Two Moons in Africa

Go to http://www.twomoonsinafrica.com to learn more about my latest book.

Finally, Two Moons in Africa: Barbara and Brent Swans Story of Terrorism has been published. Check it out. The story isn't mine - I only pulled the pieces together for the Swans. It's a compelling story that traces the course of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Unfortunately, that story never ends.

The "hurry up and wait" game

I mailed the complete manuscript of "Two Moons in Africa" to the publisher yesterday, along with 22 photos with cut lines, directions for interior layout, author bio and book summary. It took us two weeks to pull this all together into one package. I worked every night after the day job and spent the good share of the past two weekends on it. Now we wait. . .

It may be weeks before we hear anything from the publisher, except to say they received the book. Then one day a call will come, "We need the galley proofed." I'll put myself on another marathon stretch because the publisher will tell me the only thing keeping the book from being in print will be my turnaround time. When I get that close to publication, I'm in a frenzy pushing toward that final goal. Then it will be the marketing plan that will have to be completed. Web page design and layout proofed. E-mail lists compiled and book reviewers chosen. And the long periods in between while what I accomplished is incorporated. And while the waiting time between each step becomes shorter, the waiting time in my mind becomes interminable.

It is a bit like giving birth. I know when I hold that "baby" in my hands and turn it over and see my picture on the back, I will have forgotten the four years of labor that went into its birth and only remember the exhilaration of producing something for others to see.

Then after those first moments of unadulterated joy in the accomplishment, the real work begins: the selling of the book.

And now I wait.

Two Moons. . .finally

Sometimes we are galvanized by little things - dew glistening on a new green leaf in the early morning sun, the baby reaching for our cheek and touching it ever so softly, a look shared between two people that recognizes all there is to know. Or in the case of the completed manuscript of Two Moons in Africa: a simple sentence about the disappointment of not publishing the book. Brent Swan read that line in my blog and got to work. After all, the story is his and his wife Barbara's; I am merely the teller of their tale. Less than two weeks ago Brent and Barbara signed a contract with a self publisher to finally put the thing in print for others to view. I've had the pleasure in those two weeks to read their story once again - and even though I am intimately familiar with the details of their story - I was bowled over by the magnitude of the journey these two have traveled since October 19, 1990 when Brent was captured by Angolan rebels in the jungle of Africa and held captive for sixty-one days. But it has been the two decades that followed that has brought the greatest amount of terrorism to their lives.

Tomorrow the Swans and I will finalize the book and send it to the publisher. Within a few months finally they will hold the story firmly in their hands and when they close the book on the final page perhaps they will feel an end to the pain and agony that has accompanied their lives for so long.

That is my greatest wish for them.