An independent scholar and blogger who spent the last twenty years studying biography, Stefanie Van Steelandt was raised near Belgium’s Liberty Road, which General Patton and his Third Army followed during WWII. She grew up reading prodigiously about history and was lucky enough to experience many of the places she read about first-hand.
Stefanie earned a degree in Business Management and Marketing from Berkeley College and spent several years in the fashion industry before pursuing her real passions: history and art. She managed The Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition Eastern Region for over a decade, helping young singers realize their dreams of making it to the most famous stage in the world.
With a curious mind and a love for researching, Stefanie could finally pursue her own dreams when she landed upon the subject of Mrs. Beatrice Ayer Patton. Based on hours of interviews with family members and years of research, Lady of the Army has been hailed for its extensive research and factual reporting. It was the recipient of the 2023 Benjamin Franklin Silver Award for Biography.
Presently residing in New York City, Ms. Van Steelandt is writing a follow-up to Lady of the Army that explores the life of Mrs. Joanne Holbrook Patton. Additionally, she is working on a project about the “five beautiful Delano sisters,” one of whom was the mother of President Franklin Roosevelt.
I have ‘met’ a plethora of interesting people reading hundreds of biographies over the years. With some, I am content just knowing the basics; others have left such a mark on me that I will read any book I can get my hands on.
About four years ago, I was looking for something to watch. I ignored the suggestion of Patton for several weeks, turned off by the running time, until one day, I could no longer ignore the face of General Patton (aka George C. Scott) staring back at me. After all, GSP Jr. was no stranger to me; I’d come across his name several times before in many of the WWII books I had read. The next three hours flew by, and by the time I went to bed, I had ordered several more books.
In the case of General Patton, the woman behind the man had to be someone extraordinary, and Beatrice Ayer Patton did not disappoint. I did some research, quickly realizing there was a bigger story to be told. I finally met the subject of the book I had always dreamed of writing. Mrs. Patton was a most pleasant companion during the last four years of researching and writing, from visiting the places near and dear to her heart to conducting interviews and digging through thousands of letters.
I hope you enjoy reading Lady of the Army as much as I enjoyed writing it.
ADVICE FROM IR APPROVED AUTHOR STEFANIE VAN STEELANDT: “IN ORDER TO WRITE, YOU NEED TO READ.”
An independent scholar and blogger who spent the last twenty years studying biography, Stefanie Van Steelandt grew up near Belgium’s Liberty Road, which General Patton and his Third Army followed during WWII. Currently living in New York City and working on her second book, Ms. Van Steelandt spent nearly four years researching and writing Lady of the Army.
Minnegate Press 