Writer’s Digest

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Recently, Aaron’s War, competed in the 28th Annual Writer’s Digest Fiction Contest. The judge’s commentary follows:  The premise behind this wartime tale, that a boy signs up to fight the enemy only to find out that he has a bigger stake in things than he realized, is one I haven’t really encountered and it worked out well. Watching Aaron struggle not only with how to be a soldier in the middle of a war, but a Jew, was fascinating. And on top of that, he fell in love, married, and Read More …

The Search for Book Cover

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Early in the process of considering cover options for Aaron’s War, I gave some thought to using a family photo.  My sister sent me this picture of her with father. In the original picture my sister was wearing a bow in her hair which I had airbrushed out so that picture would pass for father and son.   Just back from WWII you could see his daytime joy—young, happy to be alive, a job and new family. Hidden away for many returning soldiers was the nighttime demons. 

Page 53

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How exciting it is to finish writing a novel. After the euphoria of finishing the manuscript subsides, reality grips you and sends you crashing to earth as you call on old business cells in the left side of your brain, the ones you retired from, the ones that drove you crazy to succeed at all cost, risk your body and soul in order to accumulate things. I always said when I finish my first novel I would be content to lay it proudly on the corner of my desk. Then Read More …

The cover votes are in

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By a significant margin, the ‘Iowa’ cover was selected. Thank you for your votes and insights. A good case was made for both covers. A number of people made excellent arguments in favor of the dove illustration for being unique and that it would differentiate Aarons War from other books in the bookstores. Working against that 90% of books are bought online not in bookstores. Personally, I was never in favor of the dove illustration but would have yielded to the impression of potential readers and the publisher.

Vote on Cover

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Koehler Books has proposed these two covers for my book Aaron’s War. They are now in the process of testing the market. The planned publish date is January 25, 2018. Please share with me which one you like and any thoughts you have. Brief summary: Aaron Vanko enlists to fight the Nazis, but the Iowa farm boy is conflicted over whether he can kill another human. Hours before being deployed, Aaron discovers he is a Jew, further disrupting his sense of self. Despite his moral dilemma, Aaron carries out his Read More …

AARON’S WAR – EDOUARD IZAC

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Edouard Izac-Iowa Hero In the course of writing my latest novel, Aaron’s War, I have come across so many good stories.   Most of the stories do not find the way into my books or end up becoming a minor reference or character.  Edourard Izac was a minor reference. Edouard Izac was born in Cresco, Iowa, and graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1915.  In 1918 his ship the USS President Abraham Lincoln, was sunk by a German submarine.  He survived and was taken aboard the German submarine as a Read More …