1969 was a year unlike any other. In fact, if a writer fashioned together the events of that year into a novel it would have come across as totally unbelievable. However, what took place was real and the world changed as a result. Rude Awakening in 1969 is an epic adventure with this remarkable year as the backdrop. Ordinary and not-so-ordinary individuals lived their lives and had their adventures amid the consequential events that took place at the end of a decade. The tale begins in 1963 with a disaster at sea that portends future events. As 1969 unfolds, a malicious wide-reaching peril comes into focus and the evil men, and women, are capable of demonstrated. Little by little the picture develops. Concurrent with this a newspaper reporter and Japanese American female New York City detective find themselves tangled up in a rapidly changing America. Then witness a hippie, street punk, and young black man from Detroit drafted into the Marines face their 1969 in distinctly different ways. Finally, a hooker, mafia don, Texas cowboy, and little black dog leave their mark on others during this dynamic and complex year. This description is deliberately vague. It is deemed necessary due to the many twists and turns the story takes. Surprise, unanticipated turn of events, and misdirection are all devices used to keep it interesting, realistic, and impactful. Much like in life, you'll find out when you get there without any hints or previews. In the end, you will have experienced 1969 as if you were there and the characters of the story will be individuals you come to personally know and remember.
About the Author: Kenneth J Munkens is a storyteller with a fertile mind which is why there is nothing common about his work. Known for complex stories populated with multi- dimensional characters he takes readers on an emotional and intellectual journey whose destination is always unpredictable. Enter the world that Munkens creates at your own risk. His stories will make you laugh, cry, smile, wonder, and care. Empathy serves him well as he understands the wide range of emotions involved in human relationships. His humor will sneak up on you while your heart will be stung by a depth of emotion so rare in literature these days. Character development is an art perfected by this author. He creates real human beings that stay with you long after you finish reading. Readers often state that they feel as though they know the characters as well as they know their friends and relatives. Many long for a sequel to continue to follow the lives of characters with whom they have become attached. Congenital eye problems and the loss of his mother at a young age shaped Munkens' character and gave him the strength to face the real world head on with a non-yielding spirit. Married over forty years with two grown daughters, Munkens values family, his enthusiasm is contagious, sense of humor notorious, and ability to keep readers engaged admirable. Other Works by Kenneth J Munkens Downtown Dreams Black Ice 2076AD