1. What inspired you to write this book? I was inspired by and wrote this book for the countless wounded warriors I crossed paths with through my own recovery—the Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Soldiers. I needed to express my story in a way that could convey the immeasurable pains and ultimate joys that wounded veterans experience when recovering. This book was originally a screenplay and, later, became my memoir.
2. What exactly is it about and who is it written for? A quintessential first-person account of an American veteran grappling with PTSD, physical and emotional traumas, the veteran healthcare system, and the pressures and misconceptions that veterans face from their families and society as a whole.
This
memoir is a must-read for every American.
Although
vastly underreported to the Veterans Administration, 23 veterans take their own
lives every single day in the United States. A retired Airman and wounded
veteran of the United States Air Force, Jonathon Benjamin was told that he would
never walk again after a catastrophic car crash overseas left him with a severe
traumatic brain injury and lingering deficits that took more than 5 years to overcome.
Still,
against all the odds, Benjamin received a degree from George Washington
University at the age of 24, under the GI Bill. It is luck, fate, discipline,
and, tenacity that kept him from giving up many times, even when he saw other
veterans fall victim to their own demons and felt like he did not belong in
this world – including an instance that would have made him part of the
statistic. This veteran’s story is illuminating and heartbreaking, but it
should not shock the public. The veteran suicide epidemic continues to rage in
the United States. This narrative focuses a hot lens on the difficulties that
our service members must face when they re-enter the real world, especially
when support is unavailable and civilians can’t begin to understand their
plight.
3. What do you hope readers will get out of reading your book? This book began as a tribute to all the men and women in uniform who serve and are affected by their sacrifice to this country. Now, I hope that American Airman can inspire and move any reader, regardless of their connection to military service, to believe in themselves and follow their hopes and dreams without fear or giving up.
4. How did you
decide on your book’s title and cover design? I am a veteran of
the US Air Force and one of the first things I learned was the Airman’s Creed.
It is the backbone of the tenets of military service in the Air Force and
serves as a template for how I live my life and why I wrote this book.
Airman’s Creed
I am an American
Airman.
I am a warrior.
I have answered my
nation's call.
I am an American
Airman.
My mission is to
fly, fight, and win.
I am faithful to a
proud heritage,
A tradition of
honor,
And a legacy of
valor.
I am an American
Airman,
Guardian of
freedom and justice,
My nation's sword
and shield,
Its sentry and
avenger.
I defend my
country with my life.
I am an American
Airman:
Wingman, leader,
warrior.
I will never leave
an Airman behind,
I will never
falter,
And I will not
fail.
The image, colors and, tone of the cover give a glimpse into the light and darkness of service to one’s country.
5. What advice or words of wisdom do you have for fellow writers – other than run!? Other than quickly and expeditiously ‘popping smoke’ (get out/away fast), I would tell my fellow writers that this art, this ability we have to affect lives for the better or even simply just entertain our readers is a great gift. Like in the Spiderman films, “With great power, comes great responsibility.” If you’re called to write even just one story, do it with passion and conviction. You never know how great or how much that story may mean to a reader.
6. What trends in the book world do you see -- and where do you think the book publishing industry is heading? I think that the book world is heading to digitization. Audiobooks, eBooks and AMAZON are the new ways that writers are reaching their audiences.
7. Were there experiences in your personal life or career that came in handy when writing this book? As a veteran of the Air Force, an African American and playwright, all these things informed and made my book better. Coming from an abusive childhood and a hard-earned way into adulthood, I think that my experiences have made for a more compassionate and freely giving author and book.
8. How would you describe your writing style? Which writers or books is your writing similar to? My writing style is very much born out of my foundation in playwriting. I always get feedback about my use of dialogue and characterization. From the average reader, I hear that my writing is very vivid and almost feels like they are watching a movie as they read.
9. What challenges
did you overcome in the writing of this book?
- The inherent
sense of the need to conceal and protect my privacy, especially from other
civilians.
- The
vulnerability of the truth and being honest about myself and my sense of
who I am in the world.
- I had to quickly overcome and gain a thicker skin, learning to adapt to feedback on the narrative during the editing process.
10. If people can
buy or read one book this week or month, why should it be yours? This is a story
written for anyone who is battling something in life. Whether that battle is
against something physical, or against the unseen, this story is for you. I believe
that this story can and has given hope and compassion to its readers.
www.fcebook.com/AmericanAirmanBook
Need
Book Marketing Help?
Brian Feinblum, the founder of this
award-winning blog, can be reached at brianfeinblum@gmail.com He is available
to help authors promote their story, sell their book, and grow their brand. He
has over 30 years of experience in successfully helping thousands of authors in
all genres. Let him be your advocate, teacher, and motivator!
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About Brian Feinblum
Brian Feinblum should be followed on LinkedIn. This is
copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2023. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now
resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue
dog, and El Chapo, a pug rescue dog. His writings are often featured in The
Writer and IBPA’s The Independent. This
award-winning blog has generated over 3.4 million pageviews. With 4,600+ posts
over the past dozen years, it was named one of the best book marketing blogs by
BookBaby http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs and recognized by Feedspot in 2021 and 2018
as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by
www.WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” For the past three decades,
including 21 years as the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book
publicity firm, and two jobs at two independent presses, Brian has worked with
many first-time, self-published, authors of all genres, right along with
best-selling authors and celebrities such as: Dr. Ruth, Mark Victor Hansen,
Joseph Finder, Katherine Spurway, Neil Rackham, Harvey Mackay, Ken Blanchard,
Stephen Covey, Warren Adler, Cindy Adams, Todd Duncan, Susan RoAne, John C.
Maxwell, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler. He recently hosted a
panel on book publicity for Book Expo America, and has spoken at ASJA,
Independent Book Publishers Association Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction
Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland)
Writers Association, APEX, and Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association.
His letters-to-the-editor have been published in The Wall Street Journal,
USA Today, New York Post, NY Daily News, Newsday, The Journal News
(Westchester) and The Washington Post. He has been featured in The
Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald. For more information, please consult:
www.linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum.
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