Monarchs and Mendicants

Beware of a man who has nothing to lose. A Navy Seal returns to St. Louis from Afghanistan suffering from PTSD and loses everything. Homeless, he wants only to find work and be left alone, but he is drawn into a group of street people who are being hunted by a serial killer and used by the local mob boss. To save himself, he must fight his way from tragedy to triumph and lead his ＂friends＂ on a journey from despair to hope. You will be reminded why no one makes eye contact with a beggar, but you will also discover that if you do it often enough, you may eventually stare into the soul of a king, for greatness is as often concealed by the robes of monarchs as it is by the rags of mendicants. Travel the gritty streets and alleys of an urban area trying to find food and shelter and safety without losing your identity. Search for a meaningful future. Walk with Gifford Ulrich as he finds himself and the promise of tomorrow. What readers are saying: - ＂This page-turning intense drama will keep you questioning and wondering until the very end.＂ - ＂A story of deep and tragic truths.＂ - ＂Profound and moving prose that you won’t forget.＂ - ＂Gifford is an intriguing and troubled character that makes for a fantastic read.＂ - ＂Ulrich is better than Jack Reacher.＂ - ＂An opening to the human soul.＂ - ＂A novel you will long remember.＂ - ＂I could not put it down.＂ - ＂I wish I could give it 10 stars.＂ - ＂You won’t know how to let go once the book ends.＂

Dan Groat gathered his formal education from the elementary and secondary public schools of DeSoto, Missouri, Jefferson College, the University of Missouri, and Southeast Missouri State University. His non-formal education was accumulated as a newspaper delivery boy, a grass cutter, a lunch ticket puncher, a factory laborer, a quality control technician, a hod carrier, a pool hall assistant manager, a plumber’s helper, a rock band manager, a bartender, a secondary math teacher, a furniture delivery man, a cross country coach, a shipping warehouse order filler, a consultant to an educational software company, a help desk person at an insurance company, a college math teacher, a seed merchandiser, a bank courier, and an author. His informal education was collected in group interactions pursuing interests he chose or interests that were chosen for him. The learning continues, intentional or not... FROM THE AUTHOR: The purpose of an author’s bio is to create a connection with the reader by telling them something about the person behind the title. Telling you what I believe may do that better than telling you who I am, since what I believe is what I write, and what I write is really who I am now, and who I hope to be in the future. I believe in the uniqueness of each person and that, if given the equality of opportunity, the individual is the best architect of his own destiny. I believe that societal problems are best remedied by small groups, preferably starting with the family; that government should protect people without getting in the way of their lives; that Americans are not guaranteed happiness, but the right to pursue it; that society is both a benefit and a burden that requires giving as well as receiving; that acceptance of cultural diversity includes acceptance of a diversity of opinions; that change is not automatically good; that displaying a devotion to country is a virtue; that individual differences can be served without sacrificing excellence. I believe deeply in love, loyalty, individualism, self-reliance, liberty, ambition, hard work, competition without trophies for everyone, and that action is a form of expression as well as words. If you share these beliefs, you might enjoy crawling into the pages of one of my books. Why do I write? I write to escape and be entertained. I write to communicate and connect. I write to better understand the world and the human condition. I write to strengthen my hope. Why do you read?