David Westbrookis 63 years old. He has lived in Arizona all his life except for the years he has spent abroad. Westbrook served in Vietnam with the US Army Rangers. He was wounded and received the Purple Heart, Bronze Star and Air Medal.Westbrook also served 4½ years in Iraq with Blackwater Security USA. He has been a cow rancher in Arizona all his life. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Education from Arizona State University. Westbrook taught in the Arizona Public Schools and was an educator with the Arizona Department of Corrections.

Diyar Alhusseiniand Westbrook wrote the book together. Diyar is 19 years old. She was born in Iraq, and lived there until last year, when her family escaped the violence and went to Istanbul, Turkey. They were there for 8 months. She and her family are now in Arizona in America. Diyar's father was Sadam Hussein's defense attorney. He was standing next to Sadam when he was hanged. Her family saw bloodshed and terror before finally escaping.

They were targeted for assassination because of her father's assignments. The process of leaving Iraq and landing in America was a long and difficult journey.An Uncommon Friendshipis about a journey to America. The main characters are Dan and Nadie. Their friendship during a very violent period in Iraq is what made everything possible. All that happens in this book has its basis in this friendship, even Nadia's reaching America.