Wayne MacDowell, local civic activist and retired St. Pete Beach businessman, will have his second novel, Not Just Another War Story, on Amazon.com October 28 and in book stores November 11.
“It’s the fruition of nine years of research and writing,“ he told Paradise News. “The book is a meaningful true-to-life account of the action-packed U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II, a most difficult time in our history. It’s also a love story of a young B-17 pilot and the British nurse he meets in London. “Release of the print edition on Veterans Day is very meaningful, almost 70 years after the end of the war, first in Europe and then in Japan. Local area bookstore and library signings are being scheduled.”
Wayne’s publisher, DocUmeant Publishing, is a division of the DocUmeant family of companies, based in New York City, and headed by Ginger Marks, an award winning author, publisher and internationally recognized designer. The company won the 2012 New York Award in the Publishing Consultants & Services category by the U.S. Commerce Association (USCA).
Other DocUmeant authors include Scott Donkin, an internationally published author, chiropractor, lecturer and consultant. Books include Sitting on the Job, Fit for Work, SittingSmarts, the co-author of PeakPerformance Body & Mind: How to Make Your Body Last a Lifetime, and he is also the producer of a number of multimedia programs on health and wellness. Mary Kane, JD, has over 27 years experience as a criminal and civil trial lawyer in various states and in federal court, background for her book, Southern Justice. She was the first woman in the country to become a Life Member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. Ross Crothers, based in New South Wales, for most of his working life, he has been involved in international trade and finance.
The characters and events from these years have inspired his book, Running Dead.
Business Career to Author
Born in Woodbury, NJ, and raised in the greater Philadelphia area, Wayne came from a fire department family including his great grandfather, grandfather and his Dad, who served Camden, NJ for 44 years, the last dozen as Chief.
Undergraduate studies were at LSU, where he played football, and Rutgers University. His business career began in Philadelphia with Lipton Tea, and after promotion to a marketing position in corporate headquarters, he spent more than 30 years in the New York City area. After 20 years with Lipton, he joined Chock Full O’ Nuts Coffee as Director of Sales and Marketing for their Private Label Division.
His business experience involved extensive travel crisscrossing the USA and as he says, “Name the city and I’ve probably been there!” A great portion of his first book, Not Just Another Love Story, was written in airplanes, airports and hotels. During his business career in the tea and coffee industry, he was also on the Board of Directors for The Tea Association of the USA.
Wayne and his wife Ruth will celebrate their 55th wedding anniversary November 28 and have two daughters, Susan and Karen. Susan and son-in-law Robert gave them 5 grandchildren, and live in the greater Chicago area. Karen is an award-winning florist and Susan’s husband, Robert, has an international law firm. Ruth and Wayne feel their little poodle Pepper their “littlest daughter.”
SPB ‘Sister City’ & 50th Anniversary
“In 1981 Ruth and I purchased our first condo in SPB and used it as our little hideaway,” Wayne recalls. “We moved to SPB on a permanent basis in the spring of 1998 from the pretty New England type town of Oakland in northern New Jersey, when I took an early retirement from the business world, although I continued to consult to the tea and coffee industry.”
Wayne has been very active in keeping the lines open between SPB and its “international sister-city,” Sandown, Isle of Wight, England, alive. “With my family background, I made a ‘link’ between the St. Pete Beach Fire Department and the Sandown Fire Service,” he notes. “The Summer 2008 issue of Paradise News with Sandown on the cover has an article, plus photos, including my presenting a photo book from our fire department to the Sandown Fire Service. Heather Humby, former Mayor of Sandown and 34 year member of the Isle of Wight Counsil (Council) is also in the photo, along with Ian Ward, another Counsil member.
Wayne was a key member of the St Pete Beach 50th Anniversary Committee as Finance Chair and then Vice-Chair for the year-long event that culminated in a memorable November 2007 weekend with a party for 600 at the TradeWinds Island Grand and fireworks off Upham Beach.
As a member of the Florida Writers Association, Wayne has given writing seminars and helps aspiring writers, telling them not to get caught up in the “cookie cutter” writing theory, but to relax, create and enjoy writing.
It’s been six months since the surprise attack by the Japanese on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, December 7, 1941…Now, it is the Spring of 1942…and a State of War exists in the United States of America, which has joined in to fight World War II.
Steve Carmichael has just graduated from the University of Florida. From the time he was a boy growing up on a Central Florida cattle ranch, he has been flying. His Dad had purchased an old mail-route bi-plane when Steve was 11 years old and within a year, the youngster was soaring with the birds in the airplane.
As young men go off to fight in the war, Steve places a professional baseball career on hold, making the decision to join the Army Air Corps. His desire is to pilot the four-engine B-17 Flying Fortress Bomber into battle.
Join Steve as he works to complete the difficult military pilot training and preparation for what is to come. Meet the members of his Crew…that includes a co-pilot by the name of Howard Barclay Van Dyke, III…you’ll really like Howie!
Ah…the British nurse Steve meets at a USO dance…she is Margaret Steele from England’s Isle of Wight. It’s hard not to fall in love with “Maggie!”
You can almost hear the roar of B-17 engines when you fly along with Steve and his Crew as they do battle flying in the dangerous sky above occupied Europe. Each of the bombing missions flown…is an authentic 305th Bomb Group raid on the enemy. Experience the action-packed air battles as the airmen try to survive…only to fly into battle on the next mission with the possibility of being shot down over enemy territory, evading capture and making it safely back to England.
London is calling and the aviators get the chance to visit this world-class city. Travel along with them as they enjoy a “Pint”…in some most interesting Pubs!
Not just Another War Story is about life-love-hope and dreams during a war torn world. The story will give you an inside look during this…one of the most difficult times in history.
Story by Steve Traiman
[Steve Traiman is President of Creative Copy by Steve Traiman in St. Pete Beach, offering freelance business writing services. He can be reached via email at straiman@mindspring.com.]