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Letters From the Sand
Letters From the Sand, by Scott G. A. Metcalf, feels less like a traditional memoir and more like sitting across from someone who’s quietly telling you what deployment was really like, no bravado, no Hollywood gloss, just honest moments layered with dust, heat, and reflection. From the opening pages, the writing pulls you straight onto the tarmac, letting you feel the weight of the environment and the emotional whiplash of leaving home behind. Metcalf’s descriptive style is immersive without being overdone, making it easy to visualize each scene and feel grounded in the reality of military life.
What really stands out is how much attention the book gives to the small, everyday details like mess hall food, cramped tents, patrol routines, and the quiet rituals soldiers use to stay sane. These moments give the story its heart. Instead of focusing solely on danger or action, Metcalf spends time on camaraderie, boredom, humor, and exhaustion, which makes the experience feel incredibly authentic. You get the sense that these “in-between” moments are just as important as the missions themselves.
The tone throughout the book is thoughtful and grounded, with an undercurrent of respect for both fellow soldiers and the families back home. There’s a strong sense that this story isn’t just about one person’s deployment, but about shared sacrifice and the invisible support systems that make service possible. The chapters on holidays and daily routines are especially poignant, reminding you how strange and heavy time can feel when you’re far from home and living in a completely different world.
Letters From the Sand is an engaging, quietly powerful read that doesn’t try to impress; it just tells the truth. It’s the kind of book that stays with you not because of dramatic twists, but because of its honesty and humanity. Whether you have a military background or not, it offers a meaningful glimpse into a life most people never experience, told in a way that feels personal, respectful, and real.
Pages: 201 | ASIN : B0G2335VNQ
Stories of the Soldiers
In Chop That Sh*t Up!, you share both the highs and lows from your time serving in the US Army along with your reflections on leadership and the challenges faced by veterans. Why was this an important book for you to write?
Chop that Sh*t Up! became another chapter of therapy for myself. Over the years I have been fortunate to speak at several graduations, conferences, and engagements, and each one I would either tell a funny story, an inspiring story (to me), or a deep meaning story about my soldiers. Every single time, someone would say “You have to put this into a book and tell your story.” More importantly, I needed to tell the stories of the soldiers I lost. I failed them by not recognizing them properly, by not being better as a leader, and I needed others to see what I saw and served with – Heroes. This book is for them.
I appreciated the candid nature with which you told your story. What was the hardest thing for you to write about?
Myself. Although I was used to being in front and in charge, I truly hate talking about myself. I would much rather spend every day talking about my family and soldiers. All day and every day. Telling their stories was easy. Talking about my failures was easy because I have always used my mistakes to help others learn from it, as I did. Trying to write about myself in a positive light was hard for me, as I do not view myself as such. To this day, I cannot finish the beautiful foreword written about me without crying.
What is a common misconception you feel people have about life after the military?
That we are ok because we are tough. Some are tough but most are like me, we survived and we struggle every day to continue to survive. We did what we were asked and volunteered to do, but I do not wish war, the things I have done and seen, on anyone. Ever!
Can readers expect to see more from you in the near future?
The original idea was to put together a collection of stories from several soldiers and veterans. That is one of the ideas of how this book came about. Take a group of veterans and sit them down and just listen to their stories. Each and every one has a hilarious or gut-wrenching story they tell. My next book, I want to put those stories together. Tell their story!
Author Links: Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook | Website | LinkedIn | Amazon
Chop that Sh*t Up! is a collection of stories by a military veteran with deployments ranging from Bosnia-Herzegovina to tours in Iraq. Follow along his twenty-eight-year career from private to command sergeant major, and learn how a young, gullible private became a battle-hardened soldier to an emotionally broken leader on his journey back to civilian life. Whether you served, are thinking about serving, or know or care about someone who has served, this book will make you laugh, cry, or both. A true warrior and backbone of the Army, CSM (R) Pinion shares the highs and lows of his life serving our country in this soul-sharing book about him and his men.
He Charged Alone
He Charged Alone by John R. Strasburg is an expository, comprehensive, and captivating biography. It documents the pains, joy, struggles, and triumphs of World War I Medal of Honor Recipient, Private First Class Frank Gaffney, who wrote his name on the sand of time after his heroic performance during World War I. Whether you are a student or teacher of history, an entrepreneur, or whatever field you may belong to, you will find He Charged Alone an exceptionally helpful and insightful read. This fascinating book becomes extraordinarily helpful for everyone as it documents a significant period in the history of the world.
Though the book is written about seven decades after the demise of its hero, who is flaunted as the “second bravest man of the war,” Strasburg utilizes copious materials and resources to write an objective account of the life of Frank Gaffney. This is not the product of hasty research, and the reader can expect to get a detailed narration of Frank Gaffney’s life and struggles.
He Charged Alone is not a military biography that weighs down the reader in its military content alone. Instead, it is a page-turner that makes use of detailed narration to keep the reader hooked until they suddenly arrive on the last page. In addition, carefully chosen pictures enhance his life story, making it more engaging.
This book does not only recount the experiences of Private First Class Frank Gaffney during World War I, but it also gives insights into what occurred during the war and what it means for anyone to be involved in such a war. He Charged Alone by John R. Strasburg is an eye-opening biography that will show you how you can also employ grit to win whatever you set your mind to in life.
Pages: 249 | ISBN : 1387855921
LITERARY TITAN 