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?
