There is a story about Winston Churchill and a deadly incident from World War II that most people have never heard. This is my account of how I learned to research and write about this unlikely clash between the British and French Navies while working a full-time job as a software salesman.

My research included deep dives into the archives of Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt, as well as the archives of other statesmen, diplomats, and admirals who played key roles in my story. I accessed the private papers of historians who knew many of those key players, and I made a special pilgrimage to a historic rail car in Compiegne (near Paris) to enrich my research.

I've written chapters about used books, old words, how I taught myself to read French, and how I applied lessons from my business career to organize my research and writing. You will meet three loathsome characters whose stories repulsed me, and 11 men who so fascinated me, I wished I could have joined them across a pint of beer.

Everybody Knows ... is for fans of history, especially anyone with an interest in learning more about Winston Churchill and an intriguing cast of admirals, diplomats, statesmen, and other writers of history.

My book is also for anyone who dreams of turning a creative idea into commercial reality, especially anyone who wonders how to manage the intellectual and the business challenges of writing a book while working a "traditional" job.

This is not a how-to guide. Instead, it is more of a here's-why-you-should source of enlightenment and inspiration.