The Tenth Man   
a novel by Matthew Eberz
my beliefs and journeys are present in the characters:' Eberz
said.
"Writing the book solidified my ideas about life in the Army.
The most important results were the sacred bonds between
soldiers. The last thing a soldier wants to talk about is the
man they lost, but he will never forget. Death is a part of life,
and it stays with a man:' Eberz said. The people Eberz lost in
battles are also reflected in the novel.
This is a story about real soldiers and real people. "This is
not about John Wayne or Rambo:' Eberz said. "It is a story
about the bonds formed while serving together and the
relationship between soldier and his wife and his children.
The story is about the incredible bonds between people:'
Eberz began the book while in the Army, but then retired and
put it away. He worked on it occasionally, but finally decided
to focus and finish the novel about two years ago.
"There was a story I needed to tell - especially for my
children:' Eberz said. His quest finally finished when Author-
House published "Tenth Man" on Nov. 23, 2005.
"I really like the book," Eberz said with pride in his eyes. "It
isn't a great American novel, I am no Conroy or Grisham, but
I wrote it from the heart about what is important to me - the
bonds between soldiers and the battles soldiers fight that
civilians don't hear about, including corruption and loyalty:'
"I made a point to authenticate all of the facts and places:'
Eberz said. The cities where the book takes place, Chicago
among them, are described so people who have been there
or live there will know the exact street he is walking down.