Coming August 25, 2026
I’m a journalist drawn to World War II stories about resistance and intergenerational connection.
When I learned that my grandfather—a Jewish-American pilot shot down over France before D-Day—was rescued by legendary OSS Marine Col. Peter Ortiz, I teamed up with historian Nicholas Reynolds (ret. USMC colonel & bestselling author of Writer, Sailor, Soldier, Spy) to chronicle the story of our shared hero.
ORTIZ’S WAR IS AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER TODAY:
“Ortiz’s War has it all—a fascinating daredevil parachuting into Nazi-occupied France, saving Allied airmen, evading the Gestapo, surviving horrific imprisonment. A tender, beautifully told story that reminds us of Americans at their best.”
— Alex Kershaw, New York Times bestselling author of The Liberator & Bedford Boys
“Ortiz’s War reads like a Bond novel—yet it is rooted in declassified OSS records and meticulous research… A page-turner and an essential, long-overdue tribute to a true legend."
— Patrick O’Donnell, bestselling author of The Unvanquished and Revolutionary Snipers; a director & historian of the OSS Society
Upcoming Events
Washington DC w/ Nick:
Politics and Prose (Connecticut Ave)
Wednesday, August 19 @7pm
In conversation with Dr. Jeffrey Rogg
Register here
San Francisco w/ Katie:
Commonwealth Club
Tuesday, October 20 @5:30pm
NYC w/ Katie & Nick:
McNally Jackson Seaport
Thursday, August 27 @7pm
South Kingston, RI w/ Katie:
International Museum of World War II / WWII Foundation
Wednesday, October 7 @6pm
Philadelphia w/ Katie:
University of Pennsylvania’s Kelly Writers House
Wednesday, September 16
New Orleans w/ Katie & Nick:
Want to connect about an Ortiz’s War talk, bulk buy, book club, or event in your area? Reach out to ortizswarauthors@gmail.com.
National WWII Museum
Friday, November 20
*Limited to ticketed attendees of the annual Int’l Conference on WWII (details here)
Virtual w/ Katie & Nick:
Friends of the National WWII Memorial
Saturday, November 21 at 11am ET
In conversation with Alex Kershaw
Register here
“The almost unbelievable—but entirely true—story of one of America’s most renowned warriors. Deeply researched and deftly written, Ortiz’s War is a rousing tale of courage, tenacity and heroism.”
— Stephen Harding, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Battle & G.I. G-Men
“A riveting, timely tribute to an American hero—the kind of man who answers the call and goes into harm’s way without hesitation.”
—Kevin Maurer, New York Times bestselling author of No Easy Day, American Radical, and Damn Lucky
Dr. Nicholas Reynolds, Colonel USMC (Ret)
Growing up in the shadow of World War II fueled this author's interest in history. Freshly minted PhD from Oxford University in hand, Nicholas Reynolds joined the United States Marine Corps, serving as an infantry officer and then as a historian. He later served as a CIA officer, ending his career with a years-long stretch as the historian for the CIA Museum. In retirement, he teaches and writes. He is the New York Times bestselling author of the Hemingway biography Writer, Sailor, Soldier, Spy. The New Yorker named his book Need to Know: World War II and the Rise of American Intelligence among the “Best of 2022”. He and his wife, Becky, live outside Washington, DC and care for a Havanese named Ruby.
Katie S. Sanders
Katie S. Sanders is an award-winning journalist who has written for National Geographic, The New York Times, Washington Post Magazine, New York, TIME, Smithsonian, Vanity Fair, Insider, Glamour, and Marie Claire. Her reporting has brought her to the CIA, the White House, and the homes and reunions of many World War II veterans and Holocaust survivors. After discovering that her late grandfather—a Jewish-American pilot shot down over France—was rescued by Peter Ortiz, she teamed up with Nick Reynolds to co-author Ortiz’s War. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, she recently moved from New York City to Brookline, MA with her husband, sons, Havanese, and many books. Get her free newsletter here.
“A gripping account of an American war hero, Ortiz's War takes off where the hit French TV series Un Village Francais left off. A much-needed reminder of what valor looks like. Ortiz inspires.”
—Marie Brenner, bestselling author and Vanity Fair writer-at-large
