Saturday, September 27, 2014

Submarine Stories of World War II Press Release


Mary Nida Smith’s nonfiction, Submarine Veterans of World War II has been acquired by Skyhorse Publishing!

As the wife of a submariner, Mary Nida Smith lived through many a troubled day. Her husband, Melvin T, Smith, was one of these honorable men. He is a lifetime member of the U.S. Submarine Veterans Inc., (Holland Club), a former Vice Commander of the U.S. Submarine Veterans Base, Mountain Home, Arkansas, former member of the Idaho Spuds-U.S. Submarine Veterans of WWII and the Northwest Regions/Idaho/Montana/Oregon/Washington. Through it all, she stuck by him—and wrote.

 

         Melvin T. Smith                          Mary Nida Smith

Submarine Veterans of World War II is about teenage boys who left farms, small towns, and inner cities to defend the United States and democracy worldwide. Signing up for United States Navy submarine duty was an adventure of a lifetime during the early 40s. Dreams of torpedoing Japanese and German ships and subs consumed their thoughts. Gallant heroes.

Those who returned home as young men were older—wiser.

Contributed by nine men who rode submarines to great depths and across the oceans into unknown territory, they share their experiences, fears and thoughts; allowing us to travel back in time through their memories. Some stories will never be told. Held deep within the secret confines of their souls, these deep sea veterans block it out for self-perseverance. Yet, there are others who will never escape their own minds, they relive it over and over with eyes open or shut.

It was difficult finding veterans of that era who were able and willing to release their stories. Many have departed this earth, and those who are still with us now find themselves in their late 80s and 90s. Trained for years to keep silent, for “loose lips sink ships,” some still believe what they know to be classified and refuse to disclose even the minutest of recollections. Others want to leave a legacy of reminiscences for others to learn and live by—to know that freedom is not free.

Submarine Stories of World War II was written to honor the men who served and are serving today on submarines.

 

Smith, an author, freelance writer, poet and photographer has lived in several states, submitting and publishing in local magazines and newspapers. Magazines: The Ozarks Mountaineer, Ozarks, Arkansas Living, Good Old Days, Polaris (WWII), Grit, Northwest Living (Field Editor), Storyteller (photograph cover), Salute, Journal of the Ozarks. Newspapers: Magic Valley Farm Lines (South Idaho Press-Clark newspapers), Port Orchard Independent (Washington- weekly column), Ozark Mountain News (Mountain Home, AR), and Oregon Journal (Portland - book reviews). Newsletters: U.S. Submarine Veterans of WWII (Arkansas Diamond Chapter), Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators (SCBWI- Australia), SCBWI-Missouri, SCBWI-Arkansas, Ozarks Writers League (OWL), and Missouri Writers Guild. Contributed to the anthologies: Echoes of the Ozarks and Women in Nature.

 

Submarine Stories of World War II (First Edition) was originally published by Red Engine Press, 2008. It was displayed several months in the Ralph Foster Museum (College of the Ozarks), and in three military museums: St. Marys’ Submarine Museum, St. Mary’s, Georgia, Wisconsin Veterans Museum, Madison, Wisconsin, Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum, Little Rock, Arkansas, and cataloged in the Donald W. Reynolds Library Baxter County, Arkansas.  When she created her blog Submarine Stories and Military Writers (2007 –present) http://submarinestories.blogspot.com  she linked with The Sub Report at http://thesubreport.blogspot.com  where she is featured on its Submarine Blog Roll.





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Skyhorse Publishing, Inc. 307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor New York, NY www.skyhorsepublishing.com