My Book Launch: Being Present: The Gift of Experiencing Life As It Happens by Keith Sykes

 

Being Present: The Gift of Experiencing Life As It Happens
Keith Sykes
Chosen Pen Publishing
104 pp.
Memoir

Being Present details my life growing up in New Orleans, Louisiana, the youngest of 8 children. It gives the reader an intimate look at the relationship between me, my parents, and my siblings. It discusses life and death, joy and pain, and strength and perseverance. The book talks about love and loss and is an optimistic look at overcoming the obstacles of life.

Being Present talks about how I dealt with life after my parent’s death and how joining the military completely changed my life. It gives a glimpse into how the military inspired my love for travel and the many places that I was able to visit as a result. Read about my life after the military and the challenges I faced that shaped the man I am today. Lastly, the book will provide samples of my photography and discuss how it was inspired by my travel.

Release Date: ‎ January 5, 2023 

Publisher: Chosen Pen Publishing

Kindle: ASIN: ‎ B0BRT7CRWH; eBook $1.99 

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3jWFLpw

Book Excerpt:

One evening, while visiting my mother, her physician pulled me aside to ask what my short and long-term plans were, and I told her I wasn’t sure. I let her know that I was in college, but other than that, I had no plans beyond school. She insisted that I make a firm plan because she didn’t expect my mother to be around much longer, and she said if I needed anything, let her know. I remember sitting in the room that night, and when it was time to go, I didn’t want to leave because I always had this thought in the back of my mind- how long is not much longer? It was tough sitting at my mother’s bedside, knowing that my time with her was coming to an end. She was my everything. What would I do now? I had no clue. I didn’t think that far beyond my sophomore year, and now I had the rest of my life staring me in the face in one night.

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Keith Sykes grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana with his 7 siblings; he is the youngest of 8. Keith attended Xavier University of Louisiana where he studied Computer Information Systems and Graphic Design. He lost both parents by the age of 20 and joined the United States Army in 1990 where he completed 20 years of active military service. He continues to serve as a Department of Defense civilian where he works as a Health Systems Specialist at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He is a freelance writer, photographer and event planner and is heavily involved in the community. Keith is a cancer survivor as of February 2022 and attributes his positive attitude in dealing with the condition to his mother Violet who succumbed to cancer in January 1990. He loves exploring nature and traveling. Some of his most memorable trips have been to Egypt, Belize, and Cuba.

You can visit his website at https://kasykes.com/ or connect with him at Facebook at www.facebook.com/ikreate4u.