Atlanta Authors presents Rona Simmons, author, A Gathering of Men LIVE

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Atlanta Authors, in partnership with the City of Roswell and Bookmiser Book Stores, pays tribute to our community's veterans by presenting Rona Simmons, author of The Other Veterans of World War II and A Gathering of Men to share stories of soldiers in battle and behind the scenes.

Rona Simmons has written both historical fiction and nonfiction. She is the daughter of a WWII fighter pilot and wife of a US Navy pilot and is proud to honor veterans and their histories through her work. In both her recent books, The Other Veterans of World War II and A Gathering of Men, Simmons gives a voice to all those who served whether commanding officers, airmen, or ground crews.

Her stories, articles, and interviews have appeared in regional and national literary journals and in print and online magazines. A volunteer with The Stories Behind the Stars initiative, Simmons has contributed 275 storie honoring Americans who have perished during the war, including one story from all 50 states and, so far, one story from each of Georgia's Georgia Counties.

Set during the first half of the 20th Century and its generation-defining event, the Second World War, A Gathering of Men is based on a true story and tells the tale of young men raised on dreams of following in Charles Lindbergh's footsteps, wanting nothing more than to fly. When the war broke out, they got their wish, but flying against the German Luftwaffe proved a daunting task that changed everything except their friendship and their sense of duty and honor.

In its telling, with a near seamless line between fact and fiction, we learn not just about those who flew, but also those for whom the bombing missions grew increasingly horrifying and brought them to their breaking point ... a little known and often ignored aspect of the War.

The book illuminates a little-understood and often ignored side of World War II“”that of noncombat soldiers. These men and women who served in all branches of the military and all theaters of war often miles from the front lines whether in Europe, North Africa or the Pacific, like their combat brothers, have remarkable stories to tell.

Simmons gives us the war in a nutshell, packed with details of the enormity of the global operation. The facts, figures, and asides gathered during the author's extensive research complete the picture of these human-sized stories replete with the veterans' sacrifices, their faith and their humor. And, in so doing, the book brings long-overdue appreciation for the men and women who contributed mightily to the outcome of World War II.