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Our story began in 2018 when author Harold Phifer was compelled to tell his heartening story through his first publication, Sleepwalking Out of Afghanistan, Walking It All Back. Harold’s passion for writing prompted a desire to engage and inspire others through books and stories (“Read & Relate More”). Coming from a difficult past filled with family tension, childhood bullying, mental illness, and feeling like an outsider, Harold found escape and solace in writing, learning, reading, and growing in self-reflection. He found comfort in books.
Harold Phifer was born in the rebellious South of Columbus, Mississippi. As a kid, he worked the streets, hustled the neighbors, and bust tables at bars he didn’t belong in. After walking the stage at Caldwell High School, he went own to graduate from Mississippi State and Jackson State Universities respectively. Then he started his career as an Air Traffic Controller in Memphis, Tennessee. However, he was never at peace with himself. So, after 23 years, he left the United States and took a job as an International Contractor. Working with soldiers gave him a sense of duty and purpose. However, it all came with a price and experiences he wasn’t prepared for. As luck would have it, he got expelled out of Iraq due to the U S Military Drawdown in October 2011. Later, he resurfaced in Afghanistan for 8 additional years as a mercenary. But unfortunately, he was forced to leave that country after The Taliban takeover in August 2021. After escaping with his life, he took a position under the safety of Guantanamo Bay Naval base. Here, he wrote more books and continued to work as an Air Traffic Controller. So, in 2024, he left Cuba on his own accord then returned to the Middle East. Meantimes, he’s still creating stories about adventure, love, life, and the human spirit.
Dean Conan grew up in Atlanta, Georgia with a single mom and an absent father. It was his relationship with his mother that strengthened his character as a gentleman. His mother moonlighted as a blues singer during his early years. She would take little Conan to nightclubs as her way of keeping an eye on him while she worked. It was these seedy bars that inspired Conan to go into show business. When Hollywood failed to take him in, he tried to break into the modeling industry. Yet, Conan didn’t have the physique nor the flair to remain in men’s fashion, so he took to the mic as a comic. It didn’t take long for Conan to find out being in comedy wasn’t his niche either. He finally decided to pick up a pen and write fictional stories about his love life, friendships, and international travels. Fool Me Thrice, Money Changes Everything, is Dean’s first novel.
Today, Rise and Read Free Press is continuing its mission with two authors and three published books. Through social media and LIVE events, Rise & Read is gaining traction, opening doors to personal growth and self-discovery through books. We ask for your support by simply reading, reviewing, and recommending our books to fellow readers who appreciate raw nonfiction and edgy fiction.
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