I write from experience, from observation, from research. The characters living in the worlds I create are good, bad, and sometimes both. They’re not shy about voicing their opinions and fighting for what they think is right. That includes characters who are military veterans.

In Dangerous Deeds (forthcoming), you’ll find multiple characters with the common bond of military service but with conflicting opinions and goals. Writing these characters proved easy because I come from a long line of military veterans on my paternal side. I’ve traced our collective service back to American Naval Commander John Paul Jones, born in Scotland, who helped establish the United States Navy during the Revolutionary War. (He was my third cousin seven times removed on my father’s side.) My paternal grandfather served in the Canadian Infantry in World War I and my father served in the U.S. Army Air Corps in World War II. While none of my siblings ever served in the military, I continued the tradition by serving in the U.S. Air Force. I retired from active duty in the mid-1990s; the bonds forged through those years of service still hold and now inform my writing.

Among veterans, experiences vary and every generation has stories unique to their time. Take my protagonist’s neighbor Zak Henderson, for example, introduced in Deadly Ties, the first book of the series. His time in uniform included three deployments to Afghanistan. If you were to say “Thank you for your service” to Zak, he’d likely nod and tell you that he was just upholding the family tradition of service.  Since leaving the military, he’s done his best to settle into civilian life as a single parent. When trouble comes to Eagle Cove, Zak’s ready to stand in defense of what’s right.

Just like any other segment of the population—including politicians—the military ranks include some who crave control and seek power over others. As much as we might like to believe everyone in uniform holds firm to the highest ethical standards, some do not. In Dangerous Deeds, you’ll meet Karl Shackleford, former second-in-command to Sheriff Johnson’s corrupt predecessor. Karl opted for the Army rather than support the new law-and-order regime, and only came home after falling afoul of Army conduct regulations. Now he’s back on the job and eager to see his old boss reinstated as sheriff and resume his own previously held position of power. He’s willing to do whatever it takes to make that happen, legal or otherwise.

Some veterans return with physical or psychological wounds, and more than a few find themselves without a place to call home. Thousands are at risk of homelessness for myriad reasons including poverty, insufficient support networks, and housing issues. In Dangerous Deeds you’ll meet Martin Grimes, homeless after the family’s hilltop farm was auctioned off while Martin served overseas. Now he’s getting by one day at a time, doing odd jobs that come along, spending nights rough camping in the woods not far from Waterside Kennels, and wondering just what he’d been fighting for. When trouble comes to Eagle Cove, he’ll have to decide where his sense of loyalty and honor will lead him.

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This week, the United States will recognize Veterans Day, originally known as Armistice Day in recognition of the ceasefire on the 11^th hour of November 11, 1918 which ended World War I. During that war and many others, those in uniform were often supported by dogs. There are countless stories of canines throughout history who saw action in the military lines. Of these, perhaps the most famous is Stubby, a stray dog of uncertain origin  who is thought to be the most decorated canine in American history. Veteran-led digital publisher We Are The Mighty relates this story:

Stubby was more than a mascot. His unit fought in four major offensives that are now enshrined in history books as pivotal battles of World War I: Aisne-Marne, Champagne-Marne, Saint-Mihiel, and Meuse-Argonne. With 17 battles total, Stubby and the 102nd fought for a total of 210 days – more than any other American divisihomelessnessNational on during the war….

At St. Mihiel, Stubby was wounded by shrapnel after an artillery barrage decimated the 102nd. He wasn’t out of the fight for long. During the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, he chased down a German spy hiding in nearby bushes and dragged the man back to the American lines. For his effort, his fellow soldiers awarded Stubby the Iron Cross – removed from his captured prisoner’s uniform.

After the war ended, Stubby was a hero. He was invited to the White House many times and met three Presidents: Woodrow Wilson, Warren G. Harding, and Calvin Coolidge. As a soldier, however, his greatest honor was the gold medal awarded to him and his fellow soldiers from the 102nd from Gen. John J. Pershing himself.

Salute!