Today is also Armed Forces Day, so let's all be sure to thank a soldier/veteran and the family that supports them!
Our guest today is one of those lovely supporters, as she is married to a Marine. That's right, ladies! A Marine! :-) Everyone give Mrs. Cambria Hebert a warm welcome...
And be sure to stick around and enter to win your very own copy of Charade!
In case you missed my review, you can catch that HERE.
Take it away, Cambria!
Hey
everyone!
Thanks
for having me here today in celebration of my latest book, Charade!
You
know, I have always been interested in writing. When I was a teenager, I would
write poems and peck away with one finger on the computer writing a book about
this girl who lived at the beach… and then life happened. I got busy and I
married and had some kids. But then I remembered how much I loved writing and
that I missed it.
I’ve
always kind of thought that the Marine Corp had a hand in getting me serious
about writing.
The
Marine Corp you ask? How could the government possibly remind me that I liked – needed – to write?
They
made me miserable that’s how. LOL.
Allow
me to explain.
I am married to a United States
Marine. My husband, Shawn, has been in the marine corp for almost 17 years.
That’s a longgg time. I have been with him for almost eleven of those years. A
few years ago he was deployed to Iraq for a year and it was during that time
that I really got serious about writing. I think part of it was a defense mechanism
– a way to cope with him being gone. I mean here I was in this new town (we
moved here in August and in Jan he shipped out) with two little kids and I was
on my own.
I
didn’t start writing right away because I had to get into a routine, and I had
to be sad for a while that he was gone. But eventually, I needed something to
do, something that was all my own, you know what I mean? Enter the writing. The
characters kept me company. They were my adult conversation in a house with
only children. It was my escape from reality and into something I really
enjoyed. Even now that he is home from Iraq I still write and I don’t think I
will ever stop.
But…
I am not really here to talk to you about writing today. Yes, this is a tour
for my newest book, Charade, but if I only talked about that all the time you would
all want to gouge your eyes out with a pencil. Oh. You wouldn’t? Well, I would. :-)
Because today is Armed Forces Day (yes, really it is!), I am here to talk
to you about what it’s like to be married to the military – I mean – a man in
the military. Although, I admit in my mind it’s the same thing.
Here are, in
no specific order, the best things about being married to someone in the
military:
1. Pride. I think most members of the
military enlisted and spouses will say they are proud of the work they do. They
are proud to represent the country and defend our freedom. Even if you don’t
support the war, I think that supporting the troops is very important because
these men and women give up so much to do it and they do it whether they want
to or not.
2. Job Stability. There is a lot to be said for
knowing that you are getting a paycheck. Knowing that you cannot be fired
(unless you do something horrible). In this economy, I think that is something
really good. The health insurance is pretty good too.
3. A uniform. What lady doesn’t like a man in
uniform?? LOL.
4. Strength. Being a spouse of the military
shows you what you are made of. There are many times that you must rely on
yourself because no one else is there to depend on. It’s made me a stronger
person.
5. Benefits. The military members get some
“perks” from a lot of people who are respectful and appreciative. Like
discounts into theme parks, stores and restaurants. We even got to go see the
Rockettes perform in NYC a few times for free; that was my favorite “perk”. It
really is nice to see how the nation supports the service members. Also, if you
live by a base you can shop on the bases and you get lower prices and pay no
tax on grocery items and other personal goods.
6. Speeding Tickets. My military ID has gotten me out
of a few. LOL. (Okay, it was only one. I’m a very good driver. He he he)
Here are, in
no specific order, the worst things about being married to someone in the
military:
1. The time spent apart. I actually like my husband and I want him
around, LOL. But, being in the military means deployments to other countries (into
war zones) and even just him having to go away in the States for training. That
leaves long stretches sometimes that we are apart and I am left behind to
essentially take care of everything alone. It’s stressful; sometimes it’s
overwhelming and when he was deployed I always worried that he wouldn’t come
home.
2. Moving around. Now, some people might like
this. I however have found that I do not. Trying to pack up a house, some kids,
a family… trying to sell a house, find a new one and do it all within the
Marine Corp (my hubs is a Marine) time frame is very stressful and
difficult. Most of the time we can’t get
the timing right or they spring a move on us a month in advance and I have to
stay behind until we get everything set up = more time apart.
3. On call 24/7. No, I am not the one on call but
my husband is. He has a cell phone that goes off night and day and he has to be
available to be there when the need arises. I like to tell my husband that if
he is to be on call all the time he should get paid to be on call. We laugh.
The government doesn’t pay overtime.
4. Stinky Clothes. Now, maybe this is just a guy
thing but EW! My hubs wears a uniform all day but they have to PT (PT= physical
training) which means that he has to take workout clothes with him. Well… he
tends to sweat (ew, again) but then he leaves his stinky sweaty clothes in a
bag in his truck! Can anyone say nasty?! I go out to his truck sometimes and
open the door and am shocked and dismayed by the bags of stinky laundry….
5. Not Family Friendly. I am sure a lot of military wives
will disagree about this. But I happen to think that the military isn’t family
friendly. If they wanted you to have a wife they would have issued you one in
boot camp. They work long hours, rarely get home for dinner and then are gone
for long stretches of time. Makes for missing a lot of school plays and
activities. Sometimes they miss Birthdays. We have been fortunate that my
husband has yet to miss a child’s birthday but he has missed mine several times
and I have missed his.
6. Haircuts. They must have a well groomed
appearance at all times. Which means a hair cut at least once a week. They also
must shave before going out in public. I cut my husband’s hair every single
week. It annoys me. LOL.
So
those are some of the top benefits and not so benefits of being married to
someone in the military. As today is Armed Forces Day, maybe take a moment to
thank someone you know who is in the service or even just say a prayer for the
men and women serving overseas right now for their safe return.
Thanks
to Cassie for having me here today as part of the Heven and Hell Tour: Charade.
Check out the Heven and Hell Series – it’s really good! LOL.
Cambria
Hebert is the author of the Heven and Hell Series and several stand alone short
stories. She has an irrational fear of chickens, loves a howling werewolf and
thinks math = torture. You can find her at Starbucks sipping a latte or
stalking the aisles of any bookstore looking for her next YA read.
Her
newest book, Charade, comes out May 18, 2012 and is available where all
books are sold.
If you cannot
breathe, I will breathe for you.
If your heart will not beat, mine will beat
harder.
If you do not live, neither will I.
GIVEAWAY!!
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