A Surprise at the Book Signing

I had my first book signing this weekend, at Watchung Booksellers in Montclair. If you missed the event, they still have signed copies available at the store and online.

The store was packed, standing room only. I was stunned at the crowd. Friends I hadn’t seen in years, cousins and aunts and uncles, friends from Asylum Fight Gym, fellow writers, friends from Twitter, and two surprise guests:

My great-uncles Dominic and Jimmy, to whom I dedicated Blade of Dishonor! I teared up as I told the crowd how they influenced me as a young man, and how their experiences helped shape the story. To give you an idea, we call Uncle Dominic “Butch,” even if he’s as far from the Butch in the novel as can be. The hard-working spirit of the men who lived through the Depression, fought Hitler, and supported their friends and families for decades is what went into the book.

It is an honor to know these men, and it was a greater honor to have them visit me on this very special day. Jimmy’s son told me they started getting together every Friday after Jimmy’s nurse visit. And I’ll be there.

Tagged: Blade of Dishonor, Family, Watchung Booksellers, World War 2