Interview with Ivan Mehosky, Author of THE STORY OF A SOLDIER

Ivan Mehosky was born in London, England in 1945; his mom was English, and his dad was a paratrooper with the 101st Airborne Division. Following high school, he graduated from Frederick College and married the former Charlotte Reid. He taught physical education and coached at the middle and high school level in Virginia. In 1971, he received his M. Ed in secondary education from the University of Virginia. During this time, his two children Michael and Karen were born. In 1974, he entered civil service with the Department of Army with tours in Germany and Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland. He retired in 2006, having completed almost 32 years of service. He and his wife reside in North East, Maryland. His book can be purchased at Amazon.com

INTERVIEW WITH IVAN MEHOSKY

When did your passion for writing begin?

Between 1988-1990, the year we returned from Germany (working with the US Army) and following a solo trip to the D-Day invasion beaches of 1944 in Normandy, France. From that point on, after a 10 year of research and writing, my 1st book, The Story Of A Soldier, was published in 2000-2001.

Can you tell us what your typical writing day is like?

There is no typical day for me; everyday is different, and I go as long as I can until I get hungry.

Do you write full time?

No, but the rewrite of my new book, The Story Of A Soldier, took about one full year of writing and editing while I was working full time.

Can you tell us a little bit about your book?

The Story Of A Soldier (BookSurge LLC, August 2006; Amazon.com) is the story of the life and military career of Colonel (Ret.) Edward S. Mehosky, born and raised in Reading, PA, his combat experiences in WW II as paratrooper-officer with the 101st Airborne, later Korea and Vietnam, and the leadership he exhibited in training his men and leading them into combat. Edward Mehosky was tough mentally and physically, as he was innovative-a true leader of men, a man who knew how to train citizen soldiers for combat. His actions as a platoon leader, and then company commander in Normandy, Holland, Bastogne, at the epic Battle of the Bulge, is inspiring and the things that make heroes. He was one of the last officers to make the grade of full colonel in 1967 with only a high school education. He retired in 1971 ater 31 years of active duty in the US Army, Infantry.

Who published your book and how has your experience with them been?

My 1st book was published by Rutledge Books, Inc, in 2001. My second book, the new Story Of A Soldier, was published by BookSurge, LLC, in August 2006. Overall, it has been a good experience and a good teacher.

Can you tell us the inspiration behind your book?

Following a tour of the Normandy beaches of WW II and the area where the paratroopers of the 101st Airborne landed, I returned to the states with my family, and began, through contact with veterans of my dad's old unit, to embark on reserching and writing a unit history. But the more I talked to my dad, the more I learned about his experiences in WW II and beyond, the more I realized that here was the story of a soldier that just had to be written! The process, start to finish, including prostate cancer operation in 1996, chemo and radiation in 1999, took 10 years.

Can you tell us ways you are promoting your book? Have they been successful?

My new book will be promoted on Amazon.com, Target.com, Borders.com, BookSurge.com, available at various sites and bookstores, and through book signings. I hope these efforts will be successful. I never wrote thinking I would be a 'bestseller,' but to honor my father and tell his fascinating story. But I would like to see the book do pretty well, too.

Do you have a mentor?

Several I can think of: my wife, Charlotte; Hank DiCarlo, a member of my dad's WW II platoon; Emmet Rodifer, my closest friend; my editor, Sherrill Fink; my children, Michael and Karen, and, of course, my dad and mom.

What future projects do you have in the works?

I currently have a screenplay I wrote about Bastogne that I want to turn into a book. I would perhaps like to write about William the Conqueror, and also do some Christian writing.

Can you give aspiring authors words of advice towards getting published?

Stick to your dream and passion. Don't give up. Keep chipping away and search out the best way for you to publish your work that you want people to know about.

What’s one thing about your life that you think is important, but nobody asks?

How I got through it all with no writing background, and how my faith is such an integral part of the process.

Thank you for the interview, Ivan, and many sales to you!

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