Interview with Geoff Armstrong, Author of 'Moments That Made America' #interview

Today's guest is Geoff Armstrong, author of the new historical nonfiction, Moments That Made America: From the Ice Age to the Alamo. Geoff is here to talk about his book, writing and what surprised him about getting her book published.

Welcome to The Writer's Life! Now that your book has been published, we’d love to find out more about the process. Can we begin by having you take us at the beginning? When did you come up with the idea to write your book?

“When” is a bit more difficult than why. For many years I have felt that Americans have no understanding of how impossible their country is. Its entire existence was balanced on a knife edge. Had any one of hundreds of events not transpired at all or not happened the way it did, America wouldn’t be here. I came to that realization many years ago. As I got older, I realized I had to try to explain. Therefore, I wrote what has turned out to be the first of three books on the subject. Book two is on its way to the publisher.

Who is your publisher and how did you find them or did you self-publish?

History Publishing Company from Palisades, NY is the publisher. Found by my agent.

Is there anything that surprised you about getting your first book published?

I believe it is an excellent book on a neglected subject – the history of the United States – However, the biggest surprise was actually finding a publisher. I was under the impression that was like winning the lottery.

Do you believe a book cover plays an important role in the selling process?

I believe it can help. The book cover design for Moments That Made America is excellent.

How hard was it to write a book like this and do you have any tips that you could pass on which would make the journey easier for other writers?

Writing might be the ultimate lonely project. With no one demanding work updates or results and with no guaranteed rewards at the end of your efforts, keeping going can be a challenge. I found that setting myself a daily goal of writing “just one paragraph” was extremely helpful. Often, that “one paragraph” turned out to be several hundred words.

What other books are you working on and when will they be published?

The second book in the series – Moments That Made America: From Civil War to Superpower is now finished and is in the hands of the publisher.

What’s one fact about your book that would surprise people?

That the writer is not an American.

Finally, what message are you trying to get across with your book?

That Americans should do a better job of understanding the miracle of the country they live in.

Thank you again for this interview! Do you have any final words?

Watch for the second book in the series – Moments That Made America: From Civil War to Superpower.

Thank you.

Geoff J. Armstrong

About the Author

Geoff Armstrong began his teaching career in 1965 after receiving a teaching diploma from McGill University’s Macdonald College. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Montreal’s Concordia University in 1967 where his major field of study was history. Armstrong credits writers such as Bruce Catton, and Thomas B. Costain, as well as the encouragement of his father who had little formal education, but a deep love of reading and of history, as the inspiration for his own life-long interest.

Throughout a 25-year teaching career he taught history at several grade levels and learned quickly that to reach the hearts of his students, history had to be made immediately and deeply relevant and accessible: that some event that took place centuries before those students were born had a direct and profound influence on every aspect their lives. He also learned that talking down or writing down to his students was a recipe for defeat. It is this awareness, shaped by a quarter century of teaching and countless questions by thousands of intelligent young people that has informed and shaped his writing.

His latest book is Moments That Made America: From the Ice Age to the Alamo.

You can visit his website at www.MomentsThatMadeAmerica.com.

About the Book

Title: MOMENTS THAT MADE AMERICA: FROM THE ICE AGE TO THE ALAMO
Author: Geoff Armstrong
Publisher: History Publishing Company
Pages:
Genre: American History

BOOK BLURB:

From its geological birth during the breakup of the Pangaea supercontinent millions of years ago, through the nation-shaping key events that led to its political independence from the British superpower, and other crucial, sometimes miraculous events that worked to create the nation, Moments That Made America: From the Ice Age to the Alamo explores those defining moments, both tragic and inspirational that profoundly shaped the nation and its people - crucial turning points that worked inexorably to mold and make America. These pivotal "tipping" events formed America's geographical, sociological, political and historical landscape. Part 1 culminates with the discovery of gold in California and the role it played in fulfilling America’s dream of Manifest Destiny.