Coming Soon: "Fort Custer in the World Wars" Hits Shelves July 15!

A Leap of Faith

I am a little over 40 days away from the publication of my book, Fort Custer in the World Wars! This has been a huge leap of faith for me. Although I have written my blog for 15 years, I never considered myself an author. Now, I can say that I am.

From Idea to Action

The book was conceived years ago while I was volunteering with my friend, Jan Gay, to organize the Fort Custer library. After organizing the library, we discovered boxes of photographs that needed attention. Initially, we weren’t going to organize the photograph room, but decided to at least sort the photos by time period, a challenge for us baby boomers! Once sorted, Jan retired, and I decided to digitize the photos. I ended up digitizing over 2,000 images! It seemed a shame not to share them with the public.

Pitching the Book

I presented the idea of creating an Images of America book on Fort Custer to the Fort Custer Historical Society board, and they were very supportive. With their blessing, I contacted Arcadia Publishing, the publisher of the series. I pitched my idea and they agreed. That was the beginning of countless hours selecting photographs, obtaining copyright permissions, organizing chapters, researching Fort Custer’s history, writing chapter introductions, and describing each image.

Photo Selection and Support

The book includes 200 historic photographs, the maximum allowed. Narrowing down the collection wasn’t easy. Some images, like those from Getty, were cost-prohibitive. Thankfully, my son-in-law, Chase Agnello-Dean, a professional photographer for the Chicago Blackhawks, helped me navigate copyright concerns. He patiently answered questions like when I asked if 'RTO' was a photographic company (it actually means 'Return to Owner').

Digging Deeper for Images

Many photographs were in the public domain, taken by government entities. I researched images at the Library of Congress and the National Archives. I even needed a few more photographs because some existing ones lacked the quality required for print. One such photo, which I really wanted to use, was solved when I found an 11x17 copy hanging in Fort Custer's museum. I had it professionally scanned and included it in the book.

Chapter Development

With hundreds of photos selected, I began organizing them into categories that later became the book’s chapters. Initially, the titles were basic, but I refined them as I wrote the chapter introductions. Here are the final chapter titles with explanation :

The Formation of Camp Custer (Establishment, Training, Divisions, Buildings)

Citizen Training Between the Wars (Civilian Conservation Corps, CMTC)

The Growth of Fort Custer (Divisions, Training, Buildings)

Everyday Life at Fort Custer (Barracks, Social, Off Duty, Recreation)

The German Prisoner of War Experience (at Fort Custer) (Daily Life, Recreation, Funerals)

Healing Heroes at Fort Custer Hospitals (Buildings, Personnel, Equipment)

Legacy and Preservation (Museum, Library, VA Hospital, National Cemetery)

Cover and Proofs

I selected ten photographs for cover consideration, but Arcadia makes the final decision. Seeing the first proof with my name on the cover was both humbling and exciting.

A Learning Experience

Organizing the chapters and writing the content taught me so much. I researched thoroughly to avoid errors. Five proofreaders with military backgrounds reviewed it, and my college roommate, an English major, helped with grammar and style. Their feedback was invaluable. The book contains over 17,000 words.

A Labor of Love

Seeing the book proof with chapter layouts and captions was thrilling. It meant I was close to publishing. I even had to consult the Chicago Manual of Style, which I had never used before. I learned how to properly reference military divisions and titles, among other things. Despite the occasional stress, I enjoyed the process. I love researching and, once started, enjoy writing too.

Publication and Purpose

Fort Custer in the World Wars will be available on July 15! It’s available for pre-sale at national retailers, but I hope you will support your local bookstores. I’ll be sharing more about the book and Fort Custer in upcoming posts. A launch party is being planned and I will post details once finalized.

Oh, and the most important part—all proceeds from the book go to the Fort Custer Historical Society. I volunteered to write the book for them. FCHS relies solely on donations and memberships for funding. I hope the book is a great success.