More Than a Soldier by D.M. Annechino with INTERVIEW & GIVEAWAY

More Than a Soldier, based on a true story is Angelo DiMarco’s powerful story of survival, resilience and courage.

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.

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Let me introduce you to D.M. Annechino

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. 

How long have you been writing?

I’ve been writing since the early nineties, but after years of struggling part-time, I finally realized that you can’t serve two masters. So, as risky a move as it was I retired early and began writing fulltime in 2010. Since then I’ve written and published six books.

If you could go back in time, where would you go?

As odd as it may seem, I think I’d like to live as an adult in the 1940s. While writing More Than a Soldier, which takes place during WWII, I discovered that that period of time is just fascinating. At no time in modern history did Americans experience such an era of community, brotherhood and patriotism. Granted, the war was horrendous and it took the lives of untold young men and women. But there was a spirit among all Americans that burned brightly.

Do you find yourself in the middle of a scene often when new ideas storm your mind? How do you handle them when that happens?

When I’m writing, new ideas, plot twists, subplots and a whole lot more bombard my mind nonstop. So that I never lose an idea, which could potentially strengthen the book considerably, I immediately make a footnote at the bottom of my working document. Then, when I’m finished writing for the day, I cut and paste all the ideas to a separate document I call, “Food for Thought.”

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.

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

Meet the Author:

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


BOOK SPOTLIGHT TOUR:

April 24 - Library of Clean Reads - book spotlight / giveaway
April 24 - Puddletown Reviews - book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
April 25 - Working Mommy Journal - book spotlight / giveaway
April 26 - A Mama's Corner of the World - book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
April 27 - Books, Dreams, Life - book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
April 28 - 100 Pages A Day - book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
April 28 - Svetlana's Reads and Views - book spotlight
May 1 - My Reading Journeys - book spotlight / giveaway
May 2 - Il Mio Tesoro - book spotlight / guest post
May 2 - Leels Loves Books - book spotlight
May 3 - fundinmental - book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
May 4 - A Soccer Mom's Book Blog - book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
May 4 - T's Stuff - book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
May 4 - Writers and Authors - guest post
May 5 - Jaquo Lifestyle Magazine - book spotlight / guest post
May 7 - Writers and Authors - book spotlight / giveaway
May 8 - Cheryl's Book Nook - book spotlight / giveaway
May 8 - Deal Sharing Aunt - book spotlight / giveaway
May 9 - Kristin's Novel Cafe - book spotlight / author interview
May 10 - Nighttime Reading Center - book spotlight / giveaway
May 11 - Books for Books - book spotlight
May 12 - Celticlady's Reviews - book spotlight / giveaway
May 12 - Rockin' Book Reviews - book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
May 15 - The Autistic Gamer - book spotlight
May 16 - Bound 2 Escape - book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
May 17 - Blooming with Books - book spotlight / giveaway
May 18 - Lukten av Trykksverte - book spotlight / giveaway
May 19 - Essentially Italian - book spotlight / giveaway

Enter the Giveaway!

Ends May 27

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