Please welcome my favorite Irishman Mark Koopmans to my blog. This "Oirish" lad knows how to tell a story and, lucky us, we get two of them today, Donald's and one of Mark's own from his childhood in Dublin. His first book 'Revival' is now available! Take a look....
 |
| Donald Braswell |
Braswell’s successful career ends, however, not with a standing ovation at Carnegie Hall, but alone, lying in a dirty ditch. Following the hit-and-run accident that steals his voice and future, the “Texas Tenor” struggles with depression and despair—until the night his daughter, Aria, is born. Understanding this new and immediate life change, Braswell fights to relearn how to speak, sing—and share this gift of second chances with others.
Working as a plasterer, a car salesman, and many jobs in-between, it takes thirteen years—and a musical miracle—for Braswell to battle back and sing on a professional stage. His dreams and ambitions collide with a tired and angry crowd when he auditions for America’s Got Talent. For his family, his faith and his entire future, can the Rocky Balboa of the operatic world find the courage and strength to win just one more fight?
“REVIVAL" is more than the story of one man's struggle to overcome—it's a testament to the power of God.”
~ Alex J. Cavanaugh, Amazon Best Selling Author of Dragon of the Stars
Love #AmericasGotTalent? Check out this memoir from a Season 3 finalist!
REVIVAL by @DonaldBraswell w/ @markjkoopmans is now available at...
Amazon.com
#inspirational #book #memoir #amreading #singer
B&N.com
#inspirational #book #memoir #amreading #singer
See Donald sing, hear that voice on...
THE VIDEO #amreading #inspiration
And now from the author himself...
Aloha,
Lisa, one hundred thousand thanks for hosting me
today, and you were wondering about my roots, and life growing up in literary
Ireland.
The best thing about Ireland was (and is) the
“craic.”
No, it’s not the Oirish
way to spell an illegal drug. Craic is the fun one has when you’re around good
friends and the conversation (among other things) is flowing.
I grew up on Dublin’s Southside, in what remains a
working class neighborhood. Our little gang of “gouriers” (lads) were always
causing trouble, and I probably need to apologize to many parents around our
neighborhood for the general corruption of their sons!
Seriously though, there was nothing like growing up
with my small band of brothers. Funnily, from the seven in our “gang,” four of
us were “Mark,” which meant nicknames were soon applied, and the lads to this
day still call me “Koopo.”
Though we don’t get together much, when we sit for a
few hours and have a pint or two, the stories of our mis-spent youth come
flying back in seconds—and the craic is always great.
I may never again live “In Dublin’s fair city, where
the girls were so pretty,” but it’s nice to see how metropolitan Dublin is.
Construction continues to change the city I once called home, and I’m always
amazed by the amount of cranes that dot the skyline. (It wasn’t like that in my
day!)
They say “you can take the man out of Ireland, but
you can’t take Ireland out of the man,” and it’s completely true. I still
support the Irish national soccer squad as passionately as I did in 1989 when I
left the “Oul’ Sod” (even if many of today’s squad were born in 1990 and later.)
Ah, the joys of growing old-er... (Is it time for a
pint?)
Where
did you grow up, and does it still hold a little piece of your heart?
Thanks
Lisa for asking a fun question, and for hosting me today. Tomorrow, it’s Donna Hole
who has to put up with me. (She wants to know the history behind the book
title.) Wednesday, it’s David
Powers King turn who wants to know about REVIVAL’s
timeline.
Mark's Blog
Normally he posts on his blog on Wednesdays, but has been known to add a bit of humor on other days to mix things up with a touch of seriousness.
