Stanley B. Graham Releases I WAS HERE

Stanley B. Graham's "I Was Here: The Young Manhood and Education of Rick Stevens" (published by AuthorHouse), gives readers a new, un-idealized but inspiring take on the coming of age story. It is what he calls "a complete, unvarnished, and rounded portrait of the young manhood and education of a white American male, Rick Stevens, in a mid-western state. It depicts his good qualities as well as his bad ones-his 'warts.'"

The fictional narrative covers a personal journey and coming of age spanning from the years 1928 to 1957, spanning 29 years of the eponymous protagonist's life. It begins with his early childhood and boyhood growing up on a farm and in a small town in northeastern Ohio. Graham juxtaposes these idyllic scenes of country life with the persecution and verbal abuse by Stevens' stepfather, which is, in turn, contrasted by his mother's constant moral support. This gives Steven anxiety disorders in the form of extreme shyness and an inability to socialize during his high school years as he struggles with his lack of a father-figure and its effects on his personality, his dubious sexual education and his subsequent voluntary service in the Army during the post-war years.

Readers will see Stevens' transformation, his blossoming friendship with his Army buddies, their cross-country road trips, his college education courtesy of the GI bill and his friendship and romance with a southern lady. There are failures and successes, educational achievements, temporary blue-collar jobs, the beginning of a career in education, an eventful love and sex life and a trip to Europe with his best friend.

Graham inspires with the nearly complete transmutation of a shy young man into a gregarious man as Stevens overcomes his shyness, breaks out of his shell and finds friends in the Army and in college. They will see how he becomes more of an actor rather than just a spectator in his own life as he changes his laid-back passive behavior and becomes active, outgoing, generous, caring and fun-loving. These are Stevens' meditations, letters and discussions with college and Army friends, showing his incredible life-changing choices.

"I Was Here: The Young Manhood and Education of Rick Stevens"
By Stanley B. Graham
Softcover | 6 x 9in | 716 pages | ISBN 9781425934552
E-Book | 716 pages | ISBN 9781467812658
Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

About the Author
Stanley B. Graham is a retired high school science teacher, having taught 35 years in four village and small town schools. During his retirement he has published three other novels and a biography. He lives in Medina with his wife Betty. Their six children are married and live in northeastern Ohio. There are now 12 grandchildren and one great -grandson.

AuthorHouse, an Author Solutions, Inc. self-publishing imprint, is a leading provider of book publishing, marketing, and bookselling services for authors around the globe and offers the industry's only suite of Hollywood book-to-film services. Committed to providing the highest level of customer service, AuthorHouse assigns each author personal publishing and marketing consultants who provide guidance throughout the process. Headquartered in Bloomington, Indiana, AuthorHouse celebrated 15 years of service to authors in Sept. 2011.For more information or to publish a book visit authorhouse.com or call 1-888-519-5121. For the latest, follow @authorhouse on Twitter.

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