Scared by Tom Davis

This book is hard hitting and does not hold anything back. It is a harsh reality to read the things that so commonly happen to children in Africa. This story, although a novel, could be the story of any number of children who live in Africa or even Asia. It is often a hard life for children in many countries across this world and if this book doesn't convince you that you need to do something to help, then nothing will!

Tom outlines the life of Adanna, a girl who lives in Swaziland who seems to have wave after wave of terrible things happen around her and to her. It could be her courage or strength or her joy and hope in the face of sorrow that endears this girl to your heart. Whatever the reason you find yourself investing in this girls life. It is much the same with the central character Stuart Daniels. He is a photo journalist who has found himself on this assignment in Africa as a last ditch effort to save his career and maybe even his life. His struggles are laid out brilliantly and you quickly get caught up in this riveting story.

Tom Davis has done a masterful job on writing this book, so much so that it literally transports you into the middle of Africa right alongside the characters. He writes so well that it grips your heart and emotions so thoroughly that it will change who you are and how you look at the world. This book does not inspire guilt but encouragement and passion to get involved with the ongoing fight to help those out there that are not able to fight for themselves, to stand in the gap of justice and do what's right.

This book is a must read for everyone!

Scared: A Novel on the Edge of the World

Author Tom Davis explores today’s most vital social issues in his new international saga

The United Nations estimates the world orphan population to be over 143 million children. Poverty, war, disease, and AIDS are the primary enemies of children across the globe, leaving those who are robbed of their parents at-risk for criminal behavior, prostitution, drug abuse, alcoholism, and suicide.

In his debut novel, accomplished author and speaker Tom Davis offers readers a sweeping narrative that explores these most critical social concerns. Scared: A Novel on the Edge of the World (June 2009/David C Cook) delves into the lives of a photojournalist struggling to redeem his past and an African orphan fighting for survival.

Once a celebrated and award-winning photojournalist, Stuart Daniels is reeling from debt, a broken marriage, and crippling depression. The source of Stuart’s grief is his most famous photo, a snapshot of brutality in the dangerous Congo. This haunting image indicts him as a passive witness to gross injustice.

Stuart is given one last chance to redeem his career: A make-or-break assignment covering the AIDS crisis in a small African country. It is here that Stuart meets Adanna, a young orphan fighting for her life in a community ravaged by tragedy and disease. But in the face of overwhelming odds, Adanna finds hope in a special dream, where she is visited by an illuminated man and given a precious gift. Now what seemed like a chance encounter will forever change their lives.

In Scared, Tom Davis, also the author of Red Letters and Fields of the Fatherless, weaves a beautiful story of redemption that takes place in a world far away from our own. Readers will discover, along with Stuart, that, “Sorrow is a part of life, but our tears can leave us with clearer sight, if we look to God.”

True “fiction with a conscience,” Davis’ novel is the first in a planned series of three. Narrated in the first person by both Stuart and Adanna, Scared offers a unique perspective on the tragedies taking place in Africa today and encourages readers to step out and help the “least of these.”

Author Bio

Tom Davis is the well-known author of Red Letters and Fields of the Fatherless. He also serves as a trainer in leadership development. He holds a Business and Pastoral Ministry degree from Dallas Baptist University and a Master’s Degree in Theology from The Criswell College. He is the president of Children’s HopeChest (www.hopechest.org), a Christian-based child advocacy organization helping orphans in Eastern Europe and Africa. Tom and his wife, Emily, have five children.

Scared: A Novel on the Edge of the World by Tom Davis

David C Cook/June 2009/ ISBN 978-1-589191-02-0/288 pages/softcover/$14.99

www.davidccook.com ~ www.scaredthebook.com