The Many Forms of Bravery

Bravery is an often romanticized idea in modern media. It is almost always a topic in books, television shows and movies. It also defines people in their real life experiences, as it shows your ideals and beliefs.

However, it is also often underestimated and unappreciated – both in media and in real life. This is probably because people don’t realize it at first glance because of its many forms.

The forms of bravery are as follows:

• ·         Physical bravery. This is the kind of bravery that is most often depicted in stories – and in some cases, the only form that’s appreciated. It takes physical bravery to stand up to others who are bigger and stronger than you, just as how David stood up against Goliath.
• ·         Intellectual bravery. This is the kind of bravery that relies not on the strength of muscles, but on the strength of reasoning. It takes intellectual bravery to believe on your intellect even when everyone else thinks otherwise, just as how Galileo believed that the Earth revolved around the sun. 
• ·         Social bravery. This is the kind of bravery that tests your beliefs and leadership at the risk of social rejection. It takes social bravery to believe in a way of life with your whole self, just as how Mahatma Gandhi believed in non-violence towards independence.
• ·         Moral bravery. This is the kind of bravery that allows you to keep doing the right thing even when it is very difficult to do so. It takes moral bravery to help others no matter what the situation and consequences, just as how Mother Teresa helped the poor.

The book “Counting Coup: The Odyssey Of Captain Tom Adams” by Bob Stockton is a story of a journey to uncover and understand a figure in American history that is often associated with bravery – legendary trapper and scout Kit Carson of the old Wild West.

“Counting Coup: The Odyssey Of Captain Tom Adams” by Bob Stockton is currently available in Kindle format at Amazon.com. Click on the link to preview the book or download your own copy.

Kindle Book Review: "Cry Dance" Winner of the 2012 Sharp Writ Book Awards

“What if there is no death?” That is the question asked on the cover of “Cry Dance,” a novel by Helen Bonner.

It’s a deep question, and indeed, this is a deep book. It is a love story, but it is also much, much more. It is a tale of life, death, and life beyond death.

The story begins with Lorinda, the heroine, facing murder accusations. All the evidences point to her, but she says she did not do it. Of course. That’s what they all say.

But in Lorinda’s case, that’s all she would say. She wouldn’t explain how it happened that she had a knife in her hand and the dead man in the same room. Why did she stay in the room with him? Why did she bathe him? Why were there flowers around his face? Was she in love with him? But he was not her boyfriend, and she was definitely in love with her boyfriend. Did he try to attack her? Was it self-defense? What really happened that night? She would not say. They would not understand, she kept thinking to herself.

Personally, that intro alone was enough to hook me. I had to find out what happened.

Reading the book felt like running downstairs to meet your date – it was easy and exciting, and the ending was as wonderful as the beginning.

“Cry Dance” is the winner of the 2012 Sharp Writ Book Award in the General Fiction category.

The Wedding Shroud: A Tale of Ancient Rome

It is not every day that we see a romance novel set in the ancient Etruscan society. That alone makes “The Wedding Shroud” stand out from the rest. This piece of historical literature gives us a rare glimpse into this not-so-famous part of history. It’s almost like history class, with a spoonful of sugar. (The author, Elisabeth Storrs, attests that it took her ten years to research and write the story.)

But “spoonful of sugar” does not do the story justice, for even without the history lesson, the novel has enough merits to stand on its own.

The heroine, Caesilia Aemilius, was born in a Rome at a time when Rome was not yet the grand and powerful empire that we often see in our mind’s eye. It was not yet a Rome that simply conquered all its neighbors and enemies. It was a Rome that had “negotiation” in its vocabulary.

And negotiate it did. Wanting a truce with Etruria, Rome sends Caecilia to be married to Etruscan nobleman to seal the deal. Thus the young girl, born and raised in a staid and virtuous society, is suddenly thrown into a world where pleasure is the ultimate good. How long will she be able to resist this new world’s temptations? And when her new home comes under attack, to whom will she give her loyalty?

The story that unfolds is a well-written heart-fluttering romance, with an ending most readers will love.

“The Wedding Shroud: A Tale of Ancient Rome,” by Elisabeth Storrs, is a General Fiction category runner-up in the 2012 Sharp Writ Book Awards.