Monday 2 September 2013

Guest Post: A Writer's Heart by author CJ Peterson

I found the definition of author to be: ‘the maker of anything; creator; originator’. When an author writes a book, they write from the heart. They write what is inside of them. They write from what they know, or what they imagine. They put their heart and soul into every word they pen to paper.
I became a writer almost as form of therapy or escape from the reality that was my life at the time. There are many aspects of my own life within the pages of my books. The abuse, the violence, even the neglect and internal struggles were a daily fight between me and God. God walked with me through it all and loved me even when I fought with Him. At one point I even gave up writing. I had fought for so long, I was ready to give up the fight. Since then, however, God brought a man into my life that drastically changed the downward spiral I was headed in. My husband showed me the love I never had known before then. He treats me like a princess and never ceases to amaze me with his tender heart. He showed me what love is and what a healthy love looks like.
Growing up in a military family, my life was beyond structured. We moved so many times that I had no idea what it was like to have a ‘best friend’. People shifted in and out of my life with each move. After a while, I wouldn’t bother to even memorize our address or phone number. ‘Nomadic’ became a way of life.
Additionally, I have had a variety of vocations over the years. One of these included a catastrophe adjuster, which seemed almost made for me. In that job, I would bounce from state to state following the storms. I would also have a chance to help people in need. Someone once asked me how I could do that job. They said it would break their heart. While it did break my heart, I knew I was on the front-line helping people get back on their feet from the disaster that encompassed their lives. In another job, I was a on a volunteer fire department as an EMT. Once again, I was able to help people who needed it the most at their most vulnerable time of their life. There are still visions today that I cannot get out of my head. Another field I was in was a counselor. Being able to help people who were under extreme duress walk through the complications that plagued their lives was tremendously rewarding, but it was also draining.
When I met my husband and read some of the books to him, he encouraged me to print them. He said with everything I have gone through, and everything God walked with me through it would be a shame to keep them to myself. As I read them to him, I even saw them make a change in him. With him being a 24 ½ year Navy Veteran, there was so much he saw that it still plagues him even today. With three tours in Iraq as a Medic with the Marines, it left him with scars that he still struggles with.
I prayed about it and decided if the words in my books can even help one person, printing them will be worth it. When my first book STRENGTH FROM WITHIN released in NOV2012, I had such positive feedback that it has encouraged me to continue. The next book, which was just released in 01AUG2013, is the first of a trilogy, and this set is very close to my heart. When I wrote this trilogy, I was going through one of the toughest struggles in my life to date. The words in those books gave me hope and strength to continue on and to keep fighting. It is my prayer they will help others. THE CALL TO DUTY is now in paperback and in ebook form. A portion of the proceeds to this trilogy are going to a non-profit organization I have been personally involved with, that sends packages overseas to our soldiers, making sure they know they are not forgotten. You can find out more about Airborne Angel Cadets of Texas online at: http://www.airborneangelcadets.com/

Connect with CJ Peterson:

Web Page

I look forward to hearing from those who read my books, and I pray they will find encouragement and strength from the words within their pages.

Courageous. Brave. Fearless. Valiant. These synonyms are often used to describe firefighters/paramedics, police officers, and military personnel. They face danger and lay their lives on the line when they leave for work. What are their struggles? Could that hinder their job proficiency? Who is taking care of those who are taking care of the citizens of this country?
Casey Carter is a 'newbie' to the firefighting family of Engine Company 15. Not only does she have to prove herself as a probationary firefighter, but she also has to battle misconceptions of females within her newly chosen profession. As situations begin to arise, can she count on the firefighter brotherhood to have her back? Will she be able to pass the tests placed before her, or are there aspects that she was not even aware existed?
Often in life there are two realms in play. There is the physical realm - what is right before you; the other is the spiritual realm - what is unseen. Each can directly affect you, whether you believe they exist or not. Can Casey keep them in balance when she is not exactly sure what she is fighting? Can a group of men help her see what cannot be readily seen, hear what cannot be readily heard, and be able to overcome what she never knew existed? Will they be able to show Casey her true Call To Duty?



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