Author Rodney Melsek’s New Book, "A Place Beyond Midnight," is a Poignant Novel That Follows One Young Man’s Adventures as a Peace Corp Volunteer in a Kenyan Village

Henderson, NV, May 07, 2025 --(PR.com)-- Rodney Melsek, who holds a master’s degree from the School for International Training, has completed his new book, “A Place Beyond Midnight”: a riveting and thought-provoking tale that follows a young man’s time spent serving in the Peace Corp in a remote village in Kenya, revealing his path towards finding himself amidst the perils and dangers of the Kenyan bush while building lifelong relationships and discovering who he truly is.

Following a term of service in the Peace Corps in the remote village of Kapluk, Kenya, author Rodney Melsek set forth on a life of service and adventure. He supported language programs in China and South Korea and supervised YMCA programs on the Sioux Indian reservation in South Dakota. At the conclusion of the war of genocide in the Balkans in 1995, he was recruited by the Organization for Cooperation and Security in Europe (OSCE) as an election monitor in Bosnia, Republika Srpska, and Kosovo. Until he retired in 2019, he served twenty-one years on a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) national response team, where he supervised planning staff at dozens of the nation’s largest disasters, including bringing American aid to the island of Haiti after a devastating earthquake in 2010. He was the recipient of the Army Meritorious Service Medal and the FEMA Administrator’s Exemplary Emergency Manager award. In 2008, he received the Mayor’s Special Citizen of Distinction award for his work on the development of his hometown emergency operations plan.

“Set in a remote village in the wilds of the Kenyan bush, ‘A Place Beyond Midnight’ chronicles the exciting and luminous stories from the journal of a young Peace Corps volunteer,” writes Melsek. “Cody Hawks experiences the wonders, challenges, and personal injunctions in East Africa with friends bound together in noble purpose. He has come to Kenya to break from his past and write a new story for himself. A story of service and sacrifice.

“His indelible, often humorous, narration recounts the problems he and his friends face as they struggle to navigate an alien landscape, a different culture, and a new language. His journey to reinvent himself is framed by perils at every turn in Kenya’s harsh environment. Along the journey, daring misadventures test his resolve while kindness, compassion and the lessons of genuine friendship and self-discovery evolve. He confronts ignorance, tradition and danger when faced with life and death, and discovers unexpected passion in the turbulence that is Africa.”

Published by Newman Springs Publishing, Rodney Melsek’s gripping tale is inspired by the author’s own escapades and misadventures in Kenya while serving in the Peace Corp, bringing to life his own experiences for his readers to discover. Deeply personal and candid, “A Place Beyond Midnight” is sure to resonate with readers from all walks of life, keeping the pages turning right up until the very end.

Readers who wish to experience this inspiring work can order “A Place Beyond Midnight” at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iBooks Store, Amazon, or Barnes and Noble. This title is also available in audiobook format.

For additional information or media inquiries, contact Newman Springs Publishing at 732-243-8512.

About Newman Springs Publishing:

Newman Springs Publishing is a full-service publishing house for serious authors. Each title produced by Newman Springs Publishing undergoes every step of the professional publishing process, including editing, layout, cover design, circulation, distribution, and publicity. All titles are made available in both eBook and print formats. Newman Springs Publishing distributes to tens of thousands of retail outlets throughout North America and internationally. All manuscripts in any genre are welcome to be submitted for review; If the manuscript meets the necessary criteria and is accepted for publication, Newman Springs Publishing will work closely with the author to bring the book to the retail market for a relatively inexpensive initial investment.