Vagabonds in Southeast Asia

About the Book

Mark Del Savio is deployed to Vietnam ten days after marrying the beautiful but capricious Serena. The forced separation immediately after the nuptials puts an immediate strain on their relationship. Serena miscarries their child early on in Mark’s tour, which begins a downward spiral in their marriage. Mark gets run over by a US Army truck during the Tet Offensive of 1968 while working in the Long Binh Ammunition Depot, has a near-death experience, and begins to cope with life in a hedonistic fashion. This point of demarcation has him living life on the edge as if each day were his last and as one endless adventure. The war itself is simply a backdrop to this story that sometimes interrupts with rocket attacks, massive explosions, and the death of fellow soldiers. When he faces the reality of returning home, it turns out to be his biggest challenge of all.

About the Author

The author has been a story teller since he was a child when he wrote stories and drew cartoons to entertain himself. He was drafted into the army 1967 where he served for three years, which included a year in Vietnam. After his discharge he obtained a bachelor’s degree in English and Creative Writing from San Francisco State University in 1975. He later gained an MSW in Social Work from the University of Denver in 1979 and worked in the helping profession for over 40 years. This allowed him to study human nature and draw on life experience which enriched his writing over time. He also received a certificate in Screenwriting in 2017 from Dave Trottier, author of the Screenwriter’s Bible. He is married and resides in Greensboro, North Carolina and has 28 yr. old twin girls.