My first book, My Family Compass was published in 2012 under the pen name of Ann Stone to heal from family dysfunction.
My Facebook page www.facebook.com/ComesASoldiersWhisper began to honor my WWII 101st Airborne father’s service and his wartime letters written as a decorated paratrooper during the European battle campaign in Normandy, Holland and the Battle of the Bulge but resulted in honoring all wars, all veterans.
After my parents passed away in 1999 and 2010, I wrote my first book, My Family Compass and published in 2012 under the pen name of Ann Stone to heal from family dysfunction.
This led to publishing my 101st Airborne father’s wartime letters in the book, Comes A Soldier’s Whisper in 2013, opening the door for my expansion to Veteran Advocacy, compassion and understanding PTSD within my own family. Little did I know at that time, that some of what I perceived as dysfunction in my first book would later become identified as PTSD. I was now stepping outside of myself and my comfort zone but was compelled to move forward.
The book, Vietnam And Beyond, evolved and published in 2014 after I discovered that Jim Markson, my ex-husband, had possession of his wartime letters sent home to his mother from Vietnam between 67-68 all the way past the TET Offensive. We collaborated together to tell his story with his profound and insightful reflections looking back over the past 40 plus years with 37 veterans of war and their stories ranging from WW2 to Afghanistan showing that the soldier’s message is a universal one.
These books have changed me in a profound and totally unexpected way. This is my life journey that I believe can be shared by many others whose family members have served in the military. And now, we have a children’s book launching in May 2015 for military families and their children. For more about me: about.me/jennylas51
These books are not only a beautiful gift for the holidays for the veteran in your life but have an important message to help understand the past and move forward to the future.
May God Bless each and every one of you.
Jenny Tharp La Sala
www.VietnamAndBeyond.com
*Next Project: Children’s Book 2015
