23 ratings | 0 reviews | avg rating:4.87

Kevin Sites’s Followers (68)

Kevin’s Bookshelves

read (24)
currently-reading (1)
to-read (0)

Kevin’s Friends (19)

Deishima

12,922 books | 83 friends

Peggy Moore

56,647 books | 354 friends

Poppy Lee (燕)

146 books | 10 friends

Amy Baker

829 books | 47 friends

Martha

26,729 books | 259 friends

Lydia Wallace

54,708 books | 808 friends

Mish Bryant

5,427 books | 439 friends

Shannon Wise

20,175 books | 164 friends

More friends…

Kevin Sites

Goodreads Author

Born

Geneva, OH, The United States

Website

http://kevinsiteswrites.com/

Twitter

kevinsites

Genre

Fiction, Nonfiction

Member Since

December 2018

edit data

KEVIN SITES is an award-winning journalist and author.

He has worked as a reporter for more than thirty years, half of them covering war and disaster for ABC, NBC, CNN, Yahoo News, and Vice News.

During that time he helped pioneer the concept of self-sufficient, video field reporting known as backpack journalism.

He was a 2010 Nieman Journalism Fellow at Harvard University and a 2012 Dart Fellow in Journalism and Trauma at Columbia University.

For a decade he lived in Hong Kong and taught at the University of Hong Kong as an associate professor of practice in journalism.

He is the author of three books on war: In the Hot Zone, The Things They Cannot Say, and Swimming with Warlords.

His debut novel, published by Harper, will be available in bo ...more

Learn more
Ask the Author

To ask Kevin Sites questions, please sign up.

Popular Answered Questions

What are you currently working on?

Kevin Sites I've just completed a draft of my second novel.

It's called Freedom's Deep for a fictional Ohio city founded by abolitionists on the deepest spot of L…moreI've just completed a draft of my second novel.

It's called Freedom's Deep for a fictional Ohio city founded by abolitionists on the deepest spot of Lake Erie's northeastern shore.

After years abroad as a foreign correspondent, Sebastian Rooke has finally come home. But no one in Freedom’s Deep is particularly happy to see him.

As the new owner and editor, of the town’s storied but long-struggling hometown paper, The Liberator, Rooke has taken on the role of an avenging angel, using his personal column irreverently titled, Better Forgotten? to unearth old secrets, root out rumors, and air dirty laundry that the people of Freedom’s Deep would rather be left alone.

Still, Better Forgotten? has become Freedom’s Deep must-read, a journalistic sturm and drang that has everyone on razor’s edge over both what and whom will be reported on next.

But these truths, tales of greed, ignorance, lust, and cruelty, destroy trust, partnerships, and marriages, open new wounds, and even inspire violent recriminations for grievances thought to have been healed by time long ago.

And just when it seems he’s done everything possible to polarize his hometown, Rooke turns his muckraking skills to a dark rumor going back to the Civil War. One concerning the role of a celebrated town father Josiah Gunn and an escaped enslaved woman he’d been sheltering on a final stop of the underground railroad before her crossing to a new life in Canada.

Rooke’s ongoing determination to force his former friends and neighbors to face the truth of their most shameful moments combined with his latest myth-shattering investigation threatens to rupture the very foundation of the community. Also prompting him to reconsider whether the truth at any cost is always worth pursuing.

Especially if he’s able to answer the one question from the past that can forever change the town and its future: what lies at the bottom of Freedom’s Deep?

I see this as part of a loosely-based trilogy, that I started with The Ocean Above Me on the dilemmas journalists face in reporting the truth.

In Ocean, the protagonist Lukas Landon forsakes the truth and pays the consequences.

In Deep, Sebastian Rooke pursues the truth despite the terrible costs.

The final book in the trilogy concerns a journalist who has fled to an isolated sanctuary in the Pacific Northwest, haunted by a truth from the past that will not be appeased.

As journalists, were taught that seeking and reporting the truth is the prime directive. The very purpose of our profession. But there are complexities and consequences that make the entire exercise less didactic, more dangerous -- and more interesting. Especially in a fictional treatment.(less)

flag

like
Comment

What’s your advice for aspiring writers?

Kevin Sites Everyone I know that writes for a living is compelled to write. They do not feel complete unless they are writing.

It's not a vocation but an avocatio…moreEveryone I know that writes for a living is compelled to write. They do not feel complete unless they are writing.

It's not a vocation but an avocation. You write regardless of whether you're getting paid for it or not.

However, I've done it both ways, and getting paid is better.

So maybe the more useful question to address is this:
What is your advice for writers who want to get published and read?

For me, it can be summed up in a word: persistence.
I was 45 before my first non-fiction book was published by Harper Perennial.
I was 60 before Harper bought my debut novel, The Ocean Above Me.

While I've been writing my entire life as a journalist, becoming a published author was certainly the 'long game' for me. It literally took a lifetime.

You have to be willing to keep writing even when no one seems to notice. Or worse, when people advise you to stop trying and do something else. For someone not infected with the need, stopping can be quite a relief. A chance to pursue something else.

For someone who has to write it's just another naysayer trying to divert you from your purpose.

If you feel writing is the only path to a fulfilled life for you, write as much as you can. Every day is best. Even just a little 200, 300, or 500 words. Get better, learn your craft. Read about the craft. Read the works of others. Keep notes, quotes, and anything that helps you to improve.

Write, write, write. Read, read, read. Eventually, you may get to where you want to be. Or maybe not. But even then, there is no such thing as a wasted moment in a life spent in contemplation and attempting to reach others with your words, thoughts, and secrets. A sublime and noble passion, free of regret.

(less)

flag

like
Comment

See 2 answers from Kevin Sites…

Combine Editions
Kevin Sites’s books

Average rating: 3.87 · 1,821 ratings · 290 reviews · 5 distinct works • Similar authors

	The Things They Cannot Say: Stories Soldiers Won't Tell You About What They've Seen, Done or Failed to Do in War 3.94 avg rating — 944 ratings — published 2012 — 14 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	In the Hot Zone: One Man, One Year, Twenty Wars 3.74 avg rating — 476 ratings — published 2007 — 12 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Ocean Above Me 3.84 avg rating — 338 ratings — published 2023 — 6 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Swimming With Warlords: A Dozen-Year Journey Across the Afghan War 4.06 avg rating — 63 ratings — published 2014 — 7 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Things They Cannot Say, The 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

More books by Kevin Sites…

0 posts
Kevin Sites's Blog

Kevin Sites hasn't written any blog posts yet.

Kevin is Currently Reading

Kevin Sites is currently reading

Ninja: 1,000 Years of the Shadow Warrior: A New History

by John Man

bookshelves: currently-reading

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Sep 28, 2024 10:19PM

rss
Kevin’s Recent Updates

Kevin Sites is currently reading Ninja: 1,000 Years of the Shadow Warrior: A New History by John Man	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Sep 28, 2024 10:19PM · like
Kevin Sites rated a book it was ok Risen (The Boy in the Iron Box, #4) by Guillermo del Toro	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Aug 25, 2024 12:50PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Risen by Guillermo del Toro. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Risen by Guillermo del Toro <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Kevin Sites finished reading Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton Goodreads Choice Awards Nominee in Best Fiction	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jan 28, 2024 09:21PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Kevin Sites liked Beth Koop's review of The Ocean Above Me: "Stiles’ book, The Ocean Above Me, reads like a memoir rather than a novel. Journalist Lukas Landon finds himself trapped in a small air pocket after a storm sinks the shrimping trawler he has been documenting. As he struggles to find a way to survive" Read more of this review »
Nov 06, 2023 10:40AM · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Ocean Above Me by Kevin Sites. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Ocean Above Me by Kevin Sites <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Kevin Sites made a comment on Dr. B.F.’s review of The Ocean Above Me " Dr. B.F., thank you for taking the time to write a text review of my debut novel. Your comments are part of an essential dialogue connecting us to eac ...more "
Jul 10, 2023 10:05AM · see review
Kevin Sites made a comment on Laurie Parres’s review of The Ocean Above Me " Laurie, thank you for taking the time to write a text review of my debut novel. Your comments are part of an essential dialogue connecting us to each ...more "
Jul 10, 2023 10:05AM · see review
Kevin Sites made a comment on Richard Bourdeau’s review of The Ocean Above Me " Richard, thank you for taking the time to write a text review of my debut novel. Your comments are part of an essential dialogue connecting us to each ...more "
Jul 06, 2023 08:00PM · see review
Kevin Sites made a comment on Abby’s review of The Ocean Above Me " Abby, thank you for taking the time to write a text review of my debut novel. Your comments are part of an essential dialogue connecting us to each ot ...more "
Jul 06, 2023 07:59PM · see review
Kevin Sites made a comment on Lorraine’s review of The Ocean Above Me " Lorraine, thank you for taking the time to write a text review of my debut novel. Your comments are part of an essential dialogue connecting us to eac ...more "
Jul 05, 2023 10:49AM · see review
Kevin Sites started reading Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton Goodreads Choice Awards Nominee in Best Fiction	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jun 17, 2023 05:51PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">

More of Kevin's books…

Quotes by Kevin Sites (?)

“The story is about being loyal to the truth as a nation, that citizens of a democracy are collectively responsible for what their troops do in war, good or bad.”
― Kevin Sites, In the Hot Zone: One Man, One Year, Twenty Wars

tags: democracry, responsibility, truth, war

10 likes

“Failure to communalize grief can imprison a person in endless swinging between rage and emotional deadness as a permanent way of being in the world.”
― Kevin Sites, The Things They Cannot Say: Stories Soldiers Won't Tell You About What They've Seen, Done or Failed to Do in War

3 likes

“As Tick writes in War and the Soul, “Our society must accept responsibility for its warmaking. To the returning veterans, our leaders and people must say, ‘you did this in our name and because you were subject to our orders, we lift the burden of your actions from you and take it onto our shoulders. We are responsible for you, for what you did and the consequences.”
― Kevin Sites, The Things They Cannot Say: Stories Soldiers Won't Tell You About What They've Seen, Done or Failed to Do in War

3 likes

See all Kevin Sites's quotes »

Topics Mentioning This Author

topics	posts	views	last activity
The History Book ...: MICHELE'S 50 BOOKS READ IN 2016	187	205	Dec 29, 2016 09:42PM
Nothing But Readi...: Reading University Challenge	729	1859	May 08, 2017 06:21PM
The History Book ...: PSYCHOLOGY OF WAR	36	365	Sep 09, 2023 01:17PM
Booklist Queen Re...: 34 - Genre You Don't Usually Read	12	42	Dec 10, 2023 05:26PM
The 52 Book Club:...: 18 -- Set During A War Other Than WWI Or WWII	80	979	Dec 31, 2023 08:00PM
Booklist Queen Re...: My 2023 Reading Challenge Plans	8	65	Jan 01, 2024 05:11PM
The 52 Book Club:...: (2023) Share Your Final Reading Challenge List!	161	1207	Feb 17, 2024 11:53AM

More…

Kevin Sites’s Followers (68)

Add New
Videos

Kevin’s Bookshelves

Kevin’s Friends (19)

Kevin Sites

Goodreads Author

Learn more
Ask the Author

Popular Answered Questions

Combine Editions
Kevin Sites’s books

0 posts
Kevin Sites's Blog

Kevin is Currently Reading

rss
Kevin’s Recent Updates

See a Problem?

Preview — Risen by Guillermo del Toro

See a Problem?

Preview — Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton

See a Problem?

Preview — The Ocean Above Me by Kevin Sites

See a Problem?

Preview — Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton

Topics Mentioning This Author

Kevin’s Friend Comments

Kevin Sites’s Followers (68)

Kevin Sites

Goodreads Author

Popular Answered Questions

rssKevin’s Recent Updates

See a Problem?

Preview — Risen by Guillermo del Toro

See a Problem?

Preview — Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton

See a Problem?

Preview — The Ocean Above Me by Kevin Sites

See a Problem?

Preview — Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton

Topics Mentioning This Author

rss
Kevin’s Recent Updates