It's Official: 'All Roads Lead to Rome' Has a Publisher
Potomac Books, an imprint of the University of Nebraska Press, will release my book next year
I gave away the lede in the headline. Perhaps now I should just drop the mic and walk offstage.
But no. I want to tell a bit about how this odyssey to publication came about, and a bit about the book, if you happened upon this article without context. And I’d like to express my appreciation, in advance, for the publisher who is taking a chance on me, and on this story.
If you’ve been following my work, my rantings and, in fact, the origin of this Substack, you probably know the story of my story. It really began when I was a child on the North Dakota prairie, the youngest son of an enigmatic dad who was gone from my life too soon for me to really know him. You don’t understand much of anything at nine. At least I didn’t.
But the impetus for telling my story didn’t come until much later, after the death of my mother. Mom left behind a cache of letters from Dad that nobody else had ever seen, but we were allowed to have after her death. Listening to my sister Maggie read them as we sat at her dining room table on the eve of the funeral, I heard my father’s voice in a new way. And since his voice, actual or literary, had been gone from my life for so long—39 years—I was compelled to dig into this history, hoping to understand Dad, and myself, better. Have I achieved that? Well, you’ll have to read “All Roads Lead to Rome: Searching for the End of My Father’s War” to find out!
To do that, you won’t have to wait too much longer—just until next fall. It’s a bit astonishing to me, after spending a decade (on and off) researching and writing it, and a couple of years searching for a publisher. But that is when the folks at the University of Nebraska Press tell me that my book will be released. It will be published under their Potomac Books imprint. I am grateful.
Early on I had targeted that press as a desirable partner for this project. They publish a lot of military history and memoir, and I think my book would fall directly in the center of a Venn diagram drawn with those two themes. The story, if you don’t know, alternates between chapters of my father’s service in World War II and ones that detail my trips to Italy, where he fought, as a springboard to exploring his life and character.
Here’s what my new publisher has to say about their imprint:
“Potomac Books has a long and distinguished pedigree. Founded in 1983 as the U.S. imprint of Brassey’s, a renowned British publishing house established in the nineteenth century, Brassey’s-U.S. was acquired by Books International in 1999 and renamed Potomac Books in 2004.
“The University of Nebraska Press bought Potomac Books in 2013, acquiring its impressive backlist in military history, politics, current events, international affairs, terrorism, intelligence, and national security. As a general-interest imprint of UNP, Potomac continues to build on its strong roots in these fields, keeping readers informed about the critical issues and challenges of today’s world.”
UNP is a large university press, releasing more than 150 titles each year. Its journal division publishes 30 journals, including the literary journal from my alma mater, “North Dakota Quarterly.” Along with Potomac, it carries other imprints covering a wide list of subjects.
Reviewing Potomac’s recent releases, I’m struck by the variety of topics and the singular focus of the stories. It feels as though Potomac is elevating voices of people across America who are contributing unique perspectives to the history of our country. I am hopeful my book will be a meaningful addition and am happy to be in that company.
Throughout the next year, as publication date approaches, I will continue to post stories here from my research and family past, things that perhaps just didn’t quite make the cut for the book. And you can be assured that I will let you know when the publishing party is happening, and when copies are available. As surely as the wind blows across the prairie, that news will be coming your way. Thanks for reading.
And now, for something completely different. Hollywood’s take on my father’s unit:
Congratulations, Bill! Very happy for you.
What a wonderful headline to read, Bill! Huge congratulations to you. I know what an odyssey this has been for you, and what a challenge it is to find a book publisher. I'm delighted for you, and look forward to reading "All Roads."