To Write A Wrong Was No Easy Day

Hardcover version of No Easy Day...

When you first open up the book, No Easy Day: The Firsthand Account of the Mission That Killed Osama Bin Laden by Mark Owen, and read the Author's Note, you learn the reasons why Mr. Owen wrote the book in the first place. It is interesting to note that a book read in Junior High School influenced Mr. Owen to want to join the Navy SEALs. Does this mean that books have power? 

Books, in and of themselves, do not have any powers. The power is in the words that are written. Do they inspire the imagination of the reader. Do they reach out and grab you, urging you to make a change in your life or way of thinking? If the words do, then the author has been successful. 

Current eBook version of #CSWCSW

In my case, Mr. Owen's words helped me to understand the inner mindset of a modern-day Navy SEAL. As long time followers may know, I'm prior Air Force. To my knowledge, I do not know any Special Forces people. David has been around them and learned from them, so I defer those details to him. As a writer though, it does help to know what a character would or would not do in a situation. Having read No Easy Day..., I feel a little more at ease with the Special Forces mindset. Granted the Wrecking Crew are a bit more old school but I'm sure they could learn a thing or two from the younger crowd. 

If the reader pays attention, Mr. Owen taught many lessons. He taught me that missions require planning and attention to detail complete with contingencies. I also learned that even with all the factors stacked in your favor, a fair amount of luck (or blessings) help out. As SEALs go from mission to training onto the next deployment, they learn from their prior misfortunes.  I guess the same can be said for authors and writers. We plan, we factor stuff in, we get lucky with a word here or there then we go on to the next book taking away some lesson we learned the hard way. Then again, usually authors aren't under enemy fire when having to make decisions.  Navy SEALs are a special breed. Members of DEVGRU are the cream of the crop.  

Mr. Owen explains about DEVGRU, its history and how he made it into this elite group. He also shares the events leading up to and after the title mission to the best of his abilities.  Personally I applaud him for taking the risk to set the record straight. Writing and sharing your inner thoughts and feelings is no easy thing. But then again, I feel sure easy is a foreign word to Mr. Owen and his fellow SEALs when you consider the "only easy day was yesterday".  I'm sure their yesterdays are a hundred times worse than my toughest day ever. 

"Bestsellers" to Mark Owen and Kevin Maurer. I hope you raise lots of funds for your worthy causes. To everyone else, if autobiographies and/or books on military are your thing, I highly recommend this book. 

Lynn Hallbrooks

co-author to David McKoy

co-owners of Call Sign Wrecking Crew, LLC