This month’s edition of National Geographic spotlights some present-day hero dogs and what happens to them when they’re retired from the military. The cover of the magazine features Kayla, a Belgian Mallinois, who took four point-blank shots from an AK-47 and still subdued her attacker, saving the lives of several soldiers. Kayla lost a leg […]
May and June are devoted to Hero Dogs Read Post »
On my recent cruise to the Western Caribbean, I met a true heroine, a woman of strength named Bobbi Jo Bottomley. Bobbi Jo is a dog behavior expert who runs a business called Tri-State K9 University, based out of Indiana. Not only does Bobbi Jo take in abused, mistreated, and homeless animals—including a seven-foot, red-tailed
Some heroes are just unforgettable, and that’s what I attribute THE ENFORCER’s nomination to the RONE Awards to: Tobias Burke’s wonderful sense of humor. You remember Tobias for the snarky comments on his T-shirts. This story of an ATF agent going undercover into a West Virginia militia to investigate it leader now needs your vote!
The Enforcer nominated for RONE Awards Read Post »
Today The Health Journal featured former Mrs. Virginia, Amber Wandtke, a Navy Petty Officer who uses her position as a pageant winner to raise awareness of PTSD and to fight for better treatment. Amber was first introduced to the horrors of PTSD when her husband, also active duty, returned from Iraq with symptoms of the war-related
Miss Eastern States Educates about PTSD Read Post »
When Marcus Luttrell signed a copy of LONE SURVIVOR for me, he wrote something very profound which I would like to reiterate: “The only job harder than being a Navy SEAL is being the wife one. You are the hero.” (He assumed as many do that my Navy retired husband was a SEAL). But he
Wives and Widows of US Navy SEALs, the bravest of all Read Post »
My readers know by now that I have to see any movie featuring “my boys,” as I call them. I finally got to rent CAPTAIN PHILLIPS, the movie based on the real life rescue of a cargo ship captain who found himself abducted by Somalian Pirates. Talk about a gripping film! Tom Hanks gave a
Navy SEALs kick ass in “Captain Phillips” Read Post »
After seeing the movie, LONE SURVIVOR, I was reminded of just how much former Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell’s experience inspired my own writing. Before he even published LONE SURVIVOR back in 2007, I had read snippets in the newspapers about a sole surviving Navy SEAL of an operation-gone-wrong, and that news alone was enough to
LONE SURVIVOR, the book, inspired my fiction Read Post »