Press Coverage + Free Books
"Stories of Vietnam" featured on new horizons
This newsletter is a bit of a potpourri, so here’s an overview:
Honored to the subject of a press award,
American Legion article to be released soon,
Commemorating April 30 event,
Request for reviews: Please leave a review for For the Love of Vietnam on Amazon or Goodreads, and
50 free ebooks for the 50th (Goodreads Giveaway)
Honored to be the subject of a notable Press Award
In anticipation of my presentation at the Women’s Vietnam Memorial last November, local journalist Amaris Ford wrote an insightful piece on my Vietnam writing journey, featured on the front page of The Spot 518. That story just won a prestigious New York Press Association award.
The contest draws 4,000 entries a year, so the accolade is noteworthy. A March 23 article said that “the story offered readers a poignant reflection on legacy, healing, and the power of storytelling:”
. . . Amaris Ford’s feature on Delmar author Kat Fitzpatrick . . . explored Fitzpatrick’s emotional journey of piecing together family letters and personal memories to honor the quiet heroism of her parents. The story offered readers a poignant reflection on legacy, healing, and the power of storytelling.
American Legion article due out any day
At the Women’s Vietnam Memorial, I was approached by writer and editor Henry Howard and photographer Lexey Swall. The autumn lighting was sublime and Lexey quickly had me pose for a potential article in the American Legion Magazine.
Henry interviewed me over the winter and the article will appear in the April 2025 issue, just in time for the 50th Anniversary culmination.
Plans for April 30, 2025
On April 30th, Karen and I will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Fall of Saigon together in Albany, N.Y. It will not be an anniversary celebration but a time to contemplate where we were all those years ago, who we have become, and what we hope for the future.
Do you feel called to commemorate the 50th in some way? Please share in the comments. I’d love to hear.
Request for Reviews
I’d love it if you’d take a moment and click five stars on Amazon or Goodreads. This really helps build confidence in potential readers.
If you want to write something, that’s great too. Short is good. Here’s one of my favorites:
I found this to be a fascinating book, at once both spell binding and insightful. Highly recommended!!
Goodreads Giveaway
April 2025 also seems to be a good time to offer a Goodreads Giveaway. In honor of the 50th Anniversary, I am making 50 Kindle copies available free of charge during the month of April.
If you haven’t read For the Love of Vietnam: a war, a family, a CIA official, and the best evacuation story never heard, April will be a great time to take advantage of the give-away or share the wealth with a friend.
As we approach “Black April,” I cannot help but reflect upon how bleak the outlook was at this time 50 years ago. My trip to D.C. last November was so filled honor, trust, and hope that it heartened me. History is full of difficult passages, and it’s also full of people pulling through and pulling together. May the best in us endure.
Until next time,
Kat
Book Information for Karen Kaiser and Kat Fitzpatrick
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Some ideas for bulk purchases:
using one or both of our books for a book club,
recommending them for a library collection purchase, or
recommending them to a teacher or professor for classroom use
Click here to purchase a copy of Gardens in the Midst of War: Saigon 1973-1975.
Click here to purchase For the Love of Vietnam: a war, a family, a CIA official, and the best evacuation story never heard.