My Books

R E V I V A L

How a Tenor Lost His Voice but Found His Calling
by Donald Braswell with Mark Koopmans

Five years removed from his 1990 Juilliard graduation, Donald Braswell is set to be "the next Pavarotti." Braswell's successful career ends, however, not with a standing ovation at Carnegie Hall, but alone, lying in a dirty ditch. 

Following the hit-and-run accident that steals his voice and future, the "Texas Tenor" struggles with depression and despair—until the night his daughter, Aria, is born. Understanding this new and immediate life change, Braswell fights to relearn how to speak and sing—and how to share this gift of second chances with others. When he auditions for America's Got Talent, his family, his faith, and his entire future hangs in the balance. 

  READ A FREE CHAPTER via PEN-L PUBLISHING  

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Praise for Revival

"God never wastes a hurt, and His plan for us is far beyond what our human minds can imagine. In Koopmans' first book, he takes us along the personal journey of Donald Braswell, who in the midst of health challenges, found faith and strength in God. No matter what you're going through, you will be blessed and inspired by REVIVAL as you turn every page!"  

 ~ Pastor Wayne Cordeiro, founding pastor of New Hope Christian Fellowship, Honolulu, HI

"Revival—The Donald Braswell Story proves that when all is lost, miracles can indeed happen through perseverance and faith in a higher power."  

 ~ Matthew J. Pallamary - author of Spirit Matters and Land Without Evil

"Revival is more than the story of one man's struggle to overcome—it's a testament to the power of God."   

 ~ Alex J. Cavanaugh, Amazon Best Selling Author of Dragon of the Stars 

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About Donald

Donald Braswell II is an American actor, classical crossover tenor and composer. Braswell was on a fast track to become an internationally acclaimed opera singer when he suffered a car accident in 1995 that made him unable to speak for almost two years. After that, he lived a quiet life outside of the spotlight until his appearance on the 2008 season of America’s Got Talent where he was a Top 5 finalist, which gave him another chance at a career in entertainment. Since then, he has entertained audiences both internationally as well as shore to shore in the United States in concerts, television appearances, inspirational speaking and radio. He boasts an international fan club with fans from over 25 countries.

Braswell has reentered the world of symphonic music by singing in pops concerts starting with the Symphony of the Hills in Kerrville, Texas in June 2009. He performs a variety of musical genres ranging from pure classical repertoire to soul to mainstream pop. He engages people of many cultures by singing in various languages outside of English, including Spanish, Italian, Neapolitan, French and Russian. His concerts are generally multilingual, and he has performed pieces that are themselves in more than one language. Some of these include: Mario Frangoulis bilingual version of “Nights in White Satin” (Italian title “Notte di luce”), originally by The Moody Blues; “The Prayer”; and Andrea Bocelli’s “Vivere” (English title “Dare to Live”). His other non-English repertoire includes Aqustin Lara’s “Rosa” (Spanish), Mario Frangoulis’s “Vincerò, perderò” (Italian) and the Neapolitan standard “O sole mio”.

Some of his many compositions can be heard on his recent album We Fall and We Rise Again.

Donald is a testament to the powers of the human spirit in difficult times and he inspires all who come to know him. Learn more about Donald at DonaldBraswell.com

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About Mark

Mark Koopmans is originally from Ireland. After working in Holland, Spain, France and England, he won his U.S. “Green Card” in 1994, and is an American by choice since 2003. Koopmans began his writing career with a feature for a regional magazine in California. Since then, he’s worked as a staff writer for newspapers in Florida and Texas. Koopmans is also a proficient blogger and is working on his next book, a novel. Koopmans lives in Virginia and is a married, stay-at-home dad to three active boys under the age of nine. He writes at night.

Find Mark’s blog at MarkKoopmans.blogspot.com