Footsteps of a Soldier

" Heartbreaking and heartwarming – a story of struggle and triumph, victory, and losses."
—New York Times Bestselling Author Tosca Lee, co-author of The Long March Home

Footsteps of a Soldier is a story of faith, hope, and perseverance for all who have served, all who have loved, and all who have lost a love.

Based on actual events, Footsteps of a Soldier dares you to imagine being nineteen years old and carrying a weapon. Feel what it’s like to walk in Private Homer’s boots. Laugh, cry, and feel your emotions come alive as you traverse the foreign landscape of war, of lost friends and family, and unforgettable farewells.

January 1945. As one of the thousands of reinforcements arriving at World War II’s front lines in France, nineteen-year-old Private Homer copes with the strain by dreaming of his rural Nebraska home and clinging to a simple object in his pocket. He finds some buddies among the weary, anxious soldiers from every corner of the United States. Their orders come from General Patton, and they have one final night of rest before they will fight for keeps.

Joseph Small was born in Columbus, Nebraska, and grew up on a farm near Fullerton, Nebraska. After high school, he became part of his family’s farming business and still works the land and raises cattle today with his four grown children. Since discovering a robin’s nest with four beautiful blue eggs as a young boy, Joseph dreamed of writing a novel. That moment sparked his creativity and changed the way he expressed his surroundings.

A unique friendship with a neighboring farmer who served under General Patton in World War II gave him this opportunity. This combat veteran and his wife shared bits and pieces of their story until flashbacks of war became too much. Footsteps of a Soldier is based on actual places and events experienced by this young GI far from home and Joseph’s childhood memories.