I came across the most interesting saying the other day. It reads simply: “Time flies. It’s up to us to be the navigator.” The saying is true, especially as it deals with my writing.

It’s been several months since I last posted something on my blog. However, this does not mean I’ve been soaking up the Florida sun and doing nothing. Truth is, I’ve been doing a great deal of navigating my time.

For beginners, I’ve been researching and writing a second book in my “Remembering Not to Forget” series. The main focus of the new book, entitled “Everyone Has a Story: The Vietnam Conflict, One Ohio County, and 11 Untold Stories,” is on the eleven young men from Monroe County, Ohio, who were killed during the conflict in Southeast Asia.

Beyond the fact that these eleven young men were born and raised in the second least populated county in the state, six of the eleven came from one village…Beallsville…population at the time was around 400…that’s nearly 2% of the residents! During the ten months or so I was researching and writing, I also discovered some of the backstories of 58,000 soldiers who died in the conflict. Indeed, everyone has a story, and I’ve included many of those stories in the book. The book is scheduled to come out in mid-October.

And speaking of the book, I will be hosting two “Meet and Greet” nights in November. On Tuesday, November 7, I will give a talk at the New Martinsville (West Virginia) Public Library at 6:30pm. Call the library for more details or to register to attend.

On Friday night, November 10, I am scheduled to speak at the American Legion Post 768 in Beallsville, Ohio. The address is 52651 Broad Street, and my talk there will begin at 6:00pm. As in the case of my talk at the library, I’ll have a limited number of books available for purchase.

Finally, between getting the newest book proofed and published, I have begun researching a new work in the series. Like the first two books, the future book will focus on another event in the region where I was born and raised…the Ohio Valley of West Virginia. Here, I’ll be writing about the cooling tower collapse at Willow Island, West Virginia, in 1978 that claimed the lives of 51 workers, including 10 members of one family!

All for now, but I hope to see you at one of my talks in November. And if you can’t make the talks, remember that you can purchase one of my books by going to my website: drmichaelprice.com.

I’m back! For the past eleven months or so, I’ve been researching and writing a new book in my Remembering Not to Forget series. The first book in the series, 17 Days That Changed America, has been out for around 8 months, and it’s been well received. One reader wrote…

Incredible research went into the writing of this book. No detail was omitted. I learned so much about the events leading up to the disaster, intimate details about the victims and their families, and even details post December 15.

In my new book, as yet untitled, I write about the eleven sons of Monroe County, Ohio, who lost their lives in the Vietnam conflict. These eleven young men were sons, brothers, and fathers who heard the call of military service to this country and responded with patriotism and even sacrifice. Many of them followed brothers or dads into the service, and they did so proudly out of a sense of duty. As much as possible, I write about how and where these eleven young men lived and grew up and the circumstances surrounding their untimely passing.

Granted, other books may have been written on the general subject of America’s involvement in Southeast Asia, but those only skimmed the surface of some of those 58,000 lives lost. However, This work is unique because it delves deeper into the young lives of eleven men from one of Ohio’s least populated counties. Every soldier that served in Vietnam and mentioned in this work has a back story; these eleven young men are no different.

When all the reading is done, I wanted my readers to hear the most complete story to date and to know as much about the eleven young men from Monroe County as I do. But, above all, I wanted my readers to know that these soldiers, along with their families, gave so much and that the sacrifice of these young men of Monroe County will not be forgotten. The story of these young men, from birth to death, men who gave so much, needs…no, it demands…to be told!

I’m really excited about my upcoming “Meet the Author” events. The first will be held on Monday evening, October 31, at the New Martinsville Public Library (160 Washington Street). If memory serves me correctly, the event kicks off at 6:00pm. A second session is set for the next day, November 1…same place…same time. Copies of my book, 17 Days That Changed America, will be available for purchase. If you like, I will be more than happy to sign your copy.

On Friday, November 4, I will be speaking about my book at two places. The first “Meet the Author” will be at Willa’s Bible Bookstore (416 Main Street, Point Pleasant) from 4:00pm – 5:00pm. That evening, I’ll be at the Bossard Memorial Library (7 Spruce Street, Gallipolis, Ohio) beginning at 6:00pm. There will be a limited number of books available for purchase. And yes, if you like, I can personalize your copy. Should you wish to purchase a copy of the book before the event, you can go to my website (drmichaelprice.com) and order online or buy the book at either Willa’s Bible Bookstore or the Mothman Museum. Both are located on Main Street in downtown Point Pleasant (West Virginia).

As I shared in an earlier posting, 17 Days That Changed America is my first work in a series of future books centered on historical events in the Ohio Valley. The second book in the series is scheduled to be published next summer. If you’re an avid reader, you will definitely want to purchase the first book of the “Remembering Not to Forget” series for your collection.

Take care.

For all those that have purchased a copy of 17 Days That Changed America, I hope you’re enjoying the book. I am confident that my work will enlighten you on the Silver Bridge’s history and the events surrounding the deadliest bridge disaster in American history. I am especially interested in what you think about the book, so please consider posting a review on the Amazon website. Your candid opinion about the book’s subject and the content will provide me some direction as I write more books in my Remembering Not to Forget series.

And speaking of the series, I have begun researching a new book. While I’m still in the early phases of the work, you can bet on several things. First, it will involve a historical event in the Ohio Valley that “shook the nation and the world.” Next, the work will concentrate on an event that took place somewhere near the banks of the Ohio River, where I was born and raised. Finally, you can bet the work will focus on an event in my lifetime.

For those interested, I am scheduled for two speaking engagements in the coming weeks. On Tuesday evening, November 1, it’s a “meet and greet” at the New Martinsville (West Virginia) Public Library. I’m also scheduled for a “meet the author” night at the Bossard Memorial Library in Gallipolis, Ohio, on Friday evening, November 4. Please call the library, watch the newspaper, or go to the library’s website for more details.

All for now. But if you would like to drop me an email, my address: me@drmichaelprice.com

Mark the date September 1 on your calendar. That’s the day that 17 Days That Changed America will hit the market. Good thing, because word has begun to spread about the book thanks to publicity that’s running in the area where the bridge collapsed nearly 55-years ago and word of mouth. Those who know about the book are asking me a wide range of questions.

Some want to know about the individuals that were on the bridge the night it fell into the icy waters of the Ohio River, and were there any survivors. Others want to know what caused the bridge collapse and who’s to blame for one of this country’s deadliest highway tragedies. One person even asked me if the families that lost loved ones took any kind of legal action, and were the families compensated for their tragic loss.

The only thing I say to those who want immediate answers to their questions is that they’ll have to wait until September 1, because the answers to their questions and so much more are all in the book.

In the meantime, keep those questions coming by emailing me at: me@drmichaelprice.com

My publisher has informed me that it is just a matter of days before my new book, 17 Days That Changed America, will be available for purchase. It’s been a long time coming…over a year or more.

The idea was birthed some time during the late spring or early summer of 2021, and research began shortly thereafter. In fact, some of my research notes go back to early August of that year. For the next six months or so, I “combed” over old newspaper articles dating back to 1925. The writing actually began not long into the new year, but it was slow going at first because I had so much that I wanted to say about the deadliest bridge tragedy in American history.

I took a break from writing in late March of this year to travel to the site that, until then, I had only read about. This may come as a shock since I was born and raised about a hundred miles to the north in New Martinsville, WV. Needless to say, the experience of seeing where the bridge once stood, standing at the landing site were the ferries transported vehicles across the Ohio River while the new bridge was being built, talking to local residents, and reading those roadside markers was emotional.

The first rough draft was submitted to proofreaders in late spring and edits made. From there, the book was sent to the publisher, IndigoSea Press. I received a rough copy of the book for final proofing in early July. And last week, the design for the book cover was finalized. Clearly, the process was painstakingly long, but worth it.

The end is in sight, and I can’t wait for you to read the book.

I’ve heard it said before that other people make you look good, and I believe it. What other people say and do can bring a person unexpected accolades. Case in point is my website and my publisher.

The website was designed by Zvenz, a top-notch computer company in Raleigh, NC. I know you’ll agree that the website was professionally designed, artistically built, and easily navigated. These are three qualities that a writer like myself needs in a website, especially if the writer wants to be noticed and their books brought to the public’s attention.

Likewise, the same could be said of my publisher, Dr. Mike Simpson, and the good folks at Indigo Sea Press in Kernersville, NC. For over a decade, Mike has helped me become a better writer thanks to his professional guidance, timely thoughts, and valuable insights. He is the publisher that all writers wish they had working with them.

So, hats off to you, Zvenz, and Mike. You’ve made me appear to be better than I actually am!