I'm so excited, I don't even know where to start! I've been waiting for this story to release ever since I found out it was even being worked on. And when Kassie asked me to Beta? I was over the Moon! I was so excited to share this with all of you and so honored to participate in her blog tour! So without further ado, let's jump right in! (Points to you if you caught that I used Jump on purpose XD)

Where to even begin! This book made me laugh one minute and cry the next! It was such a touching story. The part that really got to me was when Layla was reading letters written to Mavericks mother...I've talked with a gold star mom on multiple occasions and she read me a similar letter...such a touching scene!

Andrew is probably my favorite character. I mean, he's a Ranger and a runner...and he's such a compelling lead.

That's not to down play Layla and Ranger and Jaydon though! This family is so sweet together and the dynamics of their relationship...and the tragedies that pull them tighter are so heart-breakingly beautiful!

The message of the story is so powerful. Hope, perseverance, God's hand in our lives and the desire to honor our heroes...ah! I can't say enough good about this book. And there's even a Police Officer line in the story! And of course, the balloons...

Because the story does deal with war injuries and PTSD, I would recommend this for 14+ for understanding. The book is clean and all, and there are no gory descriptions.

O To Be Like Thee still has my heart, but this book...nope, can't even compare them. They are both so good!

*I received an e-book copy of the book from the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own*

What inspired this story, especially the aspect of a double amputee?
Well, the story’s inspired by {a song} which isn’t about the Army or amputees unless you’ve got an imagination. XD The whole double-amputee part kind of just happened. I just wanted to bring together a three-legged dog and an amputee in a story. It was just an image I had in my head I wanted to write about.
 
What is one thing you want your readers to take away from this story?
There’s usually more to a person’s story than meets the eye. Maybe you’ll never know it. Maybe you will. People may be struggling in ways you will never know, and some heroes aren’t so obvious. And—maybe my favorite line of the story—you never know who’s trying to make a hero proud.
 
What has God taught you through the writing Tattered Wings?
If He tells you to do something, don’t give up. Not-so-little-known fact: I didn’t really want to write Tattered Wings. It’s my stubborn story for a reason. But not giving up is one of the themes of the story…and I’m so glad I didn’t give up on it. Because when you don’t give up, it will be oh so worth it.
 
How has your perspective on life changed through writing this story?
(how did she come up with these) Y’know, that’s a good question. Yeah, maybe the answer’s I’m more determined than ever not to give up. Or maybe the answer is that you can actually navigate between both the civilian and military world and it won’t always make sense and that’s okay.
 
Tell us about Maverick (just anything you want, girl). *He's a side Character that is never on scene in the story*
He’s my reckless Texas cowboy named after Lane Frost who loves animals and is such a softie but he will fight with a vengeance when he needs to because he’s basically a working dog at heart. (Don’t tell him I said that.)
 
If you could meet one of your characters, which would you want and what would you say to them?
I think I’d want it to be Layla, just so I could tell her the one thing she’s not sure she wants to hear: I know and I’m sorry. Everything’s gonna be okay and you are so brave. And by the way your dog is super cute, not that I’m biased.

(adds under my breath: “I know what I’d really want to say to a character. This is for you, Maverick.”)

*Reads that line and tears up...*
 
What piece of advice, based on your experience with this book, would you give writers?
Write the story that’s in your heart. I don’t care how hard it is. Just write it. Somebody needs to read it, and somebody’s heart will break in the best way possible over it. Don’t compare your stories to each other. Just don’t. You’ll still love them all, I promise.
 
How can we reach out to people like Layla and Andy?
In this essay I will…. X’D Just kidding. There’s a lot I could tell you. But at the end of the day, be respectful and just be a friend. Andrew’s struggles are a lot more visible than Layla’s. Saying not to treat them any differently isn’t helpful when they’re so unlike the average person you meet on the street. But don’t ever treat someone like they’re from a different planet just because, say, they’re a double amputee. Just say hi. How you doing. Crazy weather we’re having, right? And by the way…thank you; we really do appreciate it.
 
Okay, what inspired Isaiah?
(Fun fact: I don’t think I’ve shared this story before.) Okay, so I needed a battle buddy for Andrew, and Isaiah’s story just grew from there. My crazy Southern kid is based on a soldier from Alabama who was working the gate at Ft. Hood, saw my mom’s West Virginia license plate, and made it his personal mission to faithfully tell us “ROLL TIDE” every time he saw us. That was, one, how we found out WV was playing Alabama in the Super Bowl, two, how the poor boy earned the undying title Private Roll Tide, and three, how we ended up with a soft spot for all things Roll Tide. A good five years later, if pre-deployment Isaiah isn’t so Private Roll Tide… <33
 
Parting thoughts? (Literally, anything you want😉)
(First thing that came to mind; couldn’t resist and it’s kinda fitting…) “All we ask is that you don’t forget, ‘cause the war’s not over when the fighting ends—haunted souls and memories, Airborne Ranger Infantry.”

I'm not crying...<3

Okay, so that is it for now! Click here to purchase the eBook and here for a print copy!
Have a Blessed Day!
Rangers Lead the Way!
Ryana Lynn
Jude 22

It’s time for another Christmas post! Well, not exactly a Christmas post…its time for me to post another history post. And in keeping with my series, I found a battle close to Christmas. And it really makes me think of Christmas time. Plus, I have a few excerpts from my book, Our Heritage to Save! One from Fredericksburg and one from a Christmas scene! So keep reading to find those!

Smack Dab in the Middle of Things. Fredericksburg was located right in the middle of Washington D.C. and Richmond, the capital cities of the warring countries. This alone made it an iconic town that both parties would want control of. The Battle of Fredericksburg would determine who would have it.

We Will All Cross Together. General Winfield Scott Hancock saw the chance of a battle before it happened. He wanted to take part of the army across to secure the town before Lee and Jackson arrived. Gen. A. Burnside, the General of the Army of the Potomac, disagreed and insisted that they all cross over together. His insistence proved fatal for the Union Army.

A Chicken Couldn’t Live on That Field. Alexander Porter, Lee’s artillery expert, told this to Lee prior to the battle. He had his cannons set up just right, there was a stonewall for the Southern troops to fight behind and the Federals would have to cross open ground to get to the wall. No sir, a chicken couldn’t live on that field once the shots were fired.

Fredericksburg! Fredericksburg! Fredericksburg! This was the cry of the Union soldiers as they taunted the Confederates retreating from Pickett’s Charge at Gettysburg. But why did they remind their counterparts of a battle the federals had so miserably lost? Well, perhaps they were trying to tell the Confederates that they should have learned from the federals’ mistake at Fredericksburg. They charged at the Confederates across an open field not once, not twice, but thirteen times. Thankfully, the South did learn something from their mistakes…they only charged the federals once.

It is Well. It was following this battle that General Lee said, “It is well that war is so terrible, or we should grow too fond of it.” It’s easy to see his meaning. Campaign strategy can be fun, planning the battle movements and counterattacks. The horror of it comes when you remember, this isn’t a game. This is an event that will leave men dead.

Faugh A Ballagh!* At this battle, one of the famous clashes happened when the Southern Irish of Georgia clashed with the Northern Irish Brigade of New York met at the stonewall outside of Fredericksburg. The two knew they were more than likely firing on their family as the shots were exchanged. The conflict ended in a federal retreat. Instead of continuing to fire at the retreating enemy, the Southern Irish cheered their comrades, hardly a dry eye among them. *An Irish War Cry “Clear the Way!”

Counting the Casualties. The Federal forces suffered a staggering 12,653 casualties, broken down into 1,284 killed, 9,600 wounded, and 1,769 captured or missing. The Confederacy suffered 5,377 losses: 608 killed, 4,116 wounded, 653 captured or missing. Sadly, before the war was over, these numbers would seem like nothing.

Answering the Cry. Sgt. Richard Kirkland, Confederate Army, couldn’t bear to listen to the cries of the dying federal and Confederate soldiers on the field, so after pestering his officers, he was allowed to carry water to them, to ease there suffering. He has been dubbed the “Angel of Marye’s Heights” and is much loved by both the North and the South.

The Color of the Coat Doesn’t Matter. Clara Barton had set up a hospital in the nearby Lacy House. When she heard someone say a Confederate soldier should be taken out of the house, she refused to listen to another word of it. A patient was a patient, no matter his coat color.

Looted and Burned. Most of the Homes in Fredericksburg were spoiled by the federal troops during their short stay in town. Many homes were damaged by cannon shot and fire, while others were looted for anything of value by drunken bluecoats. Appalled, some federal officers tried to rein in their men, but it took some doing to restore order. This is what the townspeople and Confederate Army had to return to; rebuilding and restoration.

And now for some snippets!

From Our Heritage to Save-- Chapter 30: War is So Terrible

Stonewall Jackson and the Confederate right flank were viciously attacked by the Union troops. Stonewall’s men waited until the Federals were almost on top of them to start firing.

Richard, commanding his unit, fired along with the others. He watched as the guns were fired and tried to push away the reality that men and boys, wearing blue and gray, were dying all around him. Souls forever gone to eternity.

He glanced to his right and saw David Bowers acting as a field doctor, patching the men up and sending them back into the fight. Titus Mallory stood nearby, loading his gun once more and preparing to fire. How odd it was that Titus, who had taught Richard so much, was now a sergeant under Richard’s command!

The men in blue soon fell back to regroup. When they did, they pressed hard to break the line. A hail of bullets showered the area. When Richard realized that the Yanks had managed to divide two Confederate brigades in half, he raised his gun and began fighting harder than he had realized was possible. “Come on, Boys! Remember your families,” he shouted. Then their camp verses came to mind. “32:7-8!” he shouted.

The cry was taken up by the others. “32:7-8!”

“More with us than with them!”

“…With us is the LORD our God to help us, and to fight our battles!”

“Be strong and courageous!” The Confederates soon filled the gap again and drove the soldiers back.

Richard looked up and saw a soldier trying to drag David off the field. A mini battle erupted as members of the 32:7 Company rushed to defend their doctor friend. It wasn’t easy going, for the Federal had friends as well. But they managed to escape without major injuries, just a few cuts and bruises.

Richard’s adrenaline was up. Those invaders had tried to take one of his men; they had already taken *removed, because Spoilers XD* and he was determined they weren’t going to take anyone else. Woe unto those who dared mess with the 32:7 Company!

***

From Chapter 32: Christmas Surprises

Philip, Drew and Charles stood in the hall, waiting to surprise their families. “Philip, you go into the parlor first, and see how long it takes for them to notice you’re there,” Drew whispered. Philip grinned and stepped into the room, leaning against the door frame.

It didn’t take long. Michael, looking rather glum, was listlessly glancing around the room. He gave a start when he saw Philip. Then realizing who it was, he jumped to his feet. Those nearest him saw the action and turned to see what he was looking at.

Jennifer gave a cry of delight and hurried forward to hug her big brother. He hugged her tight, lifting her off her feet. She soon had to make way for her sister-in-law though. The whole family was eager to greet their loved one and Philip loved the attention.

“Boy, why didn’t you tell us you were coming home for Christmas?” Robert Rains asked his son. “We had no idea!”

Philip relished hearing his father’s voice again. “Wasn’t time to tell you! I only found out a few days ago! I came as soon as I could.”

“Oh, Charles!” his mother called out at that moment as the next soldier entered the room. She soon had her oldest son in her embrace. “My boy, oh!” More hugs, kisses and greetings ensued.

“What happened to your hand?” Nana asked in alarm.

Charlie grinned, “Just a sprain, Nana, and nearly healed.”

Dixie watched the reunions with a pain in her heart. She wanted to see Richard and Seth so bad. And they still hadn’t heard the outcome of Fredericksburg. Were they sitting behind bars at this very minute while everyone was making over Philip and Charles like they were heroes?

Tears welled in her eyes. She briskly, but inconspicuously made her way to the hall. She didn’t want to ruin the occasion with her self-pity and anxiety.

Once in the hall, with the door shut, Dixie allowed the tears to flow. Her shoulders shook, and her breath came in quiet, sobbing gasps.

She jumped as a hand touched her shoulder. She swiped at her eyes and turned around. Drew. She gave way to her tears once more. He stooped down and pulled his cousin into a gentle embrace, allowing her to cry on his shoulder.

He patted her and said, “It’s alright, Dixie. You’ll see them again soon. This war will end before long. Maybe you’ll feel better when I tell you that we lost Fredericksburg. Richard and Seth are probably in the town right now, helping clean up the mess.”

She nodded. It did help. Her brothers probably were safe. That thought helped a lot. She pulled back after a moment and wiped at her eyes again. Drew handed her a kerchief. “I left mine in the parlor,” Dixie said as she dried her eyes.

Drew smiled. “That’s alright. I would be honored if you’d help me make my grand entrance,” he said, offering his arm.

Dixie tried to muster a smile and said, “If you don’t mind, I’d rather not. I’d feel like...like a traitor to Richard and Seth.”

Drew nodded. “I understand.” He opened the door and then stepped into the realm of excitement. Drew was swamped by his six younger siblings. He nearly disappeared from sight as they all tried to hug him at once, regardless of age.

Dixie slipped back in, at last able to watch the reunions without tears threatening her. But even though Drew’s words had comforted her, she wondered if anyone else were remembering her brothers were in this war too. Were they missed by the cousins?

Constance Angelica gave Dixie a vindictive look. She certainly wasn’t missing Richard and Seth. Jennifer slipped up next to Dixie. “It would be perfect if the boys were here. That and getting the news that the war was over. A perfect Christmas gift!”

Dixie smiled. “Yes. A perfect Christmas gift indeed!”



That's it for now!
Merry Christmas!
Ryana Lynn
Jude 22

Another month had come and gone, and CHRISTMAS TIME IS HERE! Need I say that this is one of my very favorite Holidays?!? November was busy as usual but in a good way! We had a lovely month, and I can’t wait to share a few things with you!

November Favorites

Bible Verse: Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. James 1:17

This verse has become very special to me over the last several months, and even now, it has permanently become one of my favorites. The visual picture of God as the Father of Lights…it’s breath-taking and mind-boggling. We serve such a truly awesome God. All I can picture is the Northern lights. With our God being the Father and Creator of Lights like that, can you imagine what Heaven will be like? And knowing that every good thing that happens to us, all the blessings we receive, are special gifts just for us from God, is such a special feeling!

Song: I know…I’ve mentioned this song multiple times, but Every Good and Perfect Gift by Adam and Megan Morgan is still on my radar and was an especially loved song this past month.

Event: Getting to gather with my family for thanksgiving two weeks in a row! It was such a blessing to spend time with family, especially those we don’t get to see as often. We had a wonderful time!

Book of the Month: Worth Dying For by Rorke Denver. Mr. Denver is a Navy SEAL and this book…wow, it was profound. He explained why he thinks there is such a divide between military and civilians, how the problem can be fixed, and the whole reason Americans fight. Why we are so dedicated to what we believe in. It was a rare, raw glimpse at the Warrior’s Heart and is not something I will soon forget. His analogy about Sheep, Wolves, and Sheepdogs was so good. Now, there were one or two words I had to mark out, but not used often. After editing, I would gladly hand this over to a 16-year-old. I’m not sure that I agree with everything that he said, but you know, few people agree on everything. Personally, I think every American should read this book, especially our politicians and our up and coming generation.

Ministry: Revival! We had a lovely week of revival with a pastor friend of ours in Liberty, N.C. We got to sing a new song for us girls, God of Wonders (ever heard me talk about that one? 😉). The services were excellent and God did a work in hearts.

Writing Update: We are still editing book 4 of The Battle for Heritage Series and am happy to report that it is going well. I am also drafting Book 5 and making headway. We’ll probably take a break due to Christmas, but we are right on track with our new goals! Also, since Christmas is such an inspiring time of year, I try to take some time to work on future Christmas stories, just for the fun of it!

A Book I am Anticipating for December: Quick note on last month’s anticipated read, The Real Lincoln was so good! 5 stars! If you are interested in that time era and learning some oft-hidden truths about the war, read this book! I’m really looking forward to all the Christmas books! I love this time of year, and I’ve heard about a few new ones I want to check out, as well as reread a few, like Wind Chimes by Victoria Minks and Behold by Faith Potts! Might even dig out my copy of Faith Blum’s O Come All Ye Faithful! And I just realized all of these are collections…
 
And Now, Some Writing Prompts…

That's all for now!
Merry Christmas!
Ryana Lynn
Jude 22

Hard to believe my last Soldier Life post was in June! What a pleasure to be back at it again! In case you are just now being introduced to this Series, Soldier Life is a series of posts, currently highlighting the life of soldiers during the War Between the States. You can check out previous posts by clicking the links {(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8)|. I began this series to help those studying the War Between the States, especially the writer. I’ve tried to compile in one place the information I found while I was researching my books. The data comes from multiple sources and sites. I am not an expert, and my articles are not exhaustive on the given topics, but hopefully, this will be a help to you as you strive to learn more about the history of our Great Nation! And for those concerned, these posts are unbiased, North or South. It’s strictly a fact only post with no intention of swaying you one way or the other. But if you do wish to see my personal research on the War Between the States, check out this series {(1) (2) (3) (4)|

With all that said, let’s get started!

The Lieutenant is to the Captain what a Corporal is to a Sergeant. In short, he was second in command to the Company Commander. A company is a unit of men numbering 100 at full strength and commanded by a Captain. The lieutenant’s job was to serve as the Captain’s assistant in all things, even battlefield command.

If the Captain is ill, absent, or killed, the First Lieutenant will take command with the 2nd Lieutenant as his second in command. The main difference between First and Second Lieutenants is their line up in the pecking order. They perform the same duties. So naturally, the First Lieutenant would need to be studied up on the responsibilities of the Captain since he will likely fill his position at some point during his service.

The typical duties of a Lieutenant are as follows:

He was generally present for all the main roll calls, drills, and stable duties, inspect the kitchens, quarters, and the entire company at the end of the day assembly, known as retreat. If an officer was not present to oversee the drills and such, sometimes the Sergeants could be tempted to go lax on the men, or the men might be tempted to cause the sergeants unnecessary grief.

The Lieutenant was expected to study his field handbook, acquainting himself with sections known as “School of the Soldier,” “School of the Company,” and “School of the Battalion.” The Captain would instruct him in proper tactics per the book and personal experience.

The Lieutenant was also to be present for the Inspection of the Company, which is performed the day before the men would march on parade (public drilling for the officers in a specific location), which entailed looking over weapons. On Sundays, the inspection included knapsacks, uniforms, bedding, quarters, etc.

If the captain required it (and he usually did), the lieutenant would be expected to help him with paperwork, from filing reports to witnessing signatures to issuing clothing and making out receipts.

His duties extended past general camp work, though. He was also expected to serve on two different kinds of guard duty: Police Guard and Grand Guard.

The police guard consisted of a line of sentinels surrounding the designated camp.  There was a guardhouse, where everyone would meet, including 1-2 lieutenants, 1-2 sergeants, 3 corporals, and around 40 privates. The guardhouse is generally two separate dwellings, tent or shack, one for the guards, one for prisoners. This is a guard used during peace times.

The lieutenant serves as the Officer of the guard, and while doing this tour of duty, he isn’t forbidden to sleep, he is NEVER to be found sleeping by one of his superiors. Best to take turns sleeping with other members of the command. He is never to leave the guardhouse unless inspecting the sentinels or doing some other duty regarding Police Guard.

He is responsible for security regarding the prisoners, which is his main priority. According to Kautz’s Customs of Services of Officers of the Army Part 1, the lieutenant “receives the prisoners as they are confined, sees that the sergeant of the Guard takes down the names, by whose order confined, and the date.  An abstract of the orders inflicting punishments is furnished him, and he must keep a record of them in order that they may be entered on the List of Prisoners that accompanies the Guard Report daily; he must in all cases wherein the punishment is to be inflicted under the direction of the Guard, see that the sentences are duly executed, and that his successors are duly instructed in all cases where punishments are continued for a length of time from day to day.”

Police guards can also serve as escorts and guards for general officers to and from various locations.

As stated earlier, the Police Guard is used during times of peace. During war, these duties, among others are transferred to a larger party known as the Grand Guard. Additional duties are to alert to the presence of the enemy, advance parties to surprise/skirmish with the enemy and serve on picket duty. The lieutenant’s job is to see that everyone else is doing their job correctly and for this reason, they were often disliked as much as Corporals.

As far as the battle duties of a Lieutenant, the company would be divided into two platoons. The Captain and 2nd Lieutenant would man one platoon and the 1st Lieutenant the other. If the Captain was killed or injured, the 2nd Lieutenant took his place commanding the platoon, while the 1st Lieutenant took command of the company. Sergeants assisted them in these situations to the best of their ability.

So there you have it! I hope this post was helpful to you. Basically, if you are writing a lieutenant, make him professional, give him an air of busyness and have him working closely with the Captain and you are good to go 😉

Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.
Hebrews 13:17
King James Bible

Have a Blessed Day!
Ryana Lynn
Jude 22

It’s Veteran’s Day! I love the special holiday set aside to honor those still living who have served our country! It’s also a time set aside to remember those who gave it all, or who served and have since passed on. My Great-grandfather, Floyd Wesley Jennings, was a WWII Veteran who served as a tank lookout in Europe. He passed before I was born, but I know one day, I will see him again, and maybe I’ll even get to thank him for his service!

In honor of Veteran’s day, I am reviewing a special book. I love military stories. I love stories about dogs🐕. And I love stories about WWII. So it’s no surprise that I picked up this fun series. Today, I’m sharing my thoughts on the first book in an ongoing series, spotlighting one of our sometimes unsung heroes…Soldier Dogs.

Soldier Dogs #1: Air Raid Search and Rescue
By Marcus Sutter
2018
3.5 Stars

About the Book: When Matt’s older brother enlisted in the army, he left Matt his German Shepherd, Chief, a retired fire dog and the best pet EVER. So Matt isn’t happy when Chief starts paying attention to his foster sister Rachel instead of him.

But when Nazi planes begin bombing the city, Matt finds himself in an impossible situation. Can he be a hero to his sister when it matters most? And when they get caught outside during the air raid, will Chief be there to save the day?

My Review: Okay, there were a lot of things that I enjoyed about this story, but it’s only fair to tell the things that gave it such a low rating. So, let’s dive in.
I really thought it was interesting, learning more about the city of Canterbury, England. 🌁From buildings to fun facts and the history of the blitz in England, it was very educational. I was also excited to learn about the Kindertransport, rescuing Jewish children in Germany and placing them with families in free Europe. 🚆

The main character had a terrible attitude towards his parents and his adopted sister, Rachel. It frankly became quite annoying. He does get better towards the end, but they never make it clear that the boy was wrong and learned his lesson. It also insinuated that he was right to be upset with everyone.

Another thing that, to me, didn’t ring true was how they depicted the Luftwaffe Airman in the story. ✈ While his actions sound like something a Gestapo or SS man would do, it just didn’t seem realistic for a German bombardier to act so violently. Now, I understand that everyone is different, and there were indeed some terrible people in every branch of the German military, but as a general rule, your average German soldier wasn’t going to haul off and try to kill a child who posed no serious threat to them. There were ways they could have made this more realistic, especially if the kids had been older or had some kind of weapon, or if the setting was a little different. I don’t know, it just seemed a bit too violent, especially for a children’s book.

The dog was amazing! The story spotlighted how dogs served our country, searching and rescuing those in need and in taking down the enemy. And German Shepherds are my favorite, so…😍 I look forward to reading more about these fantastic dogs in the rest of the series.
 
I’ll try to review the rest of the books in this series in the near future, but I actually bumped this review ahead for Veteran’s day, so it may be a little while before those show up.

Don’t forget to thank a Veteran today!
Ryana Lynn
Jude 22
Emoji art supplied by Emoji One