By Marissa Wells
Contributing Writer
Carla Williams, a mother of three, has undergone routine surgery. After things don’t go as planned, department chair Dr. Thompson becomes an unlikely ally as he vows to find and reveal the truth about what happened to Carla, even if it comes at a significant personal cost.
So goes “A Fight for Full Disclosure” by Stanley M. Berry.
“The book is truly a work of fiction, but it was inspired by a specific incident, as well as my whole life,” Berry said.
This is Berry’s first novel and it was important for him to share this powerful and thought-provoking story.
“I strongly believed, and continue to believe, that the story has universal applicability,” Berry said. “In some ways it’s a story of speaking truth to power and it’s also a story of good versus evil.”
Other themes involve the troubles that people may have with taking a stand regarding certain situations, the act of standing up and one’s ability to do the right thing.
The author’s favorite character is Carla.
“In many ways she rose above her circumstances,” Berry said. “She had some tough odds. Although she reached a very respectable place in the community as a high school teacher who was very looked up to by her students, she didn’t forget the struggles that she had and she dedicated her life to trying to help her students overcome some of the same struggles.”
“A Fight for Full Disclosure” will pique the interest of a wide audience, especially those who enjoy mysteries and have an interest in both medicine and institutional/societal power dynamics.
Berry hopes readers gain an understanding around the consequences that may result from speaking truth to power.
“I would like people to be inspired to understand that when you take up these struggles it doesn’t always have to be bad,” Berry said. “Yes, there will be oftentimes a price you will pay for speaking truth to power, but the benefits of it can be much worth the pain that you suffer in speaking truth to power and not wavering.”
In addition to being an author, Berry is a maternal-fetal medicine physician. He lives in Royal Oak, Michigan. For more information about the author and his work, visit stanleymberry.com.
“A Fight for Full Disclosure” is available for $15.99 online at Barnes & Noble, Amazon and several other online bookselling platforms.
