When Can I Stop Running?

Amazon #1 Best Seller in its category for several weeks.

2020 Rave Review Book Club Awards: BOOK OF THE YEAR

John Podlaski tells a military story like few others can. He is a gifted writer and will make all of your senses come alive.

Written with great attention to detail, putting the reader solidly in John's shoes.

Cleverly Written, Dynamic Story Telling

An amazing story that brought a night of terror into perspective.

Step into the shadows of the Vietnam War and join two young soldiers, alone in a listening post (LP), in the pitch-black jungle of Vietnam. The night seems to go on forever, and during times when nothing is happening, John Kowalski's mind wanders back to memories of frightening situations he and his friends experienced growing up. innocent but equally terrifying at the time.

As kids, we instinctively run fast to escape imaginary or perceived danger. In childhood, there are imaginary monsters in the dark. In war, the monsters in the darkness are real.

Thirty enemy soldiers stop for a break just a few feet away from them. If they run...they die. If they fight...they die. They must confront their fears and find the courage to stand their ground. A gripping tale of survival and bravery.

Review by Gary F Jones:

This is a long short story or novella about a young man's response to fear from when he was 7 years old until he was in Vietnam in the early 1970s. The story alternates between the things that scared him as he grew up in Detroit and the things that terrify him in the jungle of the Iron Triangle in Vietnam. The tales are engaging and pleasant to read.

John served in Vietnam between 1970 and 1971 as an infantryman with both the Wolfhounds of the 25th Division and the 501st Infantry Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division. The Army awarded him the Combat Infantry Badge, Bronze Star, two Air Medals, and a Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry among others. He had spent 50 years working in various supplier management positions within the automotive industry and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration in 2004. John is a life member of Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 154 and Rave Reviews Book Club. He and his wife Jan live in Sterling Heights, MI and recently celebrated their 49th wedding anniversary. Both retired in 2013 and enjoyed not working. That ended with the birth of their only grandchild in 2018 when they began taking care of Scarlett, while her mom - a single parent - worked. John has published six books: three about his Vietnam War experience and three short stories based on his personal experiences. In his spare time, he manages a heralded Vietnam War website, contributes to social media platforms, and takes part in writing seminars to improve his craft.