Local author Bill Ciccotti held a book signing of his World War II action thiller “The Dead Never Sleep,” at the Battle of the Bulge Living History Commemoration at Fort Indiantown Gap Jan. 25-29. The event was especially meaningful since Bill’s father, Angelo M. Ciccotti fought in that historic conflict.
Ciccotti’s book, which he describes as historical fiction, takes place in the Ardennes Forest where a group of worn-out GIs slowed the Nazi war machine down during the end of German Operation Mist.
Ciccotti explains, “On Dec. 16, 1944, Adolf Hitler launched a massive counterattack against Allied forces who were freezing in the forests of Belgium. The troops were caught totally off-guard when more than a quarter million crack German troops and high quality tanks descended upon their positions, led the the elite XLVII Panzer Corps.
“Hitler launched his final gamble on these snow-covered forests, thinking the “inferior” Americans would just give up. But the Allied troops stopped the Nazis cold in small forgotten towns and battles.”
Ciccotti said his book was met with rave reviews and applause during the three days of festivities at Indiantown Gap. The signing event was a lot of fun, and many of the reenactors enjoyed how the book presents the daily life of the average soldier, “Not as heroes, just average guys who had a job to do and did their best to get it done,” as Ciccotti says. “Friendships bonded and tragically ripped away were part of every snowy day.”
Ciccotti’s previous book topics have included family life in the 1960s, Key West adventures, mob crime stories, and World War II historical fiction. He is currently working on several Western dime novelettes, two follo-up Worold War II stories continuing the exploits of Baker Company, and many more Key West Tropical Adventure books.
For more information, look at the book section of Amazon.com.
