THE BOOK WORLD has changed significantly over the years, but our mission remains the same. We find and develop outstanding original military and general history manuscripts and bring them to you in the form of quality books you will be proud to read, own, and keep for a lifetime.
Most of our titles are available either signed by the author or with an original signed author book plate--at no additional charge. We also offer exclusive group discounts for bulk orders for round tables and other organizations. You can also find them in eBook form and many in audio. Enjoy. We welcome your feedback and look forward to serving your needs.
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Theodore P. Savas was born and raised on the Great Plains of Northern Iowa, where his Tom Sawyer-like childhood played to his “forge his own path” spirit and helped shape the man. His love of history, writing, and entrepreneurship began at an early age, as did his love for music, classical piano (which he played well into his college years), and bass guitar.
Ted graduated from the University of Northern Iowa with a degree in American History, spent a year working toward a master's, and then attended the University of Iowa College of Law, where he graduated in 1986 “With Distinction.” He moved to California and practiced in Silicon Valley for many years, where he also taught business, history, and political science classes at the college level for two decades.
In 1990, he co-founded (with David Woodbury) the historical press Savas Woodbury Publishers (which became Savas Publishing a few years later). The company was sold to a larger East coast publisher in 2000. Ted and the late Russel H. Beatie founded Savas Beatie in January 2004, which grew to become the number one independent publisher of American Civil War titles in the world.
Savas is the author or editor of a score of books (published in seven languages), including : A Guide to the Battles of the American Revolution (with J. David Dameron, 2006), Hunt and Kill: U-505 and the U-Boat War in the Atlantic (2004), Silent Hunters: German U-boat Commanders of World War II (2003), Nazi Millionaires: The Allied Search for Hidden SS Gold (with Ken Alford (2002), Brady's Civil War Journal: Photographing the War 1861-1865 (2008, 2022), and his latest, The Indispensable Man: George Washington Rains, the Confederate Powder Works, and the Civil War You Never Knew (2026).
Ted has ghostwritten more than forty books and has edited and developed hundreds more. He has also penned scores of articles in a variety of journals, magazines, and newspapers, and is an agent for more than a dozen active authors.
He developed the "Write Now! zoom classes to help writers navigate the gears of the publishing machine to reach their goals. See more here: https://www.savasbeatie.com/write-now/
Ted’s hobbies include scuba diving, smoking the occasional good cigar, quality gin, and playing bass (Rickenbacker, of course) and keyboards in the hard rock band Arminius, which opens for larger acts in Northern California. Check us out on Facebook: Arminiustheband. See ya at the next gig.
Ted, his wife Zoe, and their dogs Miss Kenya (the adventurous pit bull), Shadow (the mouthy husky), and Kyoto (the needy mutt) live in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
Click HERE to send him an email.
Russel H. "Cap" Beatie (co-owner) graduated from Princeton University and Columbia Law School and worked as a trial lawyer in New York City for nearly four decades. Cap's interest in the Civil War began at a young age when he read Douglas Southall Freeman's Lee's Lieutenants: A Study in Command.
The Kansas native and former lieutenant in the field artillery and infantry lived in the New York City area most of his life. He was the author of several articles and books, including Road to Manassas (Cooper Square, 1961) and three volumes in the The Army of the Potomac series: Volume 1: Birth of Command, September 1860 - September 1861; Volume 2: McClellan Takes Command: September 1861-February 1862 (2004); and Volume 3: McClellan's First Campaign, March - May 1862 (2007).
Unfortunately, Cap passed away before finishing the series. The manuscript for his fourth volume, McClellan and the Battle of Fair Oaks/Seven Pines, is under development. We miss him.
Sarah Keeney (Marketing Director) graduated from Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, California, with a degree in journalism (with a public relations concentration) and has been with Savas Beatie since Day 1. Sarah oversees all marketing operations. She is married and lives with her family in Silicon Valley.
Sarah Closson (Author Liaison/Marketing) is a self-proclaimed "sleuth" who can and will find out anything and everything about someone and something. This inevitability contributes positively to her success at scheduling various events and media for many Savas Beatie authors. Her family is thankful to have her sleuthing tendencies directed away from them. Outside the office, she's an avid college and pro sports fan, and keeps busy cheering on her favorite teams.
Lisa Murphy (Accounts Manager/Administrative Support) loves her family, sports, and the gym, though not always in that order! When not doing a little bit of everything at Savas Beatie (admin, re-seller & bulk specialty sales, customer orders, author support, and web updates), you can find her with a drink in hand watching a live or televised sporting event.
Veronica Kane (Production Manager) is a diehard Pittsburgh Steeler's fan and a graduate of The Pennsylvania State University with a B.S. in Business Logistics. She coordinates the publications process for our books. When she’s not working, she enjoys watching football, gardening, spending time with her family, and giving Ted a hard time because his Vikings have yet to win a Super Bowl.
Angela Morrow (Bookkeeping and Order Processing). Ange is a graduate of National University with a BA in Business and Finance. She is the mother of two high school athletes and a trio of dogs. Her favorite pastime involves creating spreadsheets.
Rhonda Ashoff (Accounts) grew up in Washington State, moved to California in the late 80's, and has a background/former career in HR. She loves reading, boating, hiking, being around family, and cooking. She lives on 10 acres, so the property keeps she and her husband active and outdoors.
Dave Snyder is a historian and editor. He has published four books, the most recent of which is American Power in the Netherlands: Modernization and the Politics of Clientelism, 1941-1959 (Bloomsbury, 2026.) He is an Army veteran, serving with the 704th Military Intelligence Brigade, Fort Meade, MD, during the first Gulf War. Dave has been working with Savas Beatie since 2023. Read more about his work and services at http://www.fractalpast.com.
Joel Manuel (copy editor/proofreader) is a native of Eunice, Louisiana, and a graduate of LSU. He has lived and worked in Baton Rouge since 1992. When not reading about the Civil War, he enjoys "true" stories about ghosts and vampires, metal detecting, watching classic horror movies, and "clearing brush." A fan of the band Rush, Elvis, and 80s "hair metal," he has the largest collection of Lawrence Welk LPs of anyone he knows. He has been married to Crystal Carter since October 2019 and has two children.
Ian Hughes (Cover Designer) lives and works in London. He designs original jackets and other materials, especially when we sell co-edition books to publishers in the UK. Ian can be reached at:ian@hughes-design.demon.co.uk.