A Long Way Back

It’s 1969 in Vietnam. A racial incident causes a riot at the Cu Chi Army base. Fifteen black, mostly non-combat soldiers are sent on an illegal mission into Cambodia as punishment for their participation. They are led by a battle weary Sergeant Willie Stinson, who, anticipating a confrontation with the Viet Cong, teaches the soldiers the basics of combat. The men are abandoned by the commanding officer who sent them, and after their first firefight, Sergeant Stinson is missing in action. The seven surviving wounded and starving soldiers realize that if they are to escape Cambodia alive, they will have to unite and employ the fighting tactics they’ve learned from Stinson. Anthony Andrews, a reporter for the Washington Post, inquires about seven disheveled soldiers he watched disembark from a helicopter in Cu Chi, but faces resistance from the Army. Sensing something is amiss, he pursues the story. With help from an anonymous source, he identifies and locates the men after their discharge, but they are reluctant to talk. When Andrews obtains information about their missing sergeant, the seven agree to meet with him and tell their story. Andrews publicizes their improbable account of survival. This initiates an investigation that punishes the commanding officer and redeems the men who were not only declared AWOL, but were given Less Than Honorable Discharges.

J. Everett Prewitt graduated from Glenville High School in Cleveland, Ohio, received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration from Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, and earned a Master of Science degree in Urban Studies from Cleveland State University. He is a Vietnam Veteran and former army officer.As an entrepreneur, Everett has been president of Northland Research Corporation since 1982. The firm provides real estate appraisals and consulting services. He has received numerous honors and recognitions for his professional contributions and community service, including the Realtor of the Year award from the Cleveland Area Board of Realtors, the Distinguished Alumni Award from Cleveland State University, the Distinguished Alumni Citation from Lincoln University, and the Award for Civic Service from the Citizen’s League of Greater Cleveland.Everett has served as president of both the Cleveland Association of Real Estate Brokers and the Cleveland Area Board of Realtors. He has chaired or been a member of over thirty different organizations including The City Club, the Greater Cleveland YMCA, Cleveland Hearing and Speech Center, and East End Neighborhood House. He was awarded the title of Trustee Emeritus at David N. Meyers College. Everett is also a 1999 Alumni of Leadership Cleveland.Prewitt wrote A Long Way Back based on his appointment to command a supply battalion in Vietnam that had recently experienced racial unrest. After order had been restored, the commander of the base told the so-called leaders that “since you like to fight so much, I’m sending you to the front line.” There’s a question to whether that actually happened, but A Long Way Back is based on those seven words. Thus far, A Long Way Back, has been awarded the Literary Classic’s Seal of Approval. It is a finalist for the Eric Hoffer Montaigne Medal. It is also a finalist for the INDIEFAB Book of the Year Award.His literary inspiration comes from writers like Cheikh Anta Diop, Malidoma Some, and Maryse Conde. He also likes the futuristic novels of Octavia Butler and Tananarive Due. He grew up reading Robert Ludlum, John Le Carre, Richard Wright, James Baldwin, and Langston Hughes. He cites Earnest Gaines and John Oliver Killens as "two of my favorite writers." Prewitt is also the author of the award winning Snake Walkers. The debut novel placed first for fiction in four different literary contests, won the bronze award for general fiction in the ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year competition, and was also honored by the Black Caucus of the American Library Association.He enjoys reading, tennis, billiards, working out, traveling, cooking, and drinking a good wine. He is the father of Lia Martin of Los Angeles and Eric Prewitt of Las Vegas.