/11/22 — repeat interview in hour #3)
Veteran’s Day Fundraiser Keynote (11/11/22 — Asheville, NC)
Marking Veterans Day: At First Light (11/11/22 — The Realtime Report)
The ‘Forgotten Front’ of World War II (11/11/22 — Greeley Tribune)
The Mommies Reviews (11/18/22)
Real Talk with Faune Riggin (11/22/22 — KZIM-KSIM Radio Cape Girardeau)

Click on any that you’d want to listen to. My two favorites are “The Jim Boihannon Show” on 11/10/22 and “The Bill Martinez Show” on 11/11/22.

7) “Ask Dr. Walt” inToday’s Christian Living

I enjoy being able to answer questions from the readers of Today’s Christian Living magazine in my “Ask Dr. Walt” column. Here is my Q&A from the November 2022 issue. I hope you’ll consider getting a subscription:

Alkaline Water
- I read that alkaline water is the healthiest to drink. My doctor says that’s not true. What do you know about this? — Staying Hydrated in Hawaii
Smoothies
- Are smoothies as nutritious as some people claim? — Iced Drink Lover in Iowa

8) Last Month’s Happenings

We continued to direct the ReEngage Marriage Ministry at Academy Christian Church this month. It’s such a blessing for us.
November 10-15, Barb and I were be in Asheville, North Carolina, where I spoke at a Veteran’s Day event and fundraiser for the Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry. It was well attended, and I was delighted at the response.
November 17-21, we traveled to Chicago for some R&R while celebrating our 49th wedding anniversary by touring the Art Institute of Chicago, enjoying two musicals, “The Lion King” and “Wicked,” and sharing some delicious walks and meals.
November 21-25, we traveled to Atlanta to spend Thanksgiving with Scott and Jennifer. The Grands were on a Thanksgiving cruise with the other grandparents. While we were there, we learned that son-in-love, Charles Ritz, suddenly lost his father who passed away at a young age, unexpectedly, and in his sleep. So …
November 29-December 1, we’ll fly back to Atlanta to join Charles and Kate at a memorial service for his dad. Please keep Charles and Kate in your prayers. It’s a hard time for them.

9) Upcoming Events

We’ll finish this semester’s ReEngage Marriage Ministry at Academy Christian Church with a joyous celebration and recommitment service on December 14.
Otherwise, we’ll be home for the month enjoying the fireplace and our Christmas season together. Barb’s sister, Sue, will travel from Baton Rouge to spend Christmas with us. Her visits are always a treat for us both.

10) Past Editions

November 2022