Bestselling author Eric Madeen has announced that his literary fiction novel 'Water Drumming in the Soul' will be available at no charge in ebook form on November 1 and 2, 2025, exclusively through Amazon. This limited-time promotion provides readers with access to a work that draws heavily from Madeen's experiences as a Peace Corps volunteer in equatorial Gabon, Africa, where he constructed a primary school complex in a rainforest village.
The novel tells the story of David Fields, an American Peace Corps volunteer who arrives in an African village to build a medical dispensary and becomes captivated by Assam, a local woman who plays a stream as a drum. Described as a literary love story with "fictional reality stitched into the narrative," the work explores cultural dynamics through what Madeen characterizes as the "pageantry of life forces and the wicked, wild and mystery dance of the Dionysian" in contrast to more restrained Western traditions.
Academic and literary responses to the novel have highlighted its cultural authenticity. Zaheer Baber, Professor of Sociology at the University of Toronto, noted that "Madeen's storytelling prowess shines through and resonates with authenticity. The characters, particularly Assam, are beautifully developed, challenging traditional stereotypes as in presenting a more nuanced and genuine portrayal of African culture." Author Elizabeth Montano compared the work to those of literary masters, specifically mentioning Ernest Hemingway.
Madeen's background informs much of the novel's setting and perspective. Like travel writer Paul Theroux, Madeen maintains identification with his Peace Corps service, which included getting lost for three days while hunting monkeys in the rainforest. This experience, along with a romantic relationship he developed during his service, provides what he describes as "vigorous fictional reality" to the narrative.
The free promotion represents an opportunity for readers to access a work that has garnered positive reviews for its exploration of cross-cultural relationships. One Amazon reviewer described the novel as "a rollercoaster of emotions that'll have you laughing, crying, and everything in between" while praising its treatment of "thought-provoking themes like culture, identity, and the power of human connection."
Madeen is an associate professor of modern literature at Tokyo City University and adjunct professor at Keio University, with an extensive publication history including Time, Asia Week, and various academic journals. His other works include the bestselling 'Tokyo-ing!', 'Asian Trail Mix: True Tales From Borneo to Japan', and 'Tennis Clubbed, Snubbed and Rubbity-Dub Dubbed'. Readers interested in exploring Madeen's complete bibliography can find his author page at Amazon, while additional information is available through his personal website at https://ericmadeen.com.
This promotional event offers temporary access to a literary work that bridges cultural divides through personal narrative, providing readers with insight into African cultural perspectives rarely centered in mainstream Western fiction. The novel's free availability during this limited window represents a significant opportunity for broader audience engagement with cross-cultural literary fiction.
