Veteran's Day

Except for my Dad's short stint in the Army when I was a babe, I haven't had much connection with the military. Or should say, "hadn't." Now, the list of military friends is long: the youngest son of my dear friend, Karen Lampe, is serving in the US Navy; new friend, Matthew McCullough, was recently in the Sinai Peninsula with the National Guard; a good writing buddy has a son being deployed soon; and several WWII vets from the USS Enterprise helped me with my last manuscript. And, of course, there's Brian Dennis, one of the subject's of my latest book with Mary Nethery, who is a career Marine.
Major Brian Dennis with his best buddy, Nubs

He recently returned from Iraq (again) and will be deployed again some time in the future.

And, even in the short time since Nubs has been out, we've heard from people with family members in the service -- or in the military themselves -- who have been touched by the story.

Though I am thinking about these service people every day now, in ways I never had before, I want to especially remember them today, Veteran's Day, and thank them from the bottom of my grateful heart.