Soldier's Wife, Crazy Life

Giveaways & Reviews

Beneath Wandering Stars by Ashlee Cowles With a Book Giveaway

by Leave a Comment

Beneath Wandering Stars I love to hear when military families write books! I want to read them all! I am excited to tell you about the book, Beneath Wandering Stars by Ashlee Cowles. Here is a synopsis of the book…

After her soldier brother is horribly wounded in Afghanistan, Gabriela must honor the vow she made: If anything ever happened to him, she would walk the Camino de Santiago through Spain, making a pilgrimage in his name. The worst part is that the promise stipulates that she must travel with her brother’s best friend—a boy she has despised all her life. Her brother is in a coma, and Gabi feels that she has no time to waste, but she is unsure. Will she hesitate too long, or risk her own happiness to keep a promise? An up-close look at the lives of the children of military families, Beneath Wandering Stars takes readers on a journey of love, danger, laughter, and friendship, against all odds.

The book starts out in Germany and gives us an up close look of life as a military family from the perspective of a military child instead of the spouse. I just started the book and I know it is going to be a good one.

Ashlee CowlesAbout the Author:

Ashlee Cowles grew up an Army “brat” and moved eight times by the time she was 18. She spent her high school years on a military post in Germany and as a college student, Ashlee walked part of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route in Spain. These experiences inspired her to write her debut Young Adult novel, Beneath Wandering Stars (Merit Press, 2016). Ashlee currently lives in Colorado Springs, but you can find out if she’s speaking at a school or library near you by visiting http://ashleecowles.com/

I was excited about interviewing Ashlee Cowles about her writing and her book. Here is what she said…

1.How old were you when you knew you would be a writer?

It’s hard to say! I was a voracious reader from early on, but I wasn’t one of those kids who knew they wanted to be a writer from a young age (for the longest time I wanted to be a veterinarian). Like many little girls, the first books I fell in love with were the Little House and Anne of Green Gables series, and that was probably when I realized one actually could become a writer, though I didn’t give writing fiction a serious shot until after college.

2. Where did you get your idea for Beneath Wandering Stars?

Beneath Wandering Stars was born of many different experiences, the main one being my own upbringing in a military family. My dad was career Army, so I spent my first 18 years living all over the place. Yet I couldn’t recall ever reading or hearing about a novel told from the perspective of a military kid like me. As an adult, I thought this was strange since there are so many people familiar with the military lifestyle, so I figured, “Hey, I can write that story!” The more the idea brewed, the more passionate I became about sharing this unique upbringing and subculture with a wider audience, since growing up in a military family was one of the things that shaped me most as a person. From the beginning, I knew I wanted the book to be set on a post overseas in Germany (that’s where I spent my high school years, so Germany feels like a second home). I got the idea for including the Camino de Santiago trek after visiting Spain and walking part of this route in 2011. So while the story is completely fiction, it was inspired by a lot of personal experiences.

3. Are you working on any other books or projects right now?

Yes, I’m finishing up the edits on another Young Adult novel told from the viewpoints of two girls who share a unique bond despite the divide of history–one girl is a modern teen and the daughter of a fallen soldier who served in Afghanistan, and the other is a survivor of the Titanic sinking in 1912. I’m also a teacher, so I’m working on a nonfiction book about the benefits of growing up a military brat or “third culture kid,” and how parents can build on the strengths that come from this special upbringing. Finally, I’m a serious history buff thanks to the time I lived in Europe, so I hope to start writing Historical Fiction and a Fantasy series for an adult audience soon. Anyone interested in these projects can stay updated by joining my author newsletter.

4. What advice would you give to someone who wanted to write their own book?

Begin. Seriously, starting is the hardest part! If you have a story inside you that really needs to get out, once you sit down and get going, the whole thing becomes a lot easier. That doesn’t mean it’s easy, but if you start small and write a little bit each day…one day you have a book. On a more practical level, there are so many wonderful resources out there for aspiring writers, which means that just about anyone who wants to write a book can. Finding other people who share your enthusiasm for storytelling helps, so I highly recommend looking for writing groups and conferences in your area. People who are part of the military community often have a unique perspective on life, as well as a collection of amazing experiences–which makes for excellent writing material!

5. What did growing up as a military brat teach you about life and what it is like to be a part of the military world?

Oh, growing up a military brat taught me so many things! I could go on for pages (I guess I kind of did…272 of them!). Gabi, the heroine of Beneath Wandering Stars, starts out as a fairly typical military teen who is pretty resentful about having to move her senior year and leave a group of close friends behind. She grows and changes a lot as the story progresses, but it wasn’t difficult to conjure up those angsty emotions because I made a similar move my senior year, and it really did feel like my entire world was coming to an end (as it does when you are 17). Yet looking back on that season as an adult, I don’t regret one thing about my military childhood. Being a military brat made me adaptable and independent, while also teaching me what it meant to be part of a tight-knit community devoted to something greater than myself. Being a military brat has given me a love of travel and an appreciation for the diversity of the world’s many cultures, while also instilling in me a strong identity as an American and an understanding of what that actually means. Being a military brat has made me insatiably curious, open, and adventurous, while at the same time helping me recognize the value of sacrifice and duty and honor. As Gabi eventually learns in Beneath Wandering Stars, being a military brat means being part of a very special tribe, and I am proud and grateful to call myself one.

Ashlee Cowles

Upcoming Appearances & Book Signings:

Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers Colorado Gold Conference Author Book Signing on Friday, September 9, 2016 8-10pm, Colorado Ballrooms A and B of the Renaissance Hotel, 3801 Quebec Street, Denver, CO

*See http://ashleecowles.com/speaking-school-visits/ for latest events

Reviews:

“This is a believable and well-written tale full of references to Homer and Chaucer…. The wide range of characters…are authentic rather than idealized. Readers will feel Gabi’s pain–both emotional and physical–as she endures a host of adverse conditions along the route. A realistic fiction title that will appeal to a broad audience of teen readers.” —School Library Journal

“Cowles, a former Army brat, shows an intimate understanding of military life and uses her characters to examine its difficulties…the toll combat takes on soldiers, and other complicated topics…. Teens for whom war hits close to home are a natural audience for this hopeful story of journeys internal and external.” —Publishers Weekly

“After her older brother, Lucas, is wounded in action…17-year-old Gabriela Santiago decides to honor a promise to her brother by walking the Camino de Santiago…. Gabi’s convincing teen voice guides readers through the complexity of emotions and inner struggle. Debut novelist Cowles uses the pilgrimage to spark moments of philosophic and theological reflection. The story will open a portal to families with injured soldiers and propel conversations about war, identity, philosophy, and hardship.” —Kirkus Reviews

Now for the giveaway! One lucky reader will receive an author-signed hardback of Beneath Wandering Stars. Enter the Rafflecopter below 🙂

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

  • I was given a free copy of this book by the author. 

What the 4th of July Means To Me

by Leave a Comment

I was provided free product to write a review. All opinions are my own!

4th of julyWhat the 4th of July Means To Me

When I was a child, my neighborhood had a 4th of July parade every year. These were so much fun for us kids, and the parents too. Some of the streets got together and came up with different themes. The kids could decorate bikes and ride them along the parade path. Then they would give out prizes for who had the best decorations. This was a time for our community to get together and celebrate America. When I was about 9 years old I won 1st place and my brother won 3rd. That was an exciting year!

After the parade, we would usually pick up something like fried chicken and end up going to a picnic which would lead to fireworks once it got dark outside. The places we went for this varied but the experiences were the same. Spending time together as a family in our community, celebrating our nation’s birthday.

As an adult with my own family, I have spent Independence Day in different ways. Sometimes we would go to a city event, other times we would be on vacation. Some years we would bbq at home and others we would spend with friends. Whatever we end up doing, thinking about what the day really means is so important.

When I think about what Independence Day means to me, I think about America and how she began. About all the people who gave up their lives to fight for her freedom. To all the people who came before us to make our country the great place that it is today. I think about everything that has happened over the years. The good, the bad.

As a military spouse, I look at the 4th of July as a day to remember those who have fought for our country. Those who went to war and those who stayed home keeping up the home front. The fact is, people had to take risks and give up so much so that our country could become what it is today. And for that I am grateful.

This independence day I plan to enjoy the time with my family. Last 4th of July my husband was at AT with the National Guard and this year he is home with a few days off. Yay!

4th of july

My Independence Day tree

Do you like to decorate for the holidays? What about for Independence day? The great people at Tree Classics sent me one of their trees for review. I received a Brentwood Glistening White Pine-A shimmering tree with glistening clear lights and I decorated the tree for Independence Day this year.

I found some red, white and blue ribbon, stars, garland and flag ribbons to decorate my tree with. I love how everything turned out.

4th of july

4th of july

This tree really does look like it is glistening. The clear lights make the tree look so pretty, especially at night. I also love the size. We don’t have vaulted ceilings and the 7.5ft tree fits just right. As my 5 year old said, “Wow! This tree is way taller than me.”

Right now the tree is decked out in red, white and blue but I am already thinking about ideas for Christmas.

You can learn more about this tree and other trees that Tree Classics has to offer. Although we are in the middle of summer now, the holidays will be here before you know it and you want to make sure you have a good tree to decorate with.

How do you like to decorate for the 4th of July?

15 Years of War by Kristine Schellhaas

by Leave a Comment

15 years of war

I just finished the book, 15 Years of War: How the Longest War in U.S. History Affected a Military Family in Love, Loss, and the Cost Of Service by Kristine Schellhaas.

This book wasn’t just good, it was truly amazing! The story of a couple going through the last 15 years of war. I think each military spouse has a story to tell about her time during deployments and dealing with military life in general. This is Kristine’s story and one that I am so glad she shared with the world.

Kristine and her husband Ross met in 1996. He is in the US Marine Corps. The couple married in 2002 and started their married lives in Southern California.

The book takes you through so much of their lives during the last 15 years. From Ross’ training to setting up in a new place and learning what it means to be a military spouse. From moving to San Diego to Georgia to Twenty-Nine Palms to Camp Pendleton to Virgina and back again.

Ross was deployed several times throughout the years and I am so thankful his stories were a part of the book. My husband was in Iraq and Afghanistan too and although they had different jobs and were in different branches and roles, hearing what he went through helped me understand more about what my own husband went through during those years.

The book brings us through Kristine’s pregnancies, the births of her children and the loss of her son. Something that is so hard for so many of us to understand. This book was so real. Kristine and Ross were able to share with us their thoughts and feelings about everything that happened to them.


One aspect of the book that I really enjoyed was that they included their emails to one another. Some of them were fun and had a joking tone, others were more serious. This is so much what it is like to have a deployed spouse. You pour out your heart in an email and then get frustrated that it was an email and not over dinner.

The book goes back and forth between Ross and Kristine giving us the perspective of both. Sometimes they would both talk about the same situation and the same event but from their own point of view.

This book is beyond amazing. For anyone who has been through deployments, you will relate to so much in this book. For anyone that has gone through extra difficult situations in military life, you will relate to this book. For the general public that are not associated with the military, you should read this book too. It will give you a picture of what it is like for military families in the last 15 years of war.

 

  • I was given a free copy of this book for review. 

Living Without Your Furniture During A Military Move

by Leave a Comment

This post brought to you by CORT. The content and opinions expressed below are that of Soldier’s Wife, Crazy Life.

Moving is a part of life when you are a military family. We have moved four times since my husband joined the Army in 2005. Other people have moved even more times than that in the same amount of time. Moving can be stressful and requires a lot of planning.

Living Without Your Furniture During A Military Move

When we moved from Germany to Ft. Campbell we shipped all of our belongs ahead of time knowing it would take about six weeks until we saw them again. We would have a week in Germany before we moved and then a week in a hotel in the states before we were able to move into our rental home in Tennessee. That meant we would have four weeks without most of our belongings and with none of our furniture. That mean four weeks sleeping on an air mattress.

During this time I was also newly pregnant so the air mattress was not ideal. I also wished I had a kitchen table and some of our couches to sit on. At the time, we couldn’t go out and buy new ones, especially since we knew we would get our things in a few weeks time.

When I heard about CORT Furniture Rental I thought about those four weeks and how nice it would have been to have been able to rent some furniture while we waited for our furniture and other belongings to cross the ocean to join us. We could have had a place to sit and eat dinner and a bed to sleep on instead of feeling like we were camping with our air mattresses and sitting on camp chairs to eat. We would have felt more moved in if we had been able to do so.

Moving With The Military

CORT is more than a furniture rental company. They provide services and solutions for individuals who are going through a transition and companies that want to make a change. You can use their services if you are going through a relocation, on a temporary assignment, moving off-campus after living in the dorms or while you wait for your things during a military move.

We all know that military moves can be stressful. There is a lot you will need to do to get ready for them and once you move there will be a lot you need to do in order to feel at home. With CORT Furniture Rental you can make that part of the process a little easier. This service can also be great for single military men and women. They might not want to invest in a lot of furniture especially if they will be deploying off and on. When they rent furniture through CORT they can order online and will be able to get out of their contract with deployment orders if need me. That way they can have furniture when they are home and not have to worry about it when they are deployed.

Josh is one of these men…you can check out his story here…

CORT also offers military pricing which allows military families to save money. Military packages start at $119/mo. Customers will need to submit a valid Military ID to receive this discount.

Military Moves

If you are moving soon and would benefit from furniture rental, check out CORT and what they have to offer. They could be just what you are looking for to make your PCS a little less stressful and allow you to get back to everyday living a little sooner. I know we would have loved to have used CORT back when we were moving back to the US from overseas.

Visit Sponsors Site

Old Spice Hardest Working Collection Toolkit Giveaway

by Leave a Comment

Did you get a chance to read my post from last weekend about Old Spice’s Hardest Working Collection?

Would you like a chance to win your own toolkit? You can win it for you or someone else in your family! This toolkit is great and comes with a lot of cool goodies.

Old Spice GiveawayHere is what you will get inside your very own tool box…

  • FREE entry into a 2016 Tough Mudder event to challenge the performance of the Hardest Working Collection
  • An Old Spice t‐shirt fitting for Legendary Men
  • A gift from Tough Mudder partner Merrell to keep more than your armpits dry
  • An autographed photo from the product king himself, Bob Giovanni (as seen on Old Spice’s popular digital infomercials)
  • Recognition of your Legendary status with a customizable trophy, as commemorated by Old Spice
  • One of each Old Spice product to put you through the paces as you lead your legendary existence.

Sweet huh?

Old Spice

Whoever wins will have fun with this giveaway. The tool box is great and can be used for a lot of great things. You get some of the products to try and the extras are great as well.

Old Spice

 

Old spice

 

Enter the giveaway below and don’t forget to get your Old Spice Coupons as well 🙂

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Old Spice (P&G). The opinions and text are all mine.

The Hardest Working Man

by Leave a Comment

 

Old Spice

My husband. After 10 years as an active duty soldier is now a part of the National Guard. This means he has two jobs. Monday through Friday he works outside at his regular job. Once a month he puts on his uniform and does his Army job.  Both jobs are pretty demanding and he works hard juggling both. He started a new job in March and after his first week he had drill. That was a long week for us but he did it without complaining.

Old Spice

 

Old Spice
On the weekends, we always try to spend some time as a family. This last weekend we went to a local park. My husband loves sports so he had a good time playing with the football and soccer ball in the big green belt. He is so good with the boys, always has been. I am so lucky to have that in a husband.

Whether he is working at his regular job, going to drill or home with his family, he is doing what he can to be there for us.

Old spice

 

13010116_10156737354020705_1640702645_o

 

12999704_10156737353625705_1813801232_o

He was very excited to see the Old Spice Tool box kit with the Hardest Working  Collection come to our house. He has been a fan of Old Spice for a while. We both love how it smells and the names of the different scents that they come up with are perfect. Lasting Legend? Stronger Swagger? Fresher Fiji? Love them!

Old Spice

With the new Hardest Working Collection, Old Spice is taking performance up a notch. They will be offering the highest-performing Old Spice anti-perspirants and body washes in the world. Delivering Legendary protection for the Legendary man. The anti-perspirants protect from odor and sweat with body washes that don’t dry out the skin. Leaving it clean after a hard days work.

The Hardest Working Collection products are available at retailers nationwide. You can also download coupons to help save you money at .

Odor Blocker Anti‐Perspirant/Deodorant

The Odor Blocker is Old’s Spice’s most powerful invisible solid anti‐perspirant/deodorant, delivering legendary performance through stronger and longer sweat protection than its other collections and a 50 percent increase in BCD odor fighting technology that only Old Spice can claim. Odor Blocker’s unique invisible solid anti‐perspirant formula forms better plugs to protect against sweat.

Old Spice

Dirt Destroyer Body Wash

The Dirt Destroyer is Old Spice’s most powerful body wash, offering 15 percent more cleansers, a 30 percent thicker formula and 20 percent more scent. Its thicker formula delivers a thick, dirt‐eliminating lather and less down the drain resulting in a better overall shower experience.

Old Spice

The 1-800-PROVE-IT Challenge

Check out the 1-800-PROVE-IT challenge. Old Spice is so confident in the Hardest Working Collection, the product is backed with a money‐back guarantee, as seen in a series of humorous digital infomercials hosted by Product King® Bob Giovanni. If you use the Hardest Working Collection and the products do not live up to your standards, you can call 1‐800‐PROVE‐IT for a full refund. Just call the line, and Bob Giovanni himself will provide further instructions. Pretty cool, huh?

Did you see the tool box we received? Stay tuned for a future giveaway where you can win one for your hardest working man 🙂

Don’t forget to follow the hashtag: #smellegendary to learn more!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Old Spice (P&G). The opinions and text are all mine.

WeVets: Give Veterans A Voice

by Leave a Comment

Sponsored Post Graphic

 

When you move to a new city, knowing where to go, where to shop or where to eat can be overwhelming. You might not have ever heard about that store down the road. You might be lost when it comes to the local military clinic and you might just need some help figuring out which places are worth going to.

WeVets

This is the mobile version of the site.

 

This is where a place like WeVets comes in handy. This is a new website for active duty military, veterans, their families and supporters to access resources and review businesses, programs and organizations designed to serve the military and veteran space. You can go to WeVets to look up information on the businesses, organizations, and resources that you need to serve you and your family. The reviews will be written by other military families which can be important. You can find reviews on places like Lowes, Disneyworld, IHOP, the military clinic and the vets office. You can leave your own reviews as well to help others who are curious about a location that you have been to.

Right now the website is still in beta but they need your help to build it up. If you can, head on over and sign up. Leave a review or two and share with your friends. If you need to know about a particular service, look and see if it is on the site. You can read the reviews and learn more about what other people have experienced by visiting those places.

Take some time to watch the video as well.

 

This website is going to be a great resource for those in the military. It will allow people to find out more information on the places they want to go.  This is a great idea for a population of people who move around a lot or don’t know the area they are in as well as they want to. Go check them out…:)

 

Basic Invite Invitations, Announcements and Photo Cards

by Leave a Comment

Sponsored Post Graphic

 

 

 

When I was getting married we had to go into a store to pick out the right invitations, thank you cards and anything else we wanted printed for the wedding. These days you can order all of this online. Basic Invite is a great website to find the perfect stationery or photo card for your event or occasion. They are one of the only websites that allow you the customer almost unlimited color options with instant previews online. They have an impressive amount of designs and have a lot of different ideas for you to look through when trying to find the perfect card for your event or to send out to family and friends.

Basic Invite Stationary

On Basic Invite you can find Baby Shower invitations, birth announcements, first birthday invitations, graduation announcements, something for a Bar Mitzvah or Bat Mitzvah and more, even printables.

Basic Invite

Basic Invite

Once you go in and select the design that you want, you can change the color of each element in the card to over 160 different color options. You can truly make it look the way that you want. Another great feature of Basic Invite is that you can order a sample before you order all 500 of the invitations that you need. That way you can make sure they look exactly the way that you want them to.

Basic Invite

 

basic_invite_fistb1

Basic Invite also has over 40 different colors of envelopes. That way you can be as colorful as you want to be.  You can really make your invitation stand out. All of the envelopes are peel and seal so you don’t have to lick them which is a huge plus. That will save you a lot of time especially if you are sending out a lot of invitations.

If you are planning a wedding, birthday party, graduation or any other type of event, head on over to Basic Invite and see what they have to offer you. You will be glad that you did.

Basic Invite

 

basic_invite_grads2

 

IMG_9613_small

 

basic_invite_bannounce2

What do you need invitations or announcements for?