#GivingTuesday

For Giving Tuesday the We Go On Anthology profits will go to http://veteranswriting.org/giving-tuesday/. Below is quoted from their website about their special project. All links to purchase We Go On are on the sidebar, or donate directly at http://veteranswriting.org/giving-tuesday/

This #GivingTuesday you can make a difference in the lives of veterans and their families. This year, go beyond “Thank you for your service” and help veterans, service members, and their families capture and publish their stories by supporting the Veterans Writing Project.

VWP is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that provides no-cost writing workshops for veterans and family members, and publishes their writing in our acclaimed literary journal, O-Dark-Thirty. Since 2011, we’ve presented our seminars and workshops in seventeen states across the U.S., and we’ve published the writing of nearly 400 veterans and family members. In doing this we’ve worked with veterans of World War II, Korea, Vietnam, The Gulf War, Somalia, The Cold War, Iraq and Afghanistan. We’ve welcomed family members, and surviving family members into our seminars in order to capture even more of the military experience.

Around the country we’re building relationships with county and state arts councils, public libraries, colleges and universities. With partners like Wounded Warrior Project, the National Endowment for the Arts, and The Wilderness Society, we have created and support writing groups in Oregon, South Dakota, North Carolina, Virginia, Missouri, and elsewhere. We teach our programs at VA hospitals and at the National Intrepid Center of Excellence—DoD’s premier research and treatment facility for PTSD and TBI.

We want to do even more, and you can help. All of our work is presented at no cost to participants, so we need support. Your contribution of $40 can provide an annual subscription to O-Dark-Thirty to a deployed unit, to hospitalized or incarcerated veterans, or to a library. A donation of $100 can help cover transportation costs for our instructors to teach our seminars around the country. Can you give even more? $500 will cover half a day’s instruction for twenty-five veterans.

In the News...

This write up about We Go On: Charity Anthology for Veterans is in the Association of VA Social Workers Newsletter. 

http://www.vasocialworkers.org/Documents/AVASW%20News/AVASW%20Newsletter%20Summer%202015.pdf 

Update!

We Go On: Charity Anthology for Veterans

100% of Proceeds Go to Veteran's Charities -
A different one each month!

May's Royalties went to Pets for Vets
http://www.pets-for-vets.com/

June's Royalties will go to Veteran's Matter
http://veteransmatter.org/

THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HAVE SUPPORTED US!

Meet the Author – Anita Stienstra

“Our debt to the heroic men and valiant women in the service of our country can never be repaid. They have earned our undying gratitude. America will never forget their sacrifices.” President Harry S. Truman

Thank you for your interest in this book. I am proud to have a poem in the anthology to help veterans.

I never considered myself connected to the military. My dad served in the Air Force for a short time. He met my mother at a military dance. They were married in Dover, Delaware, where he was stationed at the time. He had gone into the service instead of playing minor league baseball, but many in his generation entered the military at that time, and many served in combat. My dad did not. Because of that I think men such as he saved the honor for those who did. And those who did, didn’t want to talk about it. My cousin served in Vietnam – but I remember someone saying he can’t and wouldn’t talk about his time there.

Today because of technology such as social media, television and Internet, 9/11 and the war on terrorism are prominent in our thoughts and lives. Images of war and military personnel come to us every day. We even get glimpses from the battlefield. Cameras and cellphones are everywhere and allow current, first-hand news.

My connection to the military was growing and getting closer to home around the time of 9/11. I had met my husband in 1997 and had been in the Army. There were stories of being stationed in Turkey. Then a nephew joined the Army, then another joined the Air Force. Then -- My son joined the Army Reserves. He went to boot camp far away from home. I learned a lot about the military at that point. My daughter, husband and I went to his graduation. Then there was AIT. Then trainings. One nephew has now served three tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. My son prepped to go overseas but orders were cancelled. He had quit his job, moved home. He finally got two retail jobs before getting on full time at a Reserve Center.

About a year ago, my daughter met a guy who seemed extremely well suited to her in many ways. But he, like my nephew, as I later learned when he posted a suicidal note on Facebook, they both continue to suffer from PTSD from combat in Iraq. After I wrote my poem for the anthology, my daughter and her boyfriend reunited only to break up again recently. It saddens me greatly. I thought she had found the one finally.

I am so happy to be published in the anthology because I am deeply proud of my son, my nephews, my dad (who I lost just this past November), my husband (who was disabled and I also lost a couple years ago) and even my daughter’s ex-boyfriend. Contributing to this book is one very small way that I can give thanks to them and others like them and give back to veterans. It’s not much, but I’ll keep trying. It is very important to me to help veterans, particularly veterans who are living with a disability.

Anita Stienstra’s poems, essays and articles can be found in reviews, newspapers, anthologies and also in six chapbooks. Awards received include the John Knoepfle Creative Writing Award for Poetry, PWLF Presidential Award, and Springfield Area Art Council Artist Advancement Award. She is currently Editor-in-Chief of Wing World magazine and publisher/editor of Adonis Designs Press that annually publishes a teen poetry anthology, Navigating the Maze. Make sure to read her poem about 9/11 – The Vacant Sky. Follow her on Twitter.

Update!

We Go On: Charity Anthology for Veterans

100% of Proceeds Go to Veteran's Charities -
A different one each month!

April's Royalties of $250 went to the Operation Homefront
https://www.operationhomefront.net

May's Royalties will go to Pets for Vets
http://www.pets-for-vets.com/

THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HAVE SUPPORTED US!

Meet the Author - Terry Rozum

Learning to Stand Down

                 I grew up surrounded by Veterans. My dad’s dad, Grampa Leo, was in the Army and served in WWI. My uncles, Tommy, Greg, and Bernie, were all in the service. My dad, Jim, was in the Navy but was killed when I was two years old.by a drunk driver after dropping me off at my grandparents’ and headed back to the Navy base in Jacksonville, Florida. We were military dependents from that point on.

            If it weren’t for survivor’s benefits, I would not have been able to complete college and get a Master’s degree. I wouldn’t be a social worker if not for the financial support I received. Sure, I would have rather had my father around all those years but this made it possible for me to be the independent woman that I am today.

            About ten years ago--a little more--I got the opportunity to work with the Veterans Administration. It meant moving back to Alabama from Washington, DC after living there for over 15 years. In so many ways, I feel destined to do this job. It’s like paying back a long overdue student loan and coming home at the same time. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

            When I saw the call for stories for the anthology, I jumped at the chance. I had always wanted to write but had stopped when a college professor suggested I put down my pen and never pick it up again. Shortly after moving back to Alabama, I had written a fictional story about an experience I had when I started working at the VA. The story is fiction but the reality is that there are scores of homeless Veterans living in cities, under overpasses, and in the woods across this country. Going to that Stand Down in Mobile, Alabama, opened my eyes to a reality that I find sad and disgusting but not without hope. The VA has great programs to help Veterans with all of the problems that lead to homelessness. Veterans are given the opportunity if they only choose to accept it. We also educate the general public about the issues that face these men and women when they return from their service.

            I primarily work with Vietnam Veterans who have been diagnosed with PTSD. I facilitate groups and do individual therapy. But I still attend the Stand Downs when I get the chance to see the faces in the community of those yet to be helped. I hope this anthology provides education and that the donations help our Veterans. They will always be our heroes in so many ways.

Terry Rozum, LICSW, is a Social Worker with the VA working at the Mobile Outpatient Clinic (MOPC) in the Behavioral Health Services as a therapist.

            

Update!

We Go On: Charity Anthology for Veterans

100% of Proceeds Go to Veteran's Charities -
A different one each month!

March's Royalties of $250 went to the Wounded Warrior Project
https://support.woundedwarriorproject.org

April's Royalties will go to Operation Homefront
http://www.operationhomefront.net/

THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HAVE SUPPORTED US!

Meet the Author - Liberty

Why did I want to do this? Simple. I’m a fighter, a Warrior it’s who I am.  I’m the Daughter of a King. God created me. What else made me who I am?  

My grandfather, Kent G. Feidler  was a decorated Naval officer who inspired me  to join the US Army. He taught me about war, men, Law Enforcement, and math. He believed in me. As a young adult, smoking cigars with papa and watching John Wayne movies, or listening to music while the police scanner played were some of the greatest times in my life. Papa was the coolest, “baddest” man I’ve ever known. He was also the sweetest. He died of Emphysema and Lung Cancer in 1999, which is why I still fight today. He’s the reason I quit smoking 8 yrs ago. He still empowers me to be a strong example to our youth…

When I held my Zane in my arms for the very first time, BOOM! A love filled bomb instantly exploded into my soul and left shrapnel in my heart that still makes me want to be better today.  God soon blessed me with more nieces and nephews: Hannah, Dylan, Blake, Kyle, and Ryeleigh--more reasons to go on...

“No Nonsense Grandma” (PD Silk) and I bonded over the “Golden Girls”, “Verne and Shirwey” (Laverne and Shirley) and Broadway classics (often by Andrew Lloyd Webber) such as “Jesus Christ Superstar” and “Phantom of the Opera”, while eating strawberries. Grandma has literally saved my life and made it sweeter. Grandma empowered me to be all that I can be!

My sister Jenny Rose has always been in my life, never gave up on me or called me stupid. She’s always loved me for who I am and  has always trusted me to be the older sister, give her advice, and to simply love her for who she is. She’s an amazingly talented mother and wife. She’s intelligent in ways that baffle me. She’s fun to be with and has an electric, contagious laugh that you catch when you’re around her. Jenny’s spirit is as resilient as the butterfly.

My brother, Will has been there in different ways than any other person in my life has. Will has shown me courage, perseverance and strength that still inspire me today. He’s one of the only people to tell me the truth all the time, even if he thinks it will hurt me. That is something that calms the soul! My brother, William, served in the US NAVY and is probably the best father I’ve ever met.

I am who I am and do what I do for love; my family, my community of Erie, Pa,  the Country I love--The USA, and for Veterans everywhere. To paraphrase Dr. Martin Luther King’s words and build upon them: I have a dream that one day we would be judged not by the color of our skin, sex, race, creed, religion, sexual orientation, job title or any other label,  but by the content of our character.

Author Bio:

Liberty V. Justice is a Warrior--An East High School Alumni with a Master’s degree in writing. Having enlisted in the Army herself, Veterans hold a special place in Liberty’s heart, as she feels their pain and wants to help them. Raised on the Lower East Side of Erie, Pennsylvania, Christ unshackled Liberty from the life she endured there. She had to rise above what she saw and become brave in sharing her testimony through writing, in the hopes of helping others overcome some of life's’ more tragic hardships as she herself did.

Having been published in such places as “The War Cry” (Salvation Army magazine) and Erie TImes News, as well as websites like Wonderfully Woven and Erijams (as Heather Dalrymple), Liberty finally feels empowered to achieve her lifelong goal of helping others through her gift of writing. “We don’t have to suffer in silence, we can collectively raise our voices and empower those who feel they don’t have a choice” LIberty says.

Liberty can be reached at godlyrenengade78@yahoo.com

Meet the Author - Robert Morgan

The Importance of "We Go On"

“A man who is good enough to shed his blood for his country is good enough to be given a square deal afterwards. More than that no man is entitled, and less than that no man shall have.”

 - Theodore Roosevelt

Never were truer words spoken so plainly than by Theodore Roosevelt in his speech to veterans in Springfield, IL on July 4, 1903.  Yet, since then, our nation has found its defenders of freedom homeless, broken, and disillusioned.  We have seen their images: the shell-shocked World War II soldier unable to "move on"; the embittered Vietnam veteran fighting the war night after night in his head; the depressed and distant Iraq and Afghanistan War hero of today.  These are the men and women "We Go On" serves.

I am a member of a family of veterans dating back to World War I.  From my father, a Vietnam veteran, I was taught the passed down lessons of patriotism.  I learned about stories of heroism, courage, and sacrifice by these patriots for one common cause - love of country.  These are the men and women "We Go On" honors.

I also learned what Bruce Springsteen really meant when he sang "Born in the USA".  I saw firsthand how these same soldiers and sailors struggled after their service - fractured relationships, alcoholism, etc.  These veterans, reduced by society's inability to understand their demons, just wanted peace, normalcy, and for the war inside them to stop.  These are the men and women "We Go On" aids.

Much of my life has been dedicated to helping and honoring veterans.  My efforts began a child, placing flags on veterans' graves before Memorial Day with my father and brothers.  They continued through continued support of my father's activities at the local VFW, including playing Taps for military funerals while in high school.  I added to the family legacy by joining the U.S. Navy myself; adding nearly ten years of distinguished service.  Personally, "We Go On" is an enduring mission in my life. 

Being a veteran means sacrifice.  Veterans have no special requests in exchange for their service.  They only want a "square deal" when trading military uniforms for corporate suits.  In today's world, the "square deal" means making sure that every veteran is afforded the basic necessities of life.  Organizations like "Wounded Warrior Project" and others do just that.  They give struggling veterans a chance to rejoin the nation they proudly served.  For veterans like me, "We Go On" is our way of looking at for our fellow comrades by supporting these fine organizations.

Finally, my contribution serves as a lasting tribute to my father.  A man tormented by the Vietnam War, yet as patriotic as they come, he never stopped serving his country.  Armed with an infectious personality and gregarious demeanor, he relentlessly helped the veteran needing a hand while never letting anyone forget those who never came back.  As my siblings and I now carry his baton of service, we do so in memorial to him.  "We Go On". 

Bob Morgan, Father Mort Morgan, Brother Nick Morgan

About the author

Robert Morgan is a freelance author, engineer, and U.S. Navy military veteran.  Growing up in Pennsylvania, Robert enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1996.  Serving onboard the USS Dallas and for the Submarine Support Unit in Groton, CT, Robert earned the Navy and Marine Corp Accommodation Medal and three Navy and Marine Corp Achievement Medals during his service, most notably for his actions on September 11, 2001.  Robert completed his Navy enlistment in 2005 as a First Class Petty Officer.

In the corporate world, Robert has worked for over nine years in various roles in the Engineering department for a biotechnology manufacturing facility in Rhode Island.  He earned his Bachelor's Degree in Applied Science and Technology in Nuclear Engineering Technology from Thomas Edison State College in 2012. 

As a freelance author, Robert has been featured in "Ecoforum Journal" Oct - Dec 2014 edition as well as several articles for the Yahoo! Contributor Network and other online media.  His work for "We Go On" serves as his first printed feature of his aspiring career.  Robert's portfolio may be viewed at https://www.facebook.com/morganviews.

Besides for veteran's causes, Robert and his wife actively support charities which aid animal rescues, fight homelessness, and assist the underprivileged in the U.S. and abroad. 

Meet the Author - Julie Seedorf

I have always viewed my writing career as a “God” thing.  Getting published, being able to put my words and thoughts on paper for a column and also in books seemed to come too easily, and so I have always said it was a “God” thing.

I have had to rely on my faith in my adult life. There have been times that my faith is the only thing that kept me going when the day and the way seemed dark.

We Go On: Charity Anthology for Veterans seemed to pop out at me and being accepted to write a story in the anthology seemed to me to be a “God” thing too. I was honored to be a part of this anthology and to put words on paper to describe our journey with Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome.

I wasn’t sure what I could share. I wasn’t sure what I could say without revealing some of the anguish that families feel when they meet the emotions of someone that is struggling from a war that happened over 40 years ago. I wasn’t sure what the Veteran in my life would let me share. 

I found when I wrote the story, Journey of A Hidden Life, my heart was right there letting the words flow. Did I reveal too much? Sharing feelings with strangers is so risky. It was a relief to get those feelings on paper. It was more of a relief when my Veteran said, “Yes, you can share that.” It was proof that his journey to health is progressing.

I was still unsure and scared when the book came out until I had someone call and share their story with me. They now knew they were not alone. If I look around with open eyes and listen, I hear the stories of others that served in my community and how the Vietnam War changed their lives forever.

I believe that all Veterans lives and the lives of their families and friends are changed forever because of their experiences in war. It isn’t over just because they come home. The war lives inside of them for the rest of their lives. It is time, we as a nation, recognize what they did for us, what they still do for us, and the fact that we need to give back to them whatever we can because of all they have sacrificed for us.

That is what this Anthology means to me, a way to give back. It is a way to say thank you for protecting my freedom.

Author Bio:

Author Julie Seedorf is a columnist, author and dreamer. She lived her live as a wife and mom, experiencing various careers including that of computer technician, retiring from her computer repair business in January of 2014 to follow her dream and transition to that of full-time writer.

Beside her  Cozy Mystery, Fuchsia, Minnesota Series, published by Cozy Cat Press, she is the author of the Granny’s In Trouble Series bringing mystery to the life of young readers along with sharing who Granny is under the wrinkles, so her grandchildren will always know that Granny can be forever young. Her column Something About Nothing, is written with the idea that under the nothings we all talk about there is a hidden something waiting to get out.

Her latest book, published in March 2015, Something About Nothing, is a collection of columns from her column with the same name.

Another project dear to her heart is having a story published in the new book, We Go On: Charity Anthology For Veterans edited by Kiki Howell which was released in March 2015.. All proceeds will go to Veteran’s Organizations.

Julie is a longtime Minnesota resident who shares the tough Minnesota winters with her Granny character. Outside of writing she likes to read, try new hobbies and scurries to keep up with her social media. She lives with her husband and has two shysters of her own, Boris and Natasha. Her favorite moments are those she spends with her friends and family, especially her grandchildren.
 

Website: http://julieseedorf.com
Blog: http://sprinklednotes.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/julie.seedorf.author
Amazon Author Page:  http://amzn.to/1zz2Z77
Twiiter: @JulieSeedorf

Meet the Author - John Hansen

I was thrilled to receive notice that one of my stories had been accepted for inclusion in the anthology “We Go On.” Although many of our veterans don’t like to talk about their experiences of combat and war, their stories of heroism, friendship and sacrifice are both heart-breaking and heart-warming.

Too often however these brave men and women are not given the recognition and support that they deserve when they return to home shores. I am often appalled to hear that so many of these heroes are living in poverty and on the streets after sacrificing everything for their countries. My father and all of my uncles served in WWII, and two cousins in Vietnam. I have a son in law who is currently in the Australian Army and has served in East Timor and Indonesia. Although he has not seen combat he has been involved in the clean-up task forces sent in following tsunamis and earthquakes etc. The trauma, death and devastation he has experienced has effected him greatly and he ha been treated for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

I have written a number of poems and short stories in support of human rights, homelessness, the treatment of our veterans especially in respect of PTSD, the disparity of wealth distribution, and fight against poverty, animal rights and the environment. I feel that if we have been given a gift of being able to write we should use that gift to try to make the world a better, fairer, and safer place for all living things. A place where acceptance rather than exclusion is the norm, and kindness and generosity the most revered human traits.

Being part of “We Go On” is an honor for me and the fact that all profits go to support various veteran’s charities is the icing on the cake.

Author Bio

As a child John Hansen wanted to be an artist however this dream never eventuated and during his teen years John also developed an interest in writing. His essays and writing received praise at school and as an adult he was a regular contributor to letters to the editor and the poetry pages of local newspapers. He studied a “writing for profit” course with The Writing School but apart from writing a few short stories and a lot of poetry he never pursued it as a career. Instead he joined the railway department as a clerk, married and had children, and put a writing career on the backburner.

Years later he joined an online writing site called Hub Pages which reignited his desire to write. John is now a member of a number of online poetry and writing groups. He has written text for two children’s picture books, other personalised poetry for clients, and has proofread and edited other people’s work.

John is passionate about human and animal rights, climate and the environment, sustainability, the fairer redistribution of wealth, organic gardening, the fight against GMO foods, and ending poverty, sex trafficking, animal poaching, and the plight of the homeless and veterans. He has a certificate in Permaculture Design.

John’s writing is a mix of poetry, short fiction and essays and always incorporates a message that he feels is important. Hub Pages is his main writing platform.

Links: Hub Pages: http://jodah.hubpages.com/

John’s Websites: http://jodahkamah.wix.com/the-sleepy-poet

                            http://light2loveauthorfoundation.weebly.com/

Release Day & Special Birthday Wishes

I’d like to give a very special birthday shout out to my father, William David Quinn, a man who served his country in Vietnam, 1966-1967, earning both a Bronze Star and Purple Heart. It is true that many dream of meeting their hero, but I was raised by mine. As long as I breathe, I will never get over the all he sacrificed, and the hero’s welcome he never got.When you grow up the child of a veteran, you come to understand, that what they went through, you will never understand, that that is your luxury and their burden.

With all of this in my head, I created this anthology, getting to work with many wonderful authors who gave of their time and talents to benefit such a worthy cause. With so many great veteran’s charities out there, 100% of the proceeds from this anthology will go to them, a different one chosen each month, starting with the Wounded Warrior Project end of Marchhttps://support.woundedwarriorproject.org

So, this year, as a way of saying a very special Happy Birthday to my father, I’ve set the anthology titled We Go On, to release on his birthday as a way of saying, “Welcome Home” I hope you will read on to find out more about this project and how you can help veterans by not only buying the book, but through other sites as well.