Veterans are close to my heart. My father-in-law served in World War II and was a soldier in Patton’s army. We miss him and I dedicated my December release to him to honor what he meant to our lives.
My dad was also a soldier in World War II. In addition, my college years were impacted by the Vietnam War and many of my high school and college classmates served. I wrote to a serviceman in Vietnam for two years and still have his letters with the details of his service there. A few years ago I wrote about a veteran hero in THE BRACELET and beforehand read diaries that one of our community colleges had collected—oral transcripts of servicemen’s lives in Vietnam.
In all my research, one thing was clear. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder was ignored for years, although these men and their families recognized the symptoms all too well. I wanted to bring it to the forefront now because it’s important to remember what our soldiers face after they come home.
When I began my research for my hero in TWINS UNDER HIS TREE, I was interested in learning more about the National Guard…about men who didn’t realize they’d be called to war and multiple tours of duty. The public information officer at a nearby Guard headquarters was instrumental in helping me develop my hero—from his career to his discharge. As the months went by, he was deployed to Iraq and answered many of my questions from there. In TWINS UNDER HIS TREE I wanted to deal with the scars that are deeper than physical wounds and the power of love that can help heal them. My family members, classmates and servicemen I interviewed were honorable men, brave and quiet about what they’d experienced.
This holiday season I want to give tribute to all who serve and pray that they are uplifted by the power of love.
Karen Rose Smith’s 71st published romance, TWINS UNDER HIS TREE, is the sixth book in her Baby Experts series for Silhouette Special Edition and is available now.
About TWINS UNDER HIS TREE
She’d just gone in to labor…
…seven weeks early! Now Dr. Lily Wescott was the proud mother of twin baby girls. But she couldn’t have done it without Mitch Cortega. The decorated combat surgeon was with her every step of the way. And the young widow was finding it awfully hard to resist Mitch’s overpowering masculinity…
Spending time with Lily and her infant daughters was making Mitch yearn for something he’d never known was missing. The wounded combat surgeon knew they both needed time to heal.
But how much longer could they fight their attraction? With Christmas just around the corner, it was time to move on and trust in a love that could transform the past into a future filled with the true joy of giving!
If you’d like to win a copy of TWINS UNDER HIS TREE and a Gorham crystal Christmas tree ornament, leave a comment and we’ll pick a winner. You can email Karen or visit her at www.karenrosesmith.com. You can also find her on Facebook where she is posting weekly photos from her recent research trip for her new series that begins in February.
Click here to leave a comment on Karen Rose Smith’s blog and to enter her blog contest.
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