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You guys know the Neon Trees song, “Everybody Talks”? The chorus begins with the words”It started with a whisper” and that line pretty much sums up something that happened to me last year. Right after SEAL Team 6 became (more) famous, I saw a photo of a real SEAL taken in 2007 that accompanied a Time magazine article. I shared a link to the photo on Twitter, and oh my, the re-tweets! All agreed the image was. well, darn sexy.
Perhaps a bit excited by the, uh, popularity of the image (not that I was inspired by all those inches of naked, muscled back, no, not me) I cavalierly tweeted something about wouldn’t it be cool to write some romance stories starring SEAL heroes and donate the proceeds to charity. I was knee-deep in deadlines at the time, so imagine my response when romance author Alison Kent sent me a private message that said “What can I do to help make this happen?”
What could I do but step up? We quickly put together a roster of authors. We asked friends who recommended other friends and in about four days we had all the writers we needed (including Mt. Oly Goddess Barbara Samuel/O’Neal). Alison tracked down the image from Getty Images, and we bought the photo at a discounted rate because we were putting together a not-for-profit project. Our intention had been to self-publish, so we also contacted editors and a cover artist (Frauke Spanuth of Croco Design made the beautiful cover) who agreed to help us for free. I came up with the title, SEAL of My Dreams, which pretty much says we had Fortune smiling on us, because I am not known for my excellent title ideas and I frankly think it’s perfect.
Then our luck really started rolling in. We hoped to get it out for Veterans Day and we were going forward with crossed fingers when one of the anthology’s authors, Cindy Gerard, approached Debra Dixon of Belle Bridge Books and they enthusiastically got on board (now we could have print and digital editions, get in brick-and-mortar stores, and benefit from their merchandising expertise). I have a good friend who does pro bono PR work for Veterans Research Corporation, a non-profit foundation that supports veterans medical research (PTSD and TBI, for example) so we found a worthy charity for the proceeds of our project.
Another Veterans Day has passed since the anthology first came out. 100 percent of the proceeds go to veterans medical research and it nearly bursts my buttons to tell you that in the year that’s passed we have gifted well over $100,000. If you’d like to support our great cause, please do! It’s available to purchase at your favorite e-tailer and if your local brick-and-mortar doesn’t stock it, they will order it for you. (It’s pretty fun to have a paper version because then you can look at our SEAL all day long!) You can learn more about our SEAL, the charity, and the anthology here: http://sealofmydreams.com/wordpress/
Have you ever thrown out a few words that grew into something much bigger than you ever anticipated? Share with us! Or tell us about a veteran in your family (my dad and father-in-law are both vets) or amongst your friends and acquaintances. One lucky commenter will win a print version of SEAL of My Dreams. Yes! He can be on your bookshelf!
50 Comments on “It Started with a Whisper & Win Free Book!”
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What a wonderful, wonderful thing to do for the veterans. They deserve everything they can get and so much more. I’ve always been a writer with the hope of being published one day. Always struggled because I would get a few chapters in and not know what in the world I was doing. About a month ago I got a new idea for something. I thought great it’s going to go nowhere too but this time it just keeps getting bigger and better. I can’t write my thoughts down fast enough. It all came from a TV show I enjoy watching a lot and just took off from there.
Posted on November 12, 2012 at 7:30 am.
That sounds great, aida! Ride the wave of inspiration.
Keep us posted on how it goes.
Posted on November 12, 2012 at 10:22 am.
This IS a great thing to do, thank you! Our vets deserve our appreciation and respect!!
My brother is a current USMC, my grandfather was Army, my uncle was Army, so lots of military folks in our family.
I know from a few good friends I have who are military wives that they also pay a price, when their hubbies are on deployment, etc.
Thanks again,
Posted on November 12, 2012 at 7:54 am.
RobinRBL: Oh, yes, military spouses have to give so much. Friends of ours older daughter recently married and has a new baby (born in August). Her sweet husband is a Marine and he goes on another deployment mid-December. Will be away from his wife and new daughter for 7 months.
Posted on November 12, 2012 at 10:24 am.
The book sounds great, and what a photo.
My dad was an Air Force vet. He was stationed in Libya before Khadafi. He wanted to fly jets and ended up being a photographer. He had some great stories and great pictures–one of John Wayne and Sophia Loren making Land of the Lost there.
Posted on November 12, 2012 at 8:01 am.
Oh, I bet his stories stick with you. My f-i-l is a retired Navy jet fighter pilot. He’s lived all over the world and I never tire of hearing about his experiences.
Posted on November 12, 2012 at 10:25 am.
For my assignment on suicide I had the first few sentences come to me pretty quickly and the assignment grew from there. I have family who were part of the Australian Army. My cousin was a driver and I don’t remember what my grandfather did but I do know that he was involved. My great-uncle was part of the Intelligence Division during WWII since he spoke a number of languages fluently.
Posted on November 12, 2012 at 9:02 am.
Kelly: I hear that about your great-uncle and I think…spy! I’m also envious of the ability to speak a number of languages fluently, which also screams to me…spy!
Posted on November 12, 2012 at 10:30 am.
Christie, Thank you for such a wonderful idea – fun, romantic and for veterans!
Both sides of my family are military. My side is all Navy and DH’s is Air Force. My Father served in WWII and my FIL served in the Korean Conflict. My brother served at the end of Vietnam. Recently my Father made the Honor Flight to Washington, D.C. What a wonderful experience for him.
Posted on November 12, 2012 at 9:04 am.
Hi, kez: I didn’t know about the Honor Flights (just looked them up). What a fantastic program. I’m glad your dad got to participate. (For others who don’t know, Honor Flights take WW2 vets to visit the WW2 Memorial in Washington DC.)
Posted on November 12, 2012 at 10:34 am.
This just gave me chills!!! What a wonderful thing to do. My dad was a disabled veteran so this is an issue very close to my heart.
Well done, and congrats on your success!
Posted on November 12, 2012 at 9:48 am.
Thank you, Claudia. All of us who are involved in the project are amazed at its success (thank you Bell Bridge books) and feel so good about being part of something that gives back to our vets.
Posted on November 12, 2012 at 10:36 am.
That is such a great story. Our veterans deserve so much more than they get. I really don’t think I’ve had an idea that catapulted into anything major. The only relative that I had who was a veteran was my grandfather. He served in WWII, but passed away before I was born. My ex-fiance still serves in the Army. We have become friends again due to facebook. He has spent the last year in Kuwait. Every now and then I would post pics of plants and flowers on facebook. He thanked me and stated it was hard over there because it was all sand and not a lot of color. After that I tried to post a colorful picture a day. He “likes” every one. It is not much at all, but if it helps in any way then I am happy.
Posted on November 12, 2012 at 10:10 am.
Oh, that’s lovely, bringing color to someone who needs to see it. I bet it brings him a smile every day. Nice.
Posted on November 12, 2012 at 10:37 am.
Awesome, Christie!! I have military men on all sides in my family, and the hubs, and my daughter married a guy that served in the Army, as well. God bless them all–every one!
We actually collected quite a bit of money at our office for several different charities. Last year, it was because I mentioned to a few people about collecting money for the food pantry in Bastrop (a city very close to Austin that suffered millions in damages from the wildfires over Labor Day in 2011), and we were able to collect quite a bit from a small office and send to them to purchase food and supplies for needy families. I was so thankful to have my home when there were so many that were destroyed by those fires in such a close proximity. Scary stuff… I am hoping to try to do the same thing for Hurricane Sandy victims this year.
Posted on November 12, 2012 at 10:19 am.
WTG, Julie! It feels so good to help, doesn’t it, in any way we can. And sometimes people just need a nudge, so if you spearhead something, so many more get involved. I live in fire country, so I can relate to that loss. And those affected by Sandy…such a good thing to help them too.
Posted on November 12, 2012 at 10:40 am.
Such a great project, Christie. You are too modest.
I grew up in a military town and live here now. I’m surrounded by vets and current military folks, including my daughter-in-law, who is a tech sergeant in the Air Force and has deployed twice, once to Afghanistan.
Happy Veterans Day!
Posted on November 12, 2012 at 10:27 am.
Everybody pitched in to make it work. Everybody, Barbara’s story includes a dog and will make you cry (in a good way).
Posted on November 12, 2012 at 10:41 am.
Christie, what a lovely, lovely, LOVELY thing to do! I admire you guys greatly.
When the war with Irag was up and running, I sent boxes and boxes and boxes overseas to the troops. I have to say, the post office ladies were the best and helped me pack them carefully. I sent books, DVDS, powdered drink mixes, body wipes, and general stuff like that. I always threw in something fun – a deck of UNO cards or a domino game, just to help them pass the time.
(Btw, Barbara’s stories always make me cry in a good way.)
Posted on November 12, 2012 at 11:00 am.
Karen: I love that idea of also throwing in something fun. I like to imagine the looks on the faces of the people opening your boxes. Awesome.
Posted on November 12, 2012 at 11:34 am.
Why, yes. I wanted to take out a half wall between my kitchen and living area. It turned into a full-scale re-do of my first floor. And when I went that far, it seemed ridiculous not to renovate the second floor. So while I am trying to finish a book, they are up there gutting a bathroom.
Started with a whisper
Posted on November 12, 2012 at 11:20 am.
Oh, man, isn’t that the case, Julia? It’s like deciding to paint the living room and then the hallway looks dingy, and then the bathroom…
Posted on November 12, 2012 at 11:35 am.
What a great thing to do.
No vets in my family but I see a lot of vets in my work since I work in a pharmacy. They are always the nicest people!
Posted on November 12, 2012 at 12:37 pm.
May: I bet you see all kinds of people working in a pharmacy. I have to say that my local pharmacy is so nice. I had a glitch recently where I’d called something in and they hadn’t yet filled it and they were so nice, knowing I wasn’t feeling well. They rushed it right through.
Posted on November 12, 2012 at 1:00 pm.
What a wonderful project, and I’m so glad you’ve earned so much money with it!
I wish my ideas snowballed more often. Usually they die stillborn. Occasionally they turn into a book, but that happens one in every five, partly because I don’t put the energy into them that I should. You’ve inspired me to nurture them more!
Posted on November 12, 2012 at 1:00 pm.
Well, I had a lot of people involved which made it much, much easier. I’ll bet 1 in 5 is a better-than-average percent when it comes to ideas!
Posted on November 12, 2012 at 1:11 pm.
What a Great Way To Give Back Christie And Congratulations On The Success Of This Organization! I Love To Read Your Books, And SEAL of my Dreams Will Be Added To My BTR List.
I’m a Veterans Wife, My Husband, David Served For 26 yrs., USAF/Air National Guard. I’m So Very Proud Of Him and Guys Like Him Who Protect Us Everyday of Our Lives. The Wives Keeps The Home Fires Burning And We Have There Backs and Without Us Those Guys Can’t Do What They Do… Happy Veterans Day To The Veterans and To There Families!
Posted on November 12, 2012 at 1:03 pm.
Yay, Carolyn! It is a family effort when a loved one is in the military. Please thank your husband for his service and I think you for yours, too!
Posted on November 12, 2012 at 1:12 pm.
You guys are awesome, Christie!
My dad’s a peacetime vet, and two of my uncles served in the Navy. Very proud of them always, and especially today.
Posted on November 12, 2012 at 1:06 pm.
It’s nice, isn’t it, to have a day where we remember to express our gratitude. Yay, vets!
Posted on November 12, 2012 at 1:13 pm.
First, I love the Neon Trees – they put on a great concert. Second, I was just re-reading this particular anthology this weekend – loved your story and Barbara’s too.
Three years ago I had this crazy idea to have a food drive for 10 local families. Since it was my idea I was put in charge of it with a friend. It was crazy and a lot harder than I thought it was going to be to get the specific foods for these families. I never really thought about it at the time because I thought giving specific foods that the families would eat, would be the best, but somehow, it made people less likely to donate. Fortunately, there was a family who came along and asked what we needed after our initial drive. They gave us the bulk of our donations. After that experience I realized that there are people who want to keep it easy for themselves when they’re donating something, and it’s nice that they donate. I want whatever I donate to be something that people need. I think it’s because I’ve had friends bring us some meals post new baby or when we were sick, but my kids couldn’t eat it because of their food allergies. It didn’t help me at all.
As for veterans in my family, there are so many because my family has an extensive history of military service, dating back to the Revolutionary War and every war since then. My ‘little’ brother is active duty Navy and currently deployed on an aircraft carrier (seen in Transformers Revenge of the Fallen, but with a different name.). One of my uncles is, also, retired Navy. My older brother served in the USAF for 4 years and was stationed at Clark AFB when Mt Pinatubo erupted. One of my younger sisters served in the Army. One of my bils and at least 3 cousins have served in the USMC. My paternal grandfather joined the National Guard almost exactly a year before Pearl Harbor, served stateside until January 1945 when he was sent to Europe.l
Posted on November 12, 2012 at 1:30 pm.
Good on you for all you’ve done, Janae! And what a family of military service. Awesome.
Posted on November 12, 2012 at 1:48 pm.
Just the other day, we went out to by a ruler and a drafting compass for my brother to do a test. We came back home with hundreds worth of money. (At least eventually we did found the two items we were looking for).
As a Brazilian, I’ll never know what this American feeling upon “vets”. Having grown up in a country which fought its last war in 1870ish, we don’t really have vets. They’re all gone by now. Brazil lent military forced to the Allies in WWII, but it’s not a fight for us. Brazil doesn’t really fight, like ever. Our military does things like aid people in need in disaster zones, in drought zones, they aid when local police isn’t enough in situation of chaos. They’re a different kind of heroes.
Posted on November 12, 2012 at 1:39 pm.
Aiding people in disaster is wonderful, B! And heroes, yes.
Posted on November 12, 2012 at 1:49 pm.
I already own a digital copy of this, so I don’t need to be entered in the drawing. In the book “The Last Confederate Widow”, the main character claims to be “the veteran of a veteran.” This is so true. My grandfather fought in the Pacific in WWII. After reading all the new research that has come in about PTSD, I realize now that my early years, and lots of family dynamics, were shaped by a family member who had this untreated condition for the rest of his life. Last year, I googled his name and found out that he had another family. I haven’t had the guts to reach out to these other folks yet, but I’m getting there. So thank you for donating to this worthy cause. Many people don’t realize that PTSD echoes though the generations, even though the war has been over for nearly 60 years.
Posted on November 12, 2012 at 3:07 pm.
Amanda, that is so wrenching…”veteran of a veteran.” Wow. And as ho your grandfather’s other family…we have something like that. My mom went to her stepfather’s funeral and there was a man there that was his son…that nobody ever knew about.
Thanks you for buying the book! You’re helping the cause.
Posted on November 12, 2012 at 3:47 pm.
I don’t want to be entered, because I already own a “hard copy” of this…. I was able to get a copy last Summer at the Literacy event in Anaheim. Thanks for doing such a great project, it is a win win for the veterans and the readers. Love it!
Posted on November 12, 2012 at 3:30 pm.
Thanks for buying the book, Kimberly! I like thinking that all of us are helping our heroes get better.
Posted on November 12, 2012 at 3:48 pm.
I come from a heavily military family, documented all the way back to the Revolution (we actually had brothers fighting on opposite sides in the War Between the States). My father flew jets in the Navy, my younger brother was a submariner, my B-I-L was in the Army and later in the ANG. My nephew was on a ship in the gulf in 2003 when the initial “Shock and Awe” hit Iraq. He sent us photos of the Tomahawks leaving the ship and heading to their targets.
I have had uncles and cousins that served in Vietnam, Aunts and Uncles who served in WWII and a grandfather who served in WWI. Beyond that, the documented family service history is in a file with my Aunt.
BTW, one of my favorite things to do for our military members is to pay for thier lunch without them knowing it. If you are at a restaurant at the same time they are, ask the waitress for their check. Have her tell them that their meal was paid for by a grateful American. The look on their face is usually priceless!!
Posted on November 12, 2012 at 4:04 pm.
I love that–paying for lunch for service members. Totally fun to be sitting where you can surreptitiously watch their pleased surprise. And wow, wouldn’t you like to have diaries of those two brothers fighting on opposite sides.
My aunt on my mother’s side has all the family history going way back. I’ll have to ask her more about service members.
Posted on November 12, 2012 at 6:44 pm.
My father was in the Army Air Corp as a pilot. My husband was in the Navy as was his father and one of my brothers was in the Air Force. I am thankful to them all for their service.
Don’t enter me in the contest either as I bought the book when it first came out.
Posted on November 12, 2012 at 4:41 pm.
Thank you, Pamiam, for your support of our project!
Posted on November 12, 2012 at 6:45 pm.
Hi Christie! What a worthwhile project SEAL OF MY DREAMS is! Wow – over a $100,000 donated to veteran’s medical research! I have been wanting this book since it first came out, and if I don’t win it this time, I will buy it. Both my husband’s and my great-grandfathers, grandfathers, and fathers served in the army. My husband served in Viet Nam in the air force. I now have second cousins that are in the army and the navy that have/are serving overseas. God Bless all the Veterans everywhere!
Posted on November 12, 2012 at 7:21 pm.
Yay, Cathy P. It’s really a fun book. When I received my copy I took it on the treadmill with me. Fun way to pass the time…lots of different stories and voices. Please thank your husband for his service!
Posted on November 12, 2012 at 7:37 pm.
I remember the long wait for SEAL Of My Dreams last year, but it was definitely worth it! Great stories by so many wonderful authors.
Please don’t enter me in the contest as I own the print version.
Posted on November 12, 2012 at 10:30 pm.
I love the Neon Trees song too! I just thanked a WWII vet for his service yesterday while volunteering at a nursing home. It was so cool to be in his presence!
Posted on November 12, 2012 at 10:33 pm.
This is such a great idea! As the daughter of a veteran (Korea and Vietnam) I really appreciate it. There have been quite a few veterans in my family – two uncles Air Force, one uncle was a Seabee in WWII. My Dad’s brother was a Marine. His father was in the Navy. I have several cousins who have been or who are now in the military. My cousin’s oldest son just got back from Afghanistan. He returned to his regular job – a police officer in Montgomery, Alabama. His mother hopes one day he will get a job where he isn’t dodging bullets!
My Dad lied about his age and joined the Army at the age of 17. He fought in Korea and his commander wanted to submit his name for a medal of valor. Apparently he drew fire onto his position so that the other men in his unit could withdraw and drag their wounded to safety. He asked his commander not to put in the commendation. He said “You don’t get medals for doing your job.”
Posted on November 12, 2012 at 11:00 pm.
My Father and his brother served in WWII. Their Father, my Grandfather served in WWI & WWII.
Posted on November 13, 2012 at 4:17 am.
My grandfather was a war veteran, but he died when my father was 9 years old. I’ve always regretted that, because I wanted to learn from him, I wanted to hear his stories.
Posted on November 13, 2012 at 3:32 pm.
My father is a Naval veteran, he enlisted because his brother was a tail gunner in WWII. At the time my father was disappointed that he saw no action because the Korean War was ending. Looking back he is grateful that he was able to serve his country and have a family. He always said serving our country in the military is always honorable no matter what your role.
Posted on November 18, 2012 at 11:46 pm.