War Veteran Ron Marks Announces New Book, ....OF BAGS, COUNTS AND NIGHTMARES

Inspired by his experience in the Vietnam War and his desire to convey the human reaction to killing, death and dying, author Ron Marks pens ... Of Bags, Counts and Nightmares, a riveting novel aimed at demonstrating that exposure to sustained combat, and the sorrow and hardship it brings about, can adversely affect a combatant on many levels.

Although barely recognized during previous wars, especially the Vietnam War, with the alarmingly high incidence of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder among returnees from the Iraq and Afghan Wars, it is time to commit the necessary assistance for these loyal patriots to receive diagnosis and treatment. In this book, Marks focuses on the story of an ordinary young American who is drafted into war to defend freedom in Southeast Asia. Through his eyes, readers discover how unrelenting exposure to killing, death and dying poses a serious threat to the current and future wellbeing of a combatant.

Excerpt from ... Of Bags, Counts and Nightmares:

"The burning body parts and the chopper wreckage are catapulted in all directions. Oh my god. Most of the debris shoots out beyond our position instantly after the explosion. There are, however, thousands of small pieces of metal, glass, wire, mechanical parts and more flesh falling on us and onto the immediate ground around. Holy shit! No, no, no! Six more men perish instantly. They never knew what hit them. I'm going to be sick. I vomit and feel horrible. ... Literally in shock, I holler out, "Oh god, oh no!" and resume vomiting all over my fatigue sleeves and rifle.

In ... Of Bags, Counts and Nightmares, Marks has written a poignant but daring novel bringing an important message for everyone that far beyond the external scars left by physical wounding, countless combat veterans also suffer long-term psychological and emotional wounds from their horrific experiences.

For more information on this book, interested parties may log on to http://www.Xlibris.com.

About the Author

Ron Marks decided to write this story, his first novel, many years before he actually put pen to paper. His personal experiences, friends' eye-witness accounts, extensive research and his imagination inform the work. Marks was born in Washington, D.C. and has resided in that area most of his life. He graduated from the University of Tampa in 1975 and has a Bachelor's degree in Criminology. During two years of his seven-year military duty, he was assigned to the First Infantry Division and 173rd Airborne Brigade in South Vietnam. He also served as an Army Ranger instructor at Fort Benning, Georgia. He spent his post-military career with the United States Department of the Treasury. Now retired, he spends much of his time travelling, collecting fine art, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and supporting charitable organizations with a focus on the preservation of wild cheetahs. In 2011 he volunteered with the Cheetah Conservation Fund in Otjiwarongo, Namibia as an assistant cheetah keeper where he cared for orphaned and injured cheetahs until their possible release back into the wild.

... Of Bags, Counts and Nightmares * by Ron Marks
Publication Date: July 10, 2013
Trade Paperback; $23.99; 556 pages; 978-1-4836-4091-4
Trade Hardback; $4.99; 556 pages; 978-1-4836-4092-1
eBook; $3.99; 978-1-4836-4093-8

Members of the media who wish to review this book may request a complimentary paperback copy by contacting the publisher at (888) 795-4274 x. 7879. To purchase copies of the book for resale, please fax Xlibris at (812) 355-4079 or call (888) 795-4274 x. 7879.

For more information on self-publishing or marketing with Xlibris, visit http://www.Xlibris.com. To receive a free publishing guide, please call (888) 795-4274.

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