- Where do you write? Is there something you need in order to write (music, drinks?)
I have a small office in my apartment in a cozy corner near a window where I can look outside and see palm trees leaning away from the warm ocean breezes of the Pacific. Except for birds chirping and singing outside my window, I need total quiet for me to write. Any outside noise, music, people chatting in the courtyard near my apartment, totally distracts me. There are times when I think about finding a log cabin in a remote area and writing a book there from beginning to end. As appealing as it sounds, I don’t think my wife would warm up to the idea.
Do you write every day?
I try to write every day to keep the momentum going. However, when the creative brain juices just aren’t flowing or I’m distracted by the busy-ness of life, I’ve learned that you just can’t force the creative process and you just have to walk away.
What’s the most courageous thing you’ve ever done?
Quitting a good paying day job to write fulltime.
What made you write a military book about WWII?
The desire to write this book didn’t blossom until my uncle died in 2010. During his entire life he never shared his story with anyone. The only facts the family knew were that he was captured by the Germans and he escaped. A week before my uncle died, he shared the whole story of his capture with his son, Steve, my cousin. When Steve told me the story, I immediately felt compelled to write a book about the horrific experience my uncle endured.
- What advice would you give budding writers?
I think one of the most important lessons I learned is that rarely does a writer become an overnight success. It’s a long hard road. If you’re writing for fame and fortune, you might want to rethink your career path. Remember: Everyone is a critic. So you really need to have thick skin. The best advice I can offer any aspiring author is to accept the reality that rejection is the prerequisite to success. Even some of the most successful writers in history endured years of rejection long before they were recognized for their craft.
It’s always wonderful to hear what drives an author and I appreciate you sharing your thoughts with my readers, D.
Book Details:
Book Title: More Than a Soldier: One Army Ranger’s Daring Escape From the Nazis
Author: D.M. Annechino
Category: Adult Fiction, 316 pages
Genre: Historical Biography, WWII
Publisher: CreateSpace
Release date: April 2017
Tour dates: April 24 to May 19, 2017
Content Rating: PG-13 (A few four-letter words and violence associated with war)
Book Description:
Feeling a patriotic duty to defend his country after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, seventeen year old, Angelo J. DiMarco, enlists in the U.S. Army. Severely short of frontline fighters, the Army rushes Angelo through Ranger training and sends him to Italy as part of the 1st Ranger Battalion. Their objective: stop the German invasion.
Fighting on the front lines in Italy, the German’s teach Angelo a sobering lesson on life when they capture him during the bloody battle of Cisterna. Against insurmountable odds, Angelo miraculously escapes in a way that stretches the imagination. He survives behind enemy lines for over five months, hiding from the Germans and trying to outmaneuver them. He begs for food, sleeps in barns and suffers from many ailments, including dehydration, malnutrition, malaria and exposure to the elements.
More Than a Soldier is Angelo DiMarco’s powerful story of survival, resilience and courage.
Praise for More Than a Soldier:
Annechino colorfully draws the actions scenes, and richly brings the supporting cast of characters to life. A moving tale of survival in war-torn Europe.
– Kirkus Reviews
Nuanced and eloquently written, More Than a Soldier adds to the body of WWII literature an extraordinary story of survival and a deeply affecting portrait of a soldier’s coming-of-age.
– The iRead Review
Daniel M. Annechino, a former book editor, wrote his first book, How to Buy the Most Car for the Least Money, while working as a General Manager in the automobile business. But his passion had always been fiction, particularly thrillers. He spent two years researching serial killers before finally penning his gripping and memorable debut novel They Never Die Quietly. He has written and published five novels—all thrillers. But his latest work, More Than a Soldier, is a Historical Biography set in Italy during WWII.
A native of New York, Annechino now lives in San Diego with his wife, Jennifer. He loves to cook, enjoys a glass of vintage wine, and spends lots of leisure time on the warm beaches of Southern California.
Connect with the Author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook
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