Tracey Cramer-Kelly's Blog, page 10
July 27, 2017
Firefighter Files: CPR … Twenty Years Later
The last time I had formal CPR training was (er..) let’s just say it was a long time ago (during my Army combat medic training). Like, more than twenty years!
So for the Fire Academy CPR training (that’s me at left in the photo!), I was expecting some things to have changed and updated… and I expected to be pretty rusty.
To my pleasant surprise, I had retained the crucial skills. (A not-as-impressive surprise: the manikins haven’t changed either!) To use an overused phrase: it was ‘like getting back on a bike.’ I guess that’s a testament to my training all those years ago!
Of course, one thing we didn’t have back then is the AED (Automated External Defibrillator), which is very simple to use. You’ve probably seen them at work or at shopping malls, etc, or even been trained how to use them. This nifty device is a very welcome compliment to EMS care.
The other change that got me thinking is the fact that EMS providers are heavily discouraged from ever putting our mouth directly on a patient (when I first learned CPR there wasn’t even a mention of this).
Firefighters and other EMS providers now use a pocket mask (left) to provide rescue breaths. There’s also this thing called a barrier device (below) that I never knew existed.
Now I plan to carry a barrier device with me at all times (even when I’m not ‘on duty’) so that I’ll never have to make that tough decision to hold off helping someone in need in order to protect myself!
June 30, 2017
Independence Day Sale: TRUE SURRENDER Only 99 Cents
When Major Aaron Bricewick is rescued from Afghanistan terrorists, he thinks the worst is over. But his biggest battle – the battle for his heart and soul – is just beginning…
Our country’s founders did an amazing thing when they signed the Declaration of Independence. Because of their foresight, we are a free nation. And every July 4th we celebrate that all over again.
In honor of our military members who protect those freedoms – and Independence Day – I’ve put TRUE SURRENDER on sale for just 99 Cents.
TRUE SURRENDER’s hero is an Army officer facing some big obstacles – amputation, PTSD, addiction and suicide. How will he find the courage within himself to overcome? Read more here!
If you’ve read TRUE SURRENDER already, please leave a review. If you haven’t, now is a great time! (Sale will ONLY last until July 9!)
If you like Military Heroes, you May also Enjoy:
Profile of Kyle Reid, ex-Marine, PTSD survivor and now a star on his college diving team. Click here.
Write What You Know: How that didn’t really work with RANGER’S SACRIFICE, book #2 chronicling the trials, tribulations and losses of two Army Ranger friends. Click here.
June 29, 2017
Custom Motorcycle is An Inspiration
I get to see a lot of cool motorcycles in my job running our family business (Leader Motorcycle), but every once in a while one really stands out.
The one I’m writing about today is named “Highway to Heaven” and its owner is… God.
(TX police officer David R holds the title to the bike and has help from Ron R, a Leader customer and the guy who first turned me on to this bike.)
“Highway to Heaven” has:
Custom paint job including the 10 commandments on the front area of the tank and scrolls-and-light on the rear fender
huge dove emblem backlit by LED lights by the engine (a total of 14 doves in the paint job and elsewhere)
LED lights by the shifter linkage so the bike’s name “Highway to Heaven” is lit up
39 crosses that represent the 39 stripes Christ took for us before he was crucified (see the photo of the rear left one!)
custom-designed seat, image of kneeling at the cross and flame-designed speedometer
amazing dove details in the wheels
9 olive branches
Foot pegs, brake pedal and shifter made from railroad spikes. The three spikes on each side represent the three nails that put Jesus on the cross.
The attention to detail on this motorcycle just blows me away. There is no other way to describe it but love of the machine and God.
Ron says they use the bike to help get attention for charitable events, and as a way to open conversation about how God restores, not destroys. I just wanted to give these folks a shout-out and share their (our) message. Plus, it make me want to write more biker romance (which is good because I’m current trying to finish final drafts Lady Biker Series #2, TEACHING TREY)!
Thank you, David & Ron!
June 7, 2017
TRUE SURRENDER Cover: Hero in Dark Place but Surrounded by Light
When I first released TRUE SURRENDER, it was difficult to find photos of amputees. It’s a different story nowadays (which is bad because we have these injured folks but good because there’s no stigma to it anymore).
But I’ve always kept my eye out for one that would convey what I wanted – and I think I found a winner!
I hope this new cover says to YOU that the hero is in a dark place – dealing with being an amputee, PTSD, addiction, suicide and betrayal – but surrounded by hope (light). Not to mention that one special woman (and child!) who can help him figure out how to bring that light inside himself.
Read more about Major Aaron Bricewick of TRUE SURRENDER here.
(And if you want to see amputees really flaunting what they’ve got, check out my Michael Stokes Board on Pinterest. You might want to have a fan handy!)
Purchase eBook: Kindle / Barnes & Noble/Nook / Apple iTunes/iBookstore / Kobo
Purchase Audiobook: Best deal at Downpour! / Audible and iTunes (physical CD here)
Contact me to Purchase a SIGNED, Print Copy (Also available at Amazon)
June 6, 2017
Sizzling Summer Reads (and Audiobook Recommendations)
It’s summer, and I highly recommend building in hours or days (or weeks if you can!) of ‘lazy time’ at a beach or lake, or even in your own backyard! Here are two ideas for book lovers this summer.
Audiobooks: No Glare. Great for the Beach!
I head to the family lake place often as I can (and when I’m there, I disconnect from phone and internet). I can’t read while driving the three hours each way, but I can listen and drive! And that means Audio Books!
Did you know that TRUE SURRENDER is available in audio? Get it from Downpour, Audible or iTunes!
Need more? Here are some audiobooks that were hand-picked by some of my writer friends (who graciously included TRUE SURRENDER). In a variety of genres, these audiobooks will keep you engaged all summer long! See them here.
Sizzling Summer ReadsIf you’re just looking for a break during lunch or in the evening, here’s a fun activity for book lovers.
Play the matchup game or answer the multiple-choice questions and earn points toward winning one of hundreds of prizes in the Sizzling Summer Reads event, going on all through June! A free copy of DIRECTING ZAC is just one of the prizes, but you can also win cash and gift cards to places like Amazon.
Play the game right here (note that you will need to create an account which is FREE).
May 25, 2017
The Firefighter Files: Physical Agility Test
I didn’t realize I was so stressed about the Fire Department’s physical agility test.
No one seemed concerned that I wouldn’t pass, so I was determined not to be concerned, either. But the simple fact is that the unknown is (all in itself) stressful. And even though I’d gotten a short rundown – in words – of what would take place, I’ve found that reality can be quite different.
So on the morning of the test I found myself both wanting to put it off and wanting to get it over with.
The agility test is conducted every year and is a timed test (and yes, I passed!) conducted in your jacket, gloves, helmet and oxygen tank (thankfully not the mask!). Your blood pressure is taken before and after (interestingly, mine actually dropped a tad, presumably because my stress level was lower after the test).
If you want to know more about what a part-time volunteer firefighter’s agility test entails (at least in my neck of the woods), check out the video below.
The things I found most difficult were:
Sledge hammering a log into place (my upper body was in great shape when I used to play the taiko drums, but not so much nowadays) and
the “belly crawl” under the table, similar to the photo above (I have some impressive bruises on my knees from that!).
I would not say the test is “hard” (honestly, if it was it would be difficult to get enough firefighters to do the job – it’s not like it pays a lot). But I think it’s a good reminder that we need to pay attention to our own health and keep ourselves in shape, because the job can be physical.
Now I’m wondering just how physical the firefighter training (which I start July 11) is. The agility test was only five-and-a-half minutes of intensity; how will I handle longer periods?
It’s probably good that I’ll be starting to referee soccer in a couple weeks; I’ve heard refs can log 5-7 miles in a single game! And maybe I need to go back to banging on my taiko drums to keep my upper body and arms strong!
May 21, 2017
Inspiration: Ex-Marine Now a Star on College Diving Team
People often ask me where I get the inspiration for some of my military characters.
Kyle Reid is a real-life inspiration.
In 2011, Kyle was a Marine stationed in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. While there he had two friends die before his eyes, one in his arms. But it was a duty he volunteered for—moving the bodies of dead soldiers, often without a body bag—that is seared into his memory.
Today, Kyle is a junior at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN, which happens to be my alma mater. He’s also a star on the diving team, and, from all accounts, an inspiration to everyone around him. But the path from Afghanistan to St. Thomas was a difficult one.
After his return to a California base at the end of 2011, he drowned himself in alcohol and came perilously close to suicide. And yet he hid his symptoms from everyone including his girlfriend Andee, who he married in February 2012. Andee’s miscarriage in July 2012 was “rock bottom” (as Andee puts it), resulting in an official diagnosis of PTSD – and the arrival of a service dog, Shamus.
After a couple years in Montana, Kyle connected with the swimming coach at St. Thomas, who helped convince him to transfer to St. Thomas as a health and human performance major. When a shoulder injury derailed his swimming plans, he approached the diving coach. With no formal diving experience, Kyle was a top diver by season’s end.
Kyle still has hallucinations about those dead soldiers as well as insomnia, flashbacks and stress-induced seizures (sporadic instances that physically arrest his body and send him collapsing to the ground).
As if that weren’t enough for one young man, his little brother Jesse was killed in a collision with a semi a year and a half ago. “I’ve never gone through anything as hard as losing him,” Kyle says.
Despite everything, Kyle makes a conscious decision each morning that he will do everything he can to make it a good day. Colleagues say he is constantly giving of himself and engaging others with a smile, a hug or a corny joke.
Kyle exemplifies the spirit I hope to infuse into my military characters. At the end of the day (or in this case, the book) I want readers to be inspired by how the characters find their inner courage and strength. Just like I’m inspired by Kyle and others like him.
(to read more about Kyle Reid see The Weight of His World and Working it Out)
May 11, 2017
The Firefighter Files: Is This an Offer?
In my last post, I ended by saying I’d left my future in God’s hands; if I was supposed to become a firefighter in my forties, it was up to Him!
A week after my interview, I received a call from the East Bethel Fire Chief asking me to meet with him. Thinking this was my “second interview,” I was surprised when he started talking about training, schedules, pagers and gear. In fact, I had to ask him: “Is this an offer?”
I guess part of me just didn’t believe it.
The answer: it’s a provisional offer (which means I still have to be approved by the City Council, pass a physical agility test, a medical and a background check). But since the Chief saw no reason my appointment wouldn’t go through, he asked me to attend the quarterly staff meeting too!
I drove home in a bit of a haze. I talked to my family – again! – about how this would impact our lives. After all, training is two nights/week plus some Saturdays and takes close to a year (leaving hubby to do the child shuttling). It’s a little intimidating, but way better than two years and ME shelling out the bucks! (Besides, a year goes by fast.) And once I’m taking calls there will be times I’ll have to leave my kids on their own.
Still, the overall feeling by the next morning was awe. Awe that God had led me back to a field in which I’ve had a lifelong interest – and in a way that works in my life and family.
The First Staff Meeting
I confess I’m not sure how useful this meeting was; I was pretty clueless about many of the things covered in it. But I did meet a few of my co-workers, and that’s where everything has to start.
Next: City Council meeting next week is “more a formality” according to the Fire Chief. Then: physical agility test. Stay tuned!
May 5, 2017
The Firefighter Files: Why Become a Firefighter?
Have you ever thought about becoming a firefighter?
Honestly, it had never occurred me until recently.
Yet here I am walking out of the East Bethel Fire Department after receiving an offer to become a firefighter/EMT!
The journey has barely begun, and already I want to write about it. What’s it like to become a firefighter in your forties? I’m about to find out, and you’re welcome to follow along!
So how in the world did it happen?
For 14 years I’ve given my blood, sweat and tears to our family business, Leader Motorcycle. But the business has been struggling for several years (largely due to competitive products coming in from China, Taiwan and Pakistan). By last September I was forced to look at “what if.” That is, what if Leader wasn’t going to be able to support me/us? What would I do instead/next?
With kids 10 and 14 (not to mention continuing to run Leader), going ‘back to school’ – including cost and travel time – just didn’t fit into my life.
Then I noticed a posting on NextDoor for a Firefighter Expo in a town just south of our home. I couldn’t make the Expo, but I spent time talking to one of the firefighters, and I learned that today’s firefighters spend more time on medical calls than fire calls.
For those who don’t know, I was trained as an Army combat medic in another life (a much younger life!). I had planned to work as a paramedic while I worked my way through college to become a physical therapist.
I didn’t become a PT or a paramedic, and I wasn’t fond of the Army telling me what to do. But I was fascinated with being a medic (you can see that influence in my novels). So hearing that the Fire Department would send me (and pay for me to attend) not just fire school but EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) certification piqued my interest.
So I submitted an application to two Fire Departments in nearby towns.
I haven’t interviewed for a job in almost 17 years, let alone a “committee style” interview (me in a chair facing five guys in uniform felt a bit like a firing line). To say I was rusty was an understatement! So my first interview didn’t go well. Perhaps not surprisingly, I didn’t get an offer there. And I’m glad.
The second interview (at East Bethel) was completely different from the first. A member of the City Council had brought in a cake for one of the firefighters who was retiring from his day job. Right away I knew there was a rapport among this group. The “committee” interview was at a round table and the others were dressed casually. They asked follow-up questions and commented on my answers (which hadn’t happened at the other interview).
I wasn’t 100% convinced I should jump into firefighting after that first interview, but I came away from this one feeling like I’ve found where I am supposed to be. Still, I’m leaving it up to God; if that is where I am meant to be, He’ll have to make it crystal clear.
April 25, 2017
What’s in a Name? Hopefully More Readers!
The transformation is officially complete.
“Take Two: a Hollywood Romance” is now DIRECTING ZAC!
Why the change?
Series cohesiveness. That’s a Fancy-Nancy way of saying that I wanted all the titles in the Lady Biker Series to be similar, so as to be more recognizable as a group. (All four books have now been tentatively titled; Book #2 coming out later this year is TEACHING TAD.)
Characterization. I still wanted a title that told the reader this book had elements of film-making (aka Hollywood) – ergo the “Directing”!
No More Puns. Just because I liked the play on words (“Take Two” for both the re-taking of a scene while filming, and in relation to a second chance for two people…) didn’t mean potential readers “got it.” And – without that ah-ha connection, I felt the title just didn’t compel readers to look closer.
Ever wonder how Zac came to be Gina’s leading man? Well, there’s a hint in the new PROLOGUE…
She’d had a dozen more auditions after Zac’s. But now, with the wind and the feel of the Harley beneath her, her mind was cleared of everything else, and she knew. She wanted Zac Davies in the lead role.
She would probably have to fight Sylvester on it; he wanted a “bigger” name in the role. Zac wasn’t famous enough.
Yet, she thought.
Was he worth the fight?
Something told her he was.
(More about DIRECTING ZAC)
