|
Rebecca Yarros | Glimpsing Military Life
February 22, 2014
Military life can be a hard concept to grasp if you're not living it. Looking
from the outside, we're almost a totally different culture within the whole. We
have our own towns with high walls and guards, our own lingo with crazy terms
like PCS, ACU, and TDY. We have our own wardrobe, shopping centers, and social
protocols. And when a soldier is taken too young, we have honored rituals to
lay our dead to rest. FULL
MEASURES is about those rituals, the process a family goes through when
their soldier doesn't come home, but it is also a story about overwhelming love,
and the risks we're willing to take to keep what sets our soul on fire. Looking from the outside, military life can be hard to comprehend in the
civilian world, but to us, it's just life. It's a mix of normalcy, longing,
worry, passion, waiting, more longing, euphoria, pride, and sometimes
heartbreak. But there is such joy! I've never known a sweeter moment than
finally getting my arms around my husband after a lengthy deployment, or a
relief sharper than seeing his face after he'd been seriously wounded. My heart
flew when he met our new daughter after returning from Afghanistan last month,
when our boys rushed into his arms, when I was able to surprise him over Skype
when I signed my first book deal. But the biggest differences in military life really belong to the children, the
military "brats." I didn't just marry into this life, I was born into it, and
my parents before me. Some of my earliest memories are my parents dressed up in
their dress blues, headed out to a ball, or on the times my mom didn't have to
wear her uniform, remembering she looked like a princess in a beautiful pink
ballgown. I remember watching my parents get promoted, and the pride they had
in one another's careers. Then again, I also remember moving, going to a new
school, and making new friends, just to have my parents tell me we were doing it
all over again. Now my kids are in my old shoes. Military life isn't always
easy on them, but they grow up strong, so adaptable. They make friends quickly,
because they know they might not be there long. They welcome others because
they know how it feels to be the new kid. They have intense pride in their
parents, but they also sacrifice the most. After all, they never agreed to it,
yet they go a year or more without seeing their parent, and worry that hug they
got at goodbye will be their last. In FULL MEASURES, Ember
epitomizes the strength of army brats. While she's tough, she's also
overwhelmed, utterly human, and makes tough choices. She's tender, courageous,
and Josh Walker's ultimate weakness. "She knew. That's why Mom hadn't opened the door. She knew he was dead." Twenty years as an army brat and Ember Howard knew, too. The soldiers at the
door meant her dad was never coming home. What she didn't know was how she would
find the strength to singlehandedly care for her crumbling family when her mom
falls apart. Then Josh Walker enters her life. Hockey star, her new next-door neighbor, and
not to mention the most delicious hands that insist on saving her over and over
again. He has a way of erasing the pain with a single look, a single touch. As
much as she wants to turn off her feelings and endure the heartache on her own,
she can't deny their intense attraction. Until Josh's secret shatters their world. And Ember must decide if he's worth
the risk that comes with loving a man who could strip her bare. About Rebecca YarrosRebecca Yarros is a
hopeless romantic and lover of all things chocolate, coffee, and Paleo who
writes both Young Adult and New Adult fiction. Her blog, The Only Girl Among
Boys, has been voted the Top Military Mom Blog the last two years, and
celebrates the complex issues surrounding the military life she adores.
When she's not writing, she's tying on hockey skates for her kids, or sneaking
in some guitar time. She is madly in love with her army-aviator husband of
eleven years, and they're currently stationed in Upstate NY with their gaggle of
rambunctious kiddos and snoring English Bulldog, but she would always rather be
home in Colorado.
Comments
24 comments posted.
Re: Rebecca Yarros | Glimpsing Military Life
my dad was in the air force thanks for the giveaway the book
sounds really good
(Denise Smith 12:24pm February 22, 2014)
The military life is fascinating. There are a lot of military where I live, in the DC area. The book sounds great.
(Pam Howell 8:28am February 22, 2014)
i will read this ,thanks
(Debbi Shaw 8:48am February 22, 2014)
I was once involved with a man who was in the military. It could have been an interesting life, and I didn't mind it, but he had extra baggage involved with it, which I don't care to get into, and I could see that it wasn't going to work. At times I miss part of it, but it does take a lot of sacrifice on both the soldiers' part, as well as the spouse. I wasn't an army brat, but my Father served in WWII, and earned a Silver Star while serving in France, I believe. To this day, he's never discussed how he earned his award, but I heard that he was almost blown up in a trailer, while sending messages to the troops in Morse Code. How times have changed!! Anyway, congratulations on your book, and thank your Husband for his service to our Country!!
(Peggy Roberson 8:55am February 22, 2014)
This sounds like a great read! Thanks so the great giveaway!!
(Bonnie Capuano 9:01am February 22, 2014)
Thanks for the giveaway and for giving us an insight into the life of a military family. It sounds like a close knit community within a community.
(Anna Speed 12:28pm February 22, 2014)
My dad was in both the Army and after that the Navy. We were not Army brats, however. He served before my sisters and I were born. I have heard many tails of his service and they were very fascinating. Now a friend is a Navy Seal and that is quite interesting. Thanks for the contest.
(Vennie Martinisi 1:25pm February 22, 2014)
I would love to read this. It is a very interesting perspective.
(Denise Austin 4:59pm February 22, 2014)
It's quite true that the military life is so different. I have always found that military life is just fascinating to me. I used to hand around veterans when I was a teenager just to hear the places they have been and the experience of what they went through.
(Kai Wong 4:59pm February 22, 2014)
It can be very difficult to understand the culture and lingo.
I enjoy reading about the military. That and cowboys are my
favorite subjects. Thanks for the giveaway and the insight.
(Rebecca Hagan 5:15pm February 22, 2014)
I am fascinated by how military families. What I have seen
of it is that they are so very close.
(G. Bisbjerg 5:41pm February 22, 2014)
This sounds like an interesting read and a different perspective of life.
(Carol Woodruff 7:16pm February 22, 2014)
sounds like a good read; adding to my TBR list!!
(Barbara Studer 7:31pm February 22, 2014)
This book sounds fun. Thanks for the giveaway. =))
(Ashley B. 8:45pm February 22, 2014)
Love finding new authors and their books! This one looks really good, I look forward to reading this.
(Martha Lawson 8:56pm February 22, 2014)
I have great respect for military people and their families. I'd love to read this book and will be putting it on my wish list.
(Marcy Shuler 10:00pm February 22, 2014)
What an interesting post on military life! Thanks for sharing.
(Bonnie H 11:34pm February 22, 2014)
I think this sounds like a really goo book. I would love to find out more
about Ember.
(Melanie Backus 8:30am February 23, 2014)
Thanks for the Giveaway! Good Luck! :D
(Vera Papavasiliu 4:19pm February 23, 2014)
Sounds like a great read. Can't wait to read. Thanks for the giveaway.
(Kathleen Beale 7:50pm February 23, 2014)
It's not a culture I am familiar with. Interesting though.
(Mary Preston 8:57pm February 23, 2014)
sounds like a good read. have not lived any type of military life but son is career military and it is hard.
(Barbara Studer 12:16pm February 24, 2014)
Military families learn to wait a lot and read between the
lines of what's said and not said in messages sent home. It
must be agony when someone is missing or dies and then the
hopes reside on a different level. It's an added layer to
stories and I like reading about the discipline and
regimentation for both families and their kids.
(Alyson Widen 5:28pm February 25, 2014)
i like reading about military romance being myself married
with a veteran :) i look forward to read this book
(Sarah Hansrote 4:36am February 28, 2014)
Registered users may leave comments.
Log in or register now!
| 
© 2003-2024 off-the-edge.net
all rights reserved Privacy Policy