At First Light: A True World War II Story of a Hero, His Bravery, and an Amazing Horse is slowly making headway. The publisher sold out of the first printing (1,000 hard-cover copies) in the first few months after the April 19, 2022 release. The second printing (also a hard cover) was 3500 and they are almost sold out of it. A soft cover edition was released on Amazon.com the first week in February, 2024. This new edition corrects some editorial mistakes and factual errors.

This book has received better reviews and won more awards than any book I’ve written, including :

• The Non-fiction “Book of the Year,” The Golden Author Award, and the “Book of the Year” in the Genre “True Stories, by the International Page Turner Awards (London);

• A 2022 Silver Medalist for “Book of the Year” by the Military Writers Society of America;”

• Was a 2023 featured book by The National WWII Museum in New Orleans; and
• Was a “Featured Book” at the Louisiana Book Festival in October 2023.

I’m delighted that the book has received over 500 5-star ratings on Amazon, GoodReads, Barnes & Noble, Walmart, and Target. If you’d like to leave a star rating at these sites, send me an email and I’ll send you the links and some posting tips. Thanks for considering this!

Also, as a result of the book, 

1. On August 1, 2023, the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division inducted Dad (posthumously) into their Marne Hall of Fame at Fort Stewart, Georgia. Dad was inducted along with General Marshall, General Eisenhower, General Ridgeway, and his two commanders, General O’Daniel, and General McGarr. What a wonderful honor. My brothers and I were able to attend together along with our spouses and kids. 
2. In addition, General David Petraeus has nominated Dad to the Army’s Officer Candidate School (OCS) Hall of Fame at Fort Moore (formerly Fort Benning), Georgia. That induction is in early May, 2025, should Dad be chosen. 
3. Finally, the LSU Military Museum in the LSU Memorial Tower opened an exhibit honoring Dad in October 2023. It will be there for at least a year and the museum entrance is free. You might enjoy going there to see it. Be sure to ask for the museum director, James Gregory, if you go. He’d love to hear any “Dad” stories you’d want to share with him.

Last, but not least, at my website, www.drwalt.com, I started a new blog series on January 1, 2023: “Where Was Phil Larimore 80 Years Ago Today.” If you subscribe to the blog (it’s free), you can follow more details and history about his WWII exploits that were in the book. I’ll also be putting in all of the letters he wrote home from January 1944 through at least the end of 1945.

Stay tuned for my blog tomorrow. I’ll be sharing the very best review ever for the book.

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