Join me on August 20th on American Heroes!

On August 20, 2009, Conversations with American Heroes at the Watering Hole will feature an interview of Lisa Spahr the author of WWII Radio Heroes: Letters of Compassion.

Program Date: August 20, 2009

Program Time: 1700 hours, Pacific

Topic: WWII Radio Heroes: Letters of Compassion

Listen Live:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/LawEnforcement/2009/08/21/WWII-Radio-Heroes-Letters-of-Compassion

About the Guest
Lisa Spahr, a former volunteer firefighter, "is an investigative psychologist who owns a life coaching and consulting business in Pittsburgh PA. Ms. Spahr has an extensive history in the field of research for universities and private organizations, focusing on law and psychiatry research, military applications, and policing operations and tactics. Examples of her work include: examining the construct of psychopathy in prisoner and juvenile populations, and creating guidelines for suicide bomb response for police officers in the United States.
Lisa Spahr said of WWII Radio Heroes: Letters of Compassion, "More than 60 years had gone by before I found them. Dozens and dozens of letters written to my family during WWII- from total strangers- to tell my great-grandmother that her son had been captured and was being held as a POW. How did they know this? Well, it seems that the short-wave radio had held all of the answers. POWs were allowed to state their names and hometowns on the radio, and sometimes relay a short message to their families. Scores of Americans, listening to the German propaganda from so far away, heard my grandfather's information, and took it upon themselves to write to my great-grandmother. All of these dear people wanted to give my great-grandmother a measure of comfort to know her son was alive."

About American Heroes Radio
American Heroes Radio broadcasts from the Watering Hole; for a location heroes go off-duty to blow off steam and talk about work and life. Sometimes funny; sometimes serious; but, always interesting.

About the Host
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster was a sworn member of the Los Angeles Police Department for 24 years. He retired in 2003 at the rank of Lieutenant. He holds a
bachelor’s from the Union Institute and University in Criminal Justice Management and a Master’s Degree in Public Financial Management from California State University, Fullerton; and, has completed his doctoral course work. Raymond E. Foster has been a part-time lecturer at California State University, Fullerton and Fresno; and is currently a Criminal Justice Department chair, faculty advisor and lecturer with the Union Institute and University. He has experience teaching upper division courses in Law Enforcement, public policy, Public Safety Technology and leadership. Raymond is an experienced author who has published numerous articles in a wide range of venues including magazines such as Government Technology, Mobile Government, Airborne Law Enforcement Magazine, and Police One. He has appeared on the History Channel and radio programs in the United States and Europe as subject matter expert in technological applications in Law Enforcement.

Listen, call, join us at the Watering Hole:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/LawEnforcement/2009/08/21/WWII-Radio-Heroes-Letters-of-Compassion

Program Contact Information
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster, LAPD (ret.), MPA
editor@police-writers.com
909.599.7530

The Lincoln Highway Connection to WWII Radio Heroes

I first met Brian Butko in the summer at the Bridgewater Book Festival. He is the author of a half dozen books, the editor for the Western Pennsylvania History Magazine, and an all around cool guy. He has great interest in history of course, but his areas of interest are more obscure than most historians. He writes about the roadside landmarks you remember as a kid, the places and faces that we love but often take for granted.. until there gone that is.

Brian and I kept in touch over the months and he volunteered himself and his son, Andrew, to read for World War II Radio Heroes: Letters of Compassion (2008). Andrew was our youngest reader and read for our most prominent hero in the book, Flavius Jankauskas (who wrote to my family in 1943 as a 16 year old short-wave listener).

Brian and I most recently came together again at the Heinz History Center's Holiday Book Fair. It was perfect timing for me to give him his copy of our work- the audio book was completed a week prior.

I'm privileged to know Brian Butko. He's a very fascinating man with great stories- and road trips to tell you about.

Check out his site and latest book here: http://www.lincolnhighwaynews.com/ Take a stroll down memory lane.

After hearing Brian talk about the Lincoln Highway, which I drive frequently, I look at it differently. I'm eager for the spring so I can take a road trip of my own!

Giving Back for the Holidays

When you are making out your holiday card list this year, please include the following:

A Recovering American Soldier
c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center
6900 Georgia Avenue,NW
Washington,D.C. 20307-5001

Many thanks.
Lisa

Today and Everyday We Thank You!

Thank you to all of our veterans, their families and support systems! On Veterans Day, and everyday, I wish to send our most heart-felt thank you to those who served and those who serve- in all capacities.

You are our everyday heroes! We salute you!

Happy Veteran's Day 2008!

Lisa Spahr
and Family

Heinz History Center Welcomes WWII Radio Heroes!

I am so excited to share this news with all of you. So many great things have been happening. We are finishing the audio book and expect it to be available for Thanksgiving and the gift-giving season. We are writing an article we hope will appear in Western PA Magazine (thanks to Jay Speyerer and Brian Butko). We are expanding out book tour by reaching out to other cities to offer talks and signings (York and Philadelphia are on the radar). ... the list goes on.

AND- I've just been told that World War II Radio Heroes will be a featured book in the Senator John Heinz History Center (a "must see" in Pittsburgh).... and... I will be one of the honored guests at the History Center's Holiday Book Fair on December 6th! Visit http://www.pghhistory.org/About_Heinz_Events.asp to learn more. Thank you Nan Best-Vitullo, Lee Heckman and Andy Masich.

I am really looking forward to all of the events and milestones that I noted. Thank you for helping us share this great story!

I hope to see you and your family and friends at the History Center on December 6, 2008 from 10-2!

Lisa

Thank you Radio Operators, Listeners and Fans!

Wow.

This year has been a whirlwind one. They say that writing the book is 1/3 of the work. The real hard work comes in promoting it. Boy, were they right!

However, hard work does pay off. Not only have I had some really fulfilling book discussions this month but I've also been featured in two national magazines. Yes, TWO national magazines.

Both were cold calls. (Entrepreneurs will find that really exciting.)

The first is the Amateur Radio Relay League's QST Magazine. They were kind enough to review WWII Radio Heroes in their April 2008 edition. Humbly, they reminded me it was a small review. I braced myself. It was a huge (okay, so it was 1/4 page- I believe that is huge)! Thank you ARRL! I'm really looking forward to going to my first radio conference- Beltsville, MD June 5-7.

The second is America in WWII magazine. WWII Radio Heroes was one of three books featured in their review section, due out in June 2008. We received nearly a whole page of review! I was beside myself. This was a real honor.

What's next? I'll tell you- The American Entrepreneur Show on AM 1360 Pittsburgh with Ron Morris! The fun never stops!

Stay tuned. :)

My Most Enlightened Talk To Date

Last week I had the privilege to talk to the World War II Prisoner of War Survivor's Group at the VA on Highland Drive (for our Pittsburgh readers). There were about 50 survivors and their family members gathered in a room at the VA dedicated to them and their comrades who are no longer with us. This was a very well established group who meets once a month for updates, to share time together and to hear a speaker. This month I was that honored individual- and the honor was all mine.

I am used to talking with people who know "a little something" about World War II. I am used to also talking with people who know very little- especially about my topic- POW monitoring or the use of short-wave radios to hear and share messages of our POWs. But, this group was entirely different for me. I only hoped I could keep their attention- after all, they know everything I was about to share with them. They are... my grandfather- the amazing man that I lost at the age of 11. They were the prisoners. The postcards and letters that radio listeners were writing were about them. I was merely one who stumbled upon my families letters two years ago and decided to write a book about it. This was fairly new to me. But, to them, this was history- a very personal part of their own history.

I've been around veterans long enough to know my role. I was there to share what I could with them, as a grand-daughter of a POW, about my book... but I was there first and foremost to thank them for their service- and thank their family members for their support of our nations veterans. Then, the most exciting part for me came... I was to listen. Listen to all that they wanted to share with me- the author.

These men were beyond kind to me in their attentiveness and appreciation for how lovingly I spoke of my hero- my grandfather. They cautioned me that as I read letters from him to and from family members, namely his girlfriend (my grandmother-to-be), that I be aware that letters were censored. I shouldn't just read what was on the paper, but between the lines. I should know that alot couldn't be said that was desperate to be. Also, I couldn't believe that all was well even if my grandfather said it was. After all, if the Germans didn't like what you wrote it was thrown away before it could ever be mailed.

The former prisoners also were interested. Where was my grandfather's prison camp? Which Stalag? They gave me a few leads as to where I could post information to find anyone who might have known him. They were part historian and part detective. They were what makes our veterans so special.

I am honored to have been a small part of their gathering. I am honored that I was able to say thank you.

York Sunday News Highlights WWII Radio Heroes!

Thank you Gloria Jean Fogal for highlighting WWII Radio Heroes: Letters of Compassion in the Sunday news and on York Blog! This hometown author appreciates the love that York has shown for this amazing story!

Visit the story at http://www.yorkblog.com/books/2008/02/local_author_lisa_spahr.html

I'm always looking for new and creative ideas for marketing this awesome book! If you have an idea please share it with me via email author@powletters.com or via this blog (public access).

Thanks again York PA!

York PA was Outstanding!

On Saturday February 2nd, WWII Radio Heroes was premiered in York PA at Borders, across from the Galleria.

I have to thank the Borders crew who took such great care of us all. The posters and press for the event were the best I had seen thus far.

In true fashion, my family put the alert out to our small town of Wellsville, their coworkers, and spread the word throughout York PA! Thanks to all! We saw some great people at the booksigning and sold a near record high number of books!

People seemed to really like the era-candy that I had on hand, modeled from the candy of the 1940's. We had the KDKA feature on the laptop and original letters for people to view. Also, we had POW Bulletins put out by the Red Cross for people to review.

As with all of the stops that WWII Radio Heroes has made, everyone has a WWII story to share. I am so fortunate to get to hear so many of them. Who knows... that may be the next book.

Thank you York PA visitors for your warm hospitality for this hometown girl. I hope to welcome you to Pittsburgh one day soon!

-Lisa Spahr, Author