“Cherries” Named Best Audiobook of 2012

“Every book begins with Page ONE”

PAGEONELIT.COM celebrates over 20 years online

Pageonelit.com is a Writer’s Digest Top 101 writer site for 2009!

#1 Google Search for Literary Newsletters on the Internet

PageOneLit.com was the first online literary newsletter and ranks first in Google searches for literary newsletters. PageOneLit.com has been featured by the USA Today, N.Y. Times, and Chicago Tribune newspapers.

# 1 Literary Newsletters Website out of 1,770,000 (GOOGLE)
# 3 Newsletter Website search out of 90,200,000  (GOOGLE)
# 9 Author Interview Search out of 4,000,000  (GOOGLE)

PageOneLit.com was one of the first Literary Newsletter Websites online. Older than Google and MySpace.

On January 21, 2013, PageOneLit.com named “Cherries – A Vietnam War Novel” by John Podlaski – BEST AUDIOBOOK OF 2012

     This is a proud moment for John Podlaski – recipient of the “Books and Authors Award for Literary Excellence“.  John commented on the audiobook, “This was way more difficult than writing the book.  I bought the equipment and tried to record the story myself, but fell flat and learned early on that I was not an actor.  Thereafter, I solicited experts and chose Michael Sutherland to tell my story.  He brought the story to life – developing distinct voices for 23 different characters…it was like listening to a great movie.  Barbara Battestilli, Copy Editor of the novel, monitored tone, pace and voice deflections for consistency throughout and also compared Michael’s readings with the actual book text – ensuring unabridged authenticity.  The success of this audiobook would not have come without them.”

     When notified by contest officials of his good fortune in winning the audiobook category, the e-mail included the following quote from one of the contest judges, “One HELL of a book!!!“

     “Cherries” is a story about a young, naive, teenage soldier who is sent to Vietnam, with others his age, to fight in an unpopular war.  Dubbed “Cherries” by their more seasoned peers, these newbies suddenly found themselves thrust in the middle of a nightmarish scenario for which not even their worst dreams could prepare them; as such, they were hardly ready to absorb the harsh mental, emotional, and physical toll that the conflict would eventually take on them. Literally forced to become men overnight, the Cherries had to learn quickly to make life-or-death decisions, the consequences of which not only impacted their own lives – but also those of their fellow soldiers.  This is a story about their rite of passage.

      The author provides links of the complete first six chapters of the novel for your listening pleasure.  If you wish to listen and/or purchase the audiobook in its entirety, please click here:   Listen to Cherries audiobook   

     To see the final list of all contest winners, please click on the following link: http://www.books-and-authors.net/BooksoftheYear2012.html

Cherries – A Vietnam War Novel is available from these great websites:

Cherries – A Vietnam War Novel has gone live in these new venues:

Audiobook (MP3 download) – Awarded Best Audiobook of 2012:

Cherries link on Audible

Cherries link on Amazon

Printed books:

Cherries Paperback from CreateSpace

Cherries paperback from Amazon

Cherries Paperback from Lulu

Printed copy – personally autographed: Available from AuthorsDen

E-Book:

Cherries Kindle Version

The following websites will temporarily stop selling e-books until August, 2013 (Sorry if this causes any inconvenience!)

E-book Barnes & Noble NOOK reader:  Cherries for NOOK E-Reader

E-Book for Apple, KOBO, desktop, SONY, Palm, PDF and other versions: Cherries at Smashwords

E-Book for PDF, MOBI and E-PUB: Cherries at BookTango

Please remember to revisit this blog and leave comments of what you thought about my book.  I have created a special page dedicated to readers of the book only.  Click on book reader page in Right panel.

CLICK TITLE ON  TOP OF PAGE TO GO TO MAIN BLOG PAGE

Cherries – A Vietnam War Novel (Revised Edition) is now available

There is absolute value in hiring a professional Copy Line Editor to go over your book or manuscript.  Now that the mechanical and grammar revisions are complete, Cherries reads like a new book.   When proofing her work, I found myself drawn into the story and continued reading well into the night.  Not that I had to, but because it was so enjoyable – even after having already read it a thousand times before.   B&N and Smashwords e-book versions are already live, I expect Amazon Kindle to be available tomorrow.  The printed Amazon and CreateSpace versions will take a little longer – perhaps a week or more to complete the process before it is available for sale.  I will certainly let you know when that happens.

This new revision is 47 pages longer and now includes both a list of main character descriptions and a glossary of military acronyms and jargon used in the story.   I found that creating descriptions for these main characters was exceptionally challenging – especially when trying not to give the story away.   It took time, but I was pleased with the outcome – all characters are listed chronologically as they appear in the story.

I would also like to take this opportunity to introduce and thank  Barbara Battestilli for her hard work and attention to detail in making Cherries even better.  She is very thorough, takes nothing for granted, and is an absolute pleasure to work with.  If anybody out there is in need of her expertise, please let me know and I’ll hook you up.

Never thought it was possible, but Cherries is indeed better.  If you haven’t read this story yet, then please try to visit one of the websites mentioned above and download a sample to read.  You have nothing to lose and might be pleasantly surprised.  

Additionally, I will be interviewed live on “American Heroes Radio” on July 14, 2011 at 6:00 pm (EST).  We will primarily be discussing Cherries -  and leaving enough time near the end of the interview for listeners to phone in and ask direct questions.  I will have more information available about this event within the next few days and will post updates as they become available.  Please visit my blog website for additional information about my book and to read short postings of what these young soldiers had to endure while in Vietnam.

If you want to be redirected to my main page for additional stories – click on the title at the top of this page.

Free Sample

I have posted the first six chapters of Cherries – A Vietnam War Novel (revised edition) on “Scribd” as a free sample for all to read.  If you haven’t purchased the book yet, please  take this opportunity to read this free sample.  This is a story about the right of passage that all young soldiers undertake while experiencing war for the first time.  Although the setting for Cherries is Vietnam, the author’s experiences, emotions, and tragedies are not only confined to that war – they are repeated  in every conflict.  Readers of my novel have commented that Cherries should be read by students, siblings of those who have served, and by the parents of those soldiers serving today.  After finishing Cherries, they’ll have a better understanding of why those who go away to war come home “changed”.  All veterans will relate to Cherries – either in part or in whole!

If you want to purchase a copy of Cherries, please return to my blog and chose a link for the type of book you are interested in!

cherries_six chapter sample 7_19-11

 

If you enjoyed this article and want to learn more about the Vietnam War – subscribe to this blog and get each new post delivered to your email or feed reader.   Click on the title at the top of this page to be redirected to my main page – a directory on the right side lists similar articles and points of interest.

What was the worst work detail you pulled in Vietnam?

Personally, assigned to the firebase shit burning detail was absolutely the worst of my experiences in the Nam…closely followed by having to relocate the “piss tubes”. I was able to tolerate painting, filling sandbags, digging holes for bunkers and just about any other task they could throw at me when I wasn’t in the bush, but, hands down, burning shit left a permanent brown stain on my memory. Honestly, once you pour in the diesel fuel and light a match, only two other tasks were required for the remainder of the day: Having to stir the mixture every fifteen minutes or so with a large stick, and then doing your best to avoid the billowing and shifting thick, black smoke. The hardest and most difficult part of this day-long work detail, was moving the filled barrels to a spot considered safe for burning. Envision this, and yes this is gross, but fifty-five gallon steel barrels were cut in half and used for the collection of waste.

Each community outhouse, some enclosed and some not, were fabricated with wood and screen material. An eight foot long by three foot wide piece of plywood ran across the length of the small building – four oblong and evenly spaced holes were cut into the wood plank to create a throne for a foursome; a half barrel waste collector was strategically placed under each of them. Actually, there were eight in total – four replacement empties from the day before. Now here is the worst part. Both doors, enclosing the barrels on the rear of the outhouse were raised 180 degrees and latched to the wall. Each of these four barrels had to be pulled out and dragged about thirty feet away to the “safe area”. Now consider that one gallon of milk weighs about ten pounds and the capacity of each barrel is about 25 gallons. I’m not going to go on about the swarms of black flies or describe the mixture – I think you have the picture! So if they were quite full, it was very difficult to pull the 200 plus pounds of sloshing liquid across the uneven dirt or mud without spilling or splashing some of the contents on yourself. Yeah, I know, EEWWWW! Well multiply this times four. Oh, I also forgot – we couldn’t get gloves either.

So it’s the end of the day and the task is finally over (waste is completely burned and the barrels are empty). It’s time to get some dinner at the mess hall but you can’t go looking or smelling like your “work”. And guess what, there are no clean fatigues available. Off to the shower to bathe in your clothes…it helps some, but not much. However, nobody says a word because they know what you’ve been doing all day. They’ve been there! They’ve done that! They sympathize with you! All is great in the world for the moment. You finish your meal and head to your bunker for the night. Thank God somebody else will pull this detail tomorrow.

I could not imagine walking around like that today and getting the same response. Jesus, you catch hell from people if you just fart and they want to make a big deal about it. So, here we are at the end of my discussion and you may or may not agree with my choice. Please respond to this post one way or the other. If there is something worse…bring it on for us all to read about. If you agree or have done it yourself – leave a note! Looking forward to your responses.

If you enjoyed this article and want to learn more about the Vietnam War – subscribe to this blog and get each new post delivered to your email or feed reader.   Click on the title at the top of this page to be redirected to my main page – a directory on the right side lists similar articles and points of interest.

Thought Provoking – Horrible Memories of a Horrible Time

Some Interesting Veteran Statistics from the Vietnam Memorial Wall

There are 58,267 names now listed on that polished black wall, including those added in 2010.

The names are arranged in the order in which they were taken from us by date and within each date the names are alphabetized. It is hard to believe it is 36 years since the last casualties.

Beginning at the apex on panel 1E and going out to the end of the East wall, appearing to recede into the earth (numbered 70E – May 25, 1968), then resuming at the end of the West wall, as the wall emerges from the earth (numbered 70W – continuing May 25, 1968) and ending with a date in 1975. Thus the war’s beginning and end meet. The war is complete, coming full circle, yet broken by the earth that bounds the angle’s open side and contained within the earth itself.

The first known casualty was Richard B. Fitzgibbon, of North Weymouth , Mass. Listed by the U.S. Department of Defense as having been killed on June 8, 1956. His name is listed on the Wall with that of his son, Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Richard B. Fitzgibbon III, who was killed on Sept. 7, 1965.

• Most of the surviving parents of Vietnam Vets are now deceased.

• There are three sets of fathers and sons on the Wall.

• 39,996 on the Wall were just 22 or younger.

• ·8,283 were just 19 years old.

• The largest age group, 33,103 were 18 years old.

• 12 soldiers on the Wall were 17 years old.

• 5 soldiers on the Wall were 16 years old.

• One soldier, PFC Dan Bullock was 15 years old.

• 997 soldiers were killed on their first day in Vietnam .

• 1,448 soldiers were killed on their last day in Vietnam .

• 31 sets of brothers are on the Wall.

• Thirty one sets of parents lost two of their sons.

• 54 soldiers on attended Thomas Edison High School in Philadelphia . I wonder why so many from one school.

• 8 Women are on the Wall. Nursing the wounded.

• 244 soldiers were awarded the Medal of Honor during the Vietnam War; 153 of them are on the Wall.

• Beallsville, Ohio with a population of 475 lost 6 of her sons.

• West Virginia had the highest casualty rate per capita in the nation. There are 711 West Virginians on the Wall.

• The Marines of Morenci – They led some of the scrappiest high school football and basketball teams that the little Arizona copper town of Morenci (pop. 5,058) had ever known and cheered. They enjoyed roaring beer busts. In quieter moments, they rode horses along the Coronado Trail, stalked deer in the Apache National Forest . And in the patriotic camaraderie typical of Morenci mining families, the nine graduates of Morenci High enlisted as a group in the Marine Corps. Their service began on Independence Day, 1966. Only 3 returned home.

• The Buddies of Midvale – LeRoy Tafoya, Jimmy Martinez, Tom Gonzales were all boyhood friends and lived on three consecutive streets in Midvale, Utah on Fifth, Sixth and Seventh avenues. They lived only a few yards apart. They played ball at the adjacent sandlot ball field. And they all went to Vietnam . In a span of 16 dark days in late 1967, all three would be killed. LeRoy was killed on Wednesday, Nov. 22, the fourth anniversary of John F. Kennedy’s assassination. Jimmy died less than 24 hours later on Thanksgiving Day. Tom was shot dead assaulting the enemy on Dec. 7, Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.

• The most casualty deaths for a single day was on January 31, 1968 ~ 245 deaths.

• The most casualty deaths for a single month was May 1968 – 2,415 casualties were incurred.

For most Americans who read this they will only see the numbers that the Vietnam War created. To those of us who survived the war, and to the families of those who did not, we see the faces, we feel the pain that these numbers created. We are, until we too pass away, haunted with these numbers, because they were our friends, fathers, husbands, wives, sons and daughters. There are no noble wars, just noble warriors.
I have another page posted on my blog with many more statistics of the Vietnam War.  Click on the title link above to be directed to my home page.

American Heroes Radio interviews author of Cherries – A Vietnam War Novel

The live interview with John Podlaski was a huge success and was rated one of the best by interviewer Lt. Raymond E. Foster, LAPD (Ret).   He had read the author’s book and referred back to it when asking very specific questions about Cherries and of the author himself.   There wasn’t a dull moment and the hour was filled with interesting comments from both sides.  If you missed the live interview, it is highly recommended for you to listen to an archived version at your leisure.   Cherries is a must read for all veterans and parents of veterans; the prior group will relate, and the parents will have a peek at what their children may be going through or have already endured.  This interview will leave you yearning for more and give you a reason for purchasing my story.  Please click on the link below to access and listen to the archived version.  Feel free to add comments either on this blog, Cherries – A Vietnam War Novel Facebook Fan page or American Heroes Radio Facebook fan page.

cherries interview

If you enjoyed this article and want to learn more about the Vietnam War – subscribe to this blog and get each new post delivered to your email or feed reader.   Click on the title at the top of this page to be redirected to my main page – a directory on the right side lists similar articles and points of interest.

Get a Free Gift when “liking” my new Facebook Page

cherries Novel Facebook Page

A Short Timer’s Form Letter from Vietnam

I recently came across a form letter that I remember seeing in Vietnam forty years ago.  Back then, it was referred to as “A short-timer letter”, one that offered a warning to everyone stateside about his expected return home.  All soldiers in Vietnam kept track of the amount of days they had left in country – a measuring stick of tenure that began as a Cherry with 365 days and continued downward – a short-timer’s count was in single digits. The intent of the letter was somewhat of a joke intended to hype up the soldier’s return, listing behavioral changes that may occur, with advice on what loved ones should or should not do.   I remember sending off my letter and returning home after fulfilling my obligation.  However, looking back upon this letter, many veterans, new and old, still exhibit some of those behaviors.  It’s still a fun read.  Do you remember seeing this?  What is your opinion about it today?

Short Timer’s Letter

If you enjoyed this article and want to learn more about the Vietnam War – subscribe to this blog and get each new post delivered to your email or feed reader.   Click on the title at the top of this page to be redirected to my main page – a directory on the right side lists similar articles and points of interest.

Live Radio Interview 7/14/11

The July 14, 2011, episode of American Heroes Radio features a conversation with John Podlaski, the author of Cherries – A Vietnam War Novel. John served in Vietnam in the early 1970′s, during which he received numerous military recognitions (Combat Infantry Badge, Bronze Star, Two Air Medals, and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry in addition to others). He is a member of Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 154 and lives with his wife of 38 years, Janice, in Sterling Heights, MI. Please have a listen at 1800 hrs. MI time to learn more about this author and his first novel.

American Heroes Radio

If you enjoyed this article and want to learn more about the Vietnam War – subscribe to this blog and get each new post delivered to your email or feed reader.   Click on the title at the top of this page to be redirected to my main page – a directory on the right side lists similar articles and points of interest.