Saving Jason by E.J. Hanagan

Today I welcome author E.J. Hanagan to the Books, Beer & More Blog to talk about her new release: Saving Jason.... Be sure and read all the way through to learn more about this compelling-sounding novel. There is a link to a rafflecopter contest at the end. The author is giving away a $50 Starbucks Card to one randomly selected winner!



My debut novel, Saving Jason, depicts the strain that PTSD can cause on a family and relationships.  Jason Barnes, the main character, is a combat veteran who suffers from severe PTSD. The story is told from two different perspectives-one is his current girlfriend and the other is his ex-wife.  While Jason appears to be a free spirit with an upbeat personality, the reader gains insight to the anguish that silently haunts him.  As the story unfolds, Jason’s secrets surface and you learn that there are always different sides to a story and it takes every character in the novel to ultimately save Jason. 
Having been in the military myself, I’ve had several friends experience the harsh realities of war and I’ve witnessed firsthand what it can do to a person.  Those in combat forces are trained to be strong and always put on a brave face.  They signed up to not only defend their country but also their fellow soldiers.   Oftentimes even those with severe PTSD won’t admit their pain because that means that they will be taken off of a battlefield that they have built bonds on.  In some sense, the combat itself is the easy part for them, but when they come home, it’s another story.  They are thrown into a world of normalcy but their minds are still trying to dig through the turmoil of what they experienced in combat.  An example of this is the 4th of July.  While the rest of the country celebrates the 4th of July with fireworks and some delicious beer, these vets go into hiding as the sound of the blasts in the sky take them right back to the front line.  While there are a lot of great organizations out there backing up PTSD education, it still somehow falls under the radar more than it should. 

While this is fiction, Jason’s character is based on a close friend of mine. While PTSD has been the result of several wars, and has affected far too many soldiers, it has slipped under the radar because the world has yet to have a firsthand glimpse into how it alters families and relationships.  My hope is that Saving Jason will contribute to helping educate the world on this hot topic.







Jason Barnes is a free spirit. Underneath that fun-loving surface lurks a severe case of PTSD, his personal souvenir from the war on terror. After his young marriage breaks up, he bounces from girlfriend to girlfriend, never allowing himself to get too close, all while maintaining a friendship with his ex-wife, Samantha Colton.
Everything changes when he meets Abby Jacobsen, a smart and sassy artist – but with love comes jealousy, and Abby doesn’t stand for Jason’s cozy friendship with Samantha. Two hours after a heated argument causes Jason to storm out of their apartment, Abby receives a phone call from the intensive care unit of a New Hampshire hospital. The hospital walls close in on Abby and Samantha as they are forced to make tough decisions while trying hard not to kill each other. The two form a rare bond when Emma Jane, Jason’s mom, arrives on the scene. Three weeks after Jason’s accident, Abby is left alone and hovering over a handful of positive pregnancy tests. During her pregnancy, Abby works with Samantha to dig up clues of Jason’s past. As the truth is discovered, their worlds are irreversibly changed.
An emotionally-moving look at PTSD and the intersection of three lives, Saving Jason is a riveting glimpse into unexpected friendships and the ripples we leave without our knowledge.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXCERPT
It seldom rains in southern California, which is why the balmy, wet air had struck me that day as a sign that something was about to go terribly wrong. I wound and dipped along the winding road of Camp Pendleton, taking the turns more slowly than ever before. Although I had driven this route a thousand times in the past two years, I felt the need to go more slowly, to prolong saying goodbye to Jason. As soon as I pulled into the entrance labeled “Location of Departure,” a million emotions invaded me all at once, and the tears began to trickle, ever so gently down my cheeks.
“Alright, this is it.” Jason, far too happy to be going off to war, said as he leaned in for one sweet, subtle goodbye kiss. Opening the back door of our tiny VW Golf, Jason retrieved his pack and hauled it on his back effortlessly as I met him on the passenger side of the car. I remember the sound of the wet, rocky dirt crunching beneath my feet. Knowing Jason all too well, I tried to avoid a sappy emotional goodbye scene. Instead, I gathered a last bit of strength and wrapped my arms around him. Burying my face in his freshly issued desert camouflage uniform, I allowed a few tears to slip out, leaving them behind on his collar as if to send him off with a piece of me.
“I love you. I'll be fine. Remember, this is what I was trained to do. This is what I signed up for.” He enveloped my face in his strong, callused hands.
"Just don't die, okay? Promise me that. Promise me."

"I promise you. I love you always.” I love you always: the four words we so conveniently passed back and forth since we first started dating. The four words that served as a goodbye on all phone calls and somehow managed to cure all our disagreements
About the author:
EJ Hanagan is a fitness fanatic, obsessive reader and animal lover. She currently lives in a sleepy little beach town just outside of Boston with her husband, their new aughter, and the family’s two giant Newfoundland dogs. After spending four years in the Air Force, she put her fire for fitness to good use and worked as a personal trainer while attending college. EJ credits the amazing, brave people she met in the military for giving her the passion and focus to raise awareness for veterans with PTSD. Her hope is to bring the invisible scars of war to the surface through her writing and community involvement.
You can learn more about EJ, her books, and her charity work at www.ejhanagan.com.
Connect with EJ online
Twitter: https://twitter.com/EJHanaganFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/EJHanaganbooks
 Buy your copy of Saving Jason:http://www.amazon.com/Saving-Jason-E-J-Hanagan/dp/1620155125


Now, let's win something,shall we? Click here to go to the Rafflecopter contest page!