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jvr

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  1. Braver Deeds -- The story of an African-American cavalryman

    in Post Your Press Release Here

    Posted

    Over 400,000 German prisoners of war were brought to American during World War II.

    What does this have to do with Braver Deeds and buffalo soldiers? Nothing really, other than it’s the background for Prisoner Moon, my second novel.

    Prisoner Moon is available now in Paperback as well as Kindle and Nook eBooks.

    If you love historical fiction, check out Prisoner Moon at http://PrisonerMoon.com/ or on Facebook at http://Facebook.com/PrisonerMoonNovel

    John Van Roekel, author of Braver Deeds

  5. White author writes novel with mainly African-American characters

    in Black Literature

    Posted

    Hi BiauncaWilliams,

    I'm sorry you feel that way about my original post. I used to feel as you do, that race shouldn't matter. We were probably both raised in an environment where to ask about race was a prelude to discriminating based on race. And, of course, that still exists. But I've come to understand that our race is an intrinsic part of who we are. Understanding our own background, and that of our friends, readers, book characters, and yes, book authors is part of understanding people. I see that as a good thing.

    John

  7. White author writes novel with mainly African-American characters

    in Black Literature

    Posted

    What to read Braver Deeds for free?

    If you own a Kindle and have an Amazon Prime account, the Kindle version is currently available for free as part of Amazon's Kindle Owners' Lending Library. Just go to Braver DeedsKindle edition to check whether you qualify.

    Don't own a Kindle or have a Prime account? You can still read the entire book for just $0.99 on any smart phone, tablet or computer by installing a free Kindle application from Amazon, available at: Free Reading Apps.

    Finally, you can read the Kindle version on your computer by online using the Kindle Cloud Reader.

    In these cases, of course, you do have to pay the $0.99.

    I hope this is helpful.

  8. Braver Deeds -- The story of an African-American cavalryman

    in Post Your Press Release Here

    Posted

    What to read Braver Deeds for free?

    If you own a Kindle and have an Amazon Prime account, the Kindle version is currently available for free as part of Amazon's Kindle Owners' Lending Library. Just go to Braver DeedsKindle edition to check whether you qualify.

    Don't own a Kindle or have a Prime account? You can still read the entire book for just $0.99 on any smart phone, tablet or computer by installing a free Kindle application from Amazon, available at: Free Reading Apps.

    Alternatively, you can read the Kindle version on your computer by online using the Kindle Cloud Reader.

    In these cases, of course, you do have to pay the $0.99 at Braver DeedsKindle edition.

    I hope this is helpful.

  10. White author writes novel with mainly African-American characters

    in Black Literature

    Posted

    Wow. I haven't checked in on this board in a while (since posting the note on the price change for the printed version), and I just now got caught up in all the latest comments.

    writergirl870 said lots of interesting and thought provoking things. One question she asks, and it's been asked by others on this board: "So why ask now what black ppl think?" What is my true motive? Is it a "marketing strategy"?

    Well, it's not simple. First, I did truly wonder what people, especially African-Americans, would think about this question. All during the years I worked on this and since, I asked myself whether I was doing something wrong, or at least inapprorpriate. I had a Native-American woman tell me in a writing class that I shouldn't be writing about Native-Americans and Wounded Knee. Ultimately, I plunged ahead because I loved the characters and the story, and I wanted to tell it. But it does occur to me that maybe one of my motives for posting this question was that I was seeking some sort of absolution. I think we can all agree I didn't get it.

    Money is not a motive. I've made that point before. I make no real profit on this book. Any minimal royalties that come from Amazon do not begin to cover the on-going costs (mainly modest advertising).

    But there is a related motive. In retrospect, I think I should have been more straight-forward about this. I want readers. By posting my provocative question, I did hope to stir up this kind of discussion, and maybe this would lead to more readers. So that's a question for you: Have any of you read Braver Deeds in its entirety? What do you think of the full story?

    mzmina, thank you for your comments about the story. I think you only read chapter one, right? Yes, I agree that in some ways Sammy steals the show, but that's fine. (Sammy is Matt's horse.) Ultimately Sammy's role is to help us to understand the main protagonist, Matt. I think when we read a novel, what we really care about are the relationships, and Matt's relationship with Sammy is provides much of the heart of Braver Deeds. I hope.

    I checked out your website and it looks great. I should have used the cover designer you used for your books.

    FYI, I finally put up a Braver Deeds facebook page: http://facebook.com/braverdeeds

  11. White author writes novel with mainly African-American characters

    in Black Literature

    Posted

    In order to expand the distribution of the print version of Braver Deeds to bookstores, libraries and academic institutions, it will soon be necessary to increase the list price from $10.54 to $15.80.

    If you want a copy of this 450 page epic at the current low price, please order now.

    http://www.amazon.com/Braver-Deeds-John-Van-Roekel/dp/1463633378

    The very low price of $0.99 for the Kindle version is not being changed at this time.

  12. Braver Deeds -- The story of an African-American cavalryman

    in Post Your Press Release Here

    Posted

    In order to expand the distribution of the print version of Braver Deeds to bookstores, libraries and academic institutions, it will soon be necessary to increase the list price from $10.54 to $15.80.

    If you want a copy of this 450 page epic at the current low price, please order now.

    http://www.amazon.co...l/dp/1463633378

    The very low price of $0.99 for the Kindle version is not being changed at this time.

  15. Braver Deeds -- The story of an African-American cavalryman

    in Post Your Press Release Here

    Posted

    Braver Deeds is the story of three people in 1890 and 1898.

    Matt Davys is a black cavalry trooper, a “Buffalo Soldier,” who has made a life for himself in the Army. Comes-Running is a young Lakota Sioux girl whose family is caught up in the “Ghost Dance Uprising.” Carlos Estrada-Palma was born in New York City but finds his future inexorably tied to his father’s homeland, Cuba.

    Braver Deeds was the First Place Winner in the Historical/Fiction category in the SouthWest Writers Contest.

    For more information, including the free first chapter, visit BraverDeeds.com. Both print and Kindle versions are available on Amazon.

    • Like 1

  16. White author writes novel with mainly African-American characters

    in Black Literature

    Posted

    The underlined portion of the quote above came across similar to the phrase "She is not like other blacks" or "He is so articulate". As if "impressive" behaviour is or was rare among blacks.

    That said, the quality of the novel is of greater importance. Would a black reader enjoy reading the novel without previously knowing the race or motivation of the author?

    Hi breathebooks,

    I'm sorry to hear you interpreted my words as you did. The fact is that the accomplishments of the 9th and 10th Cavalry as well as the 24th and 25 Infantry Regiments during the Spanish-American War are impressive. Right? Don't you feel that way? I was impressed. And inspired.

    John

  17. White author writes novel with mainly African-American characters

    in Black Literature

    Posted

    John writes: "So, what do African-American readers think about a well-meaning white man writing a novel mainly about African-American characters?'

    Okay John, since you asked the question I have to say I smelled game. Well to be honest, as a black man who has felt the sting of the white man with a fork tongue, that's my first natural reaction/response. I have to question you because my history tells me that the overwhelming majority of whites could care less about the ways and means of POC, so I'd be a fool to open my arms to you, even though YOU said you're a well-meaning white man. In fact, since that was in you're opening sentence, I am more prone to question your motive and agenda. I mean, what if you would have said "I am a racist, and I'm writing a book about a black man who served in the African-American 9thand 10th Cavalry Regiments during the Spanish-American War"? I mean, what's the purpose of telling us that? We've heard the "talk". Why didn't you tell us you have a few black friends?

    Okay, I am not going to go on about this b/c from the jump your post didn't set well with me. For instance, they were not called the "African- American 9th Cavalry.

    Then, after telling us you were a "good" white man, you decided to share this: "I make no profit on the sale of Braver Deeds". Why did you think you needed to tell us those fine details?

    Well John, in short, I think the home team took it easy on you. They treated you like a guest, you know, with respect, but I'm gonna tell you right now, all closed eyes were not sleep.

    Hi careycarey,

    I'll let some of your more acid comments pass.

    Just for the record, you're right about the name of the 9th Cavalry. In my post, I meant the 9th Cavalry, which was also African-American. The formal name was 9th Cavalry Regiment (Colored).

    I mentioned that I don't make a profit on sales of Braver Deeds because I didn't want people to think I wrote the book and am participating in this forum because I want to make money.

    John

  18. White author writes novel with mainly African-American characters

    in Black Literature

    Posted

    Thanks for all the great comments. Some responses:

    Cynique hopes that I expose Teddy Roosevelt as a racist aristocrat. I think that just like we want our fictional characters to be complicated and multi-dimensional, we need to view historical figures the same way. It's a truism that we should judge people in the context of the times in which they live. Of course, that can be used to rationalize all kinds of bad actions, but I think it's appropriate for TR. For his time, and especially during the period of Braver Deeds, he seemed to be a positive influence on the condition of African-Americans. His very popular memoir of the Spanish-American war, The Rough Riders, informed many white Americans about the bravery and competence of the black regiments. And as president, he shocked many by inviting Booker T. Washington to the White House, who ended up staying for dinner. There are other examples. However, by any measure he failed African-Americans during the "Brownsville Incident" when he gave dishonorable discharges to 167 men in the 25th Infantry Regiment for a racial incident with townspeople. He knew at the time that most, if not all of these professional soldiers, where innocent.

    Cynique says that I've acknowledged that "a white guy writing about a black one is presumptuous." Not surprisingly, I don't quite see it that way. I am uncomfortable with the fact that some people may feel that this book is presumptuous, but I also believe that at the end of the day, an author can write about anything he or she wants to. That doesn't mean that we don't have a responsibility to our readers. For example, it's morally wrong to reenforce stereotypes, especially hateful ones, and I know in my heart that I have not done this. But as others have pointed out here, there's nothing inherently presumptuous about an author of one race writing about characters of another.

    Cynique and Troy both mention The Help. I have not read the book or seen the movie. Thank you to Troy for referring us to the "An Open Statement to the Fans of The Help" by the Association of Black Women Historians. One of the points made there concerned the use of "child-like, over-exaggerated 'black' dialect." I must tell you that as a white man with no great exposure to African-American speech, I worry that my efforts here were inadequate. I read several books on African-American dialects and some great literature (I found James Baldwin's Got Tell It on the Mountain to be particularly helpful). But I fear that to many African-American readers, my character's dialect may seem inaccurate and exaggerated. If that's true, I'm sorry. I did the best I could.

    Finally, thank you to ChickenBones. I just ordered The African from Amazon.

    Oh, and by the way. Has anybody decided to read Braver Deeds? Any feedback yet?

    John

  19. White author writes novel with mainly African-American characters

    in Black Literature

    Posted

    Hello,

    My name is John Van Roekel. I’m a 62 year-old white guy who in 1994 read a biography of Teddy Roosevelt that described his experiences with the African-American 9thand 10th Cavalry Regiments during the Spanish-American War. I was so impressed with the story of these men that I naively decided to write a novel about a young black man serving in the 9th Cavalry. After years of research, writing classes, and trips to Fort Robinson, Nebraska, the Wounded Knee site in South Dakota, and to the San Juan Hill battle site in Cuba, Braver Deeds is the result.

    So, what do African-American readers think about a well-meaning white man writing a novel mainly about African-American characters?

    More information about Braver Deeds is available at http://braverdeeds.com, including the first chapter and information on purchasing both print and Kindle version. By the way, I make no profit on the sale of Braver Deeds.

    John

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