This is my introductory post for our new military blog, and
it’s probably the hardest one I’ll ever have to write. I’m sitting in the
hospital, watching my father struggle to breathe as he goes through the last
stages of lung cancer. He’s developed pneumonia and they’re hoping to get that
cleared up so he can at least go home for a little while. Hospice has already been called.
I’m going to save future blogs to talk about the military
men in my life, but I want to devote this one to one very special military man—my
dad. He was fifteen years old during World War II, and he still talks about how
frustrated he was that he wasn’t old enough to enlist—he tried anyway only to
be told to wait until he had a few hairs on his chest. 
When he turned eighteen he immediately enlisted in the Air
Force, and it wasn’t long after he was sent to Korea. For three years he served
overseas as an air traffic controller, and it’s not a time he ever talks about
very much other than to say it was a stressful job. That’s probably an
understatement.
I can talk about what a great dad he is—about how his dry
sense of humor would sneak up on you or that I get my love of sarcasm
naturally. He’s a good man. The best I know next to my husband, and he’s a
hero. He’s also one of my biggest fans and supporters. I remember when I
finished writing my very first romance novel, I gave it to him to read and
waited anxiously to see what he’d say. It was a spy thriller where my hero and
heroine both had a military background, and I can honestly say it was like most
first novels—it was terrible.
He finished reading and looked at me in that quiet way he
has and said, “It’s been a long time since I’ve been with one, but I’m almost
certain that’s not how a virgin would act during sex.” Other than having to sit
through that completely mortifying conversation where my dad critiqued my sex
scenes, he offered a lot of insight into that book. And twelve years later it’s
much easier for me to laugh at that conversation than it had been at the time.
It’s fitting that we’ve come full circle. I have another
military spy thriller, KILL SHOT, coming out on May 14th, and he was
able to read it several months ago before he was diagnosed with cancer. He
finished reading it and the next time he saw me he said, “You got this one just
right.” I couldn’t ask for better praise than that.
I also can’t think of a better way to honor him than by
dedicating that book to him. So I’ve decided to donate $1.00 of every pre-order
of KILL SHOT to the Prevent Cancer
Foundation. My hope and prayer is that he’ll still be with us May 14th
when the book comes out and he’ll be able to see how much was donated in his
name to help find a cure for this terrible disease.
I know everyone who is reading this has been affected by
cancer in some way—either through your own illness or watching it happen to a
loved one or a friend. We’ve raised more than $3,000 so far, and I hope you’ll
pass the word along and join the cause.
I just want to end this by saying, “Thanks, Dad, for being
my hero.”
Pre-Order Links:
Amazon: http://goo.gl/lxbgN
Amazon UK: http://goo.gl/tUDPk
Apple: http://goo.gl/RTVB2
Kobo: http://goo.gl/PDIJe
Lovely post, Liliana. I completely understand what you are going through. Lost my dad, a Navy man drafted from his Sr. year at Berkeley to build hospitals and landing strips getting ready for D Day. He was in the Seabees. He passed away the week my second book came out, last December. And I got to spend his last day at his bedside. He was my hero as well.
ReplyDeleteBut what better way for us, as daughters of real heroes, to celebrate the lives of these quiet, unassuming, wonderful men and role models, than to live our lives and bring characters into our books who will live forever after we are gone.
Super awesome stories about your Dad! He sounds like an amazing man :) I ran to pre-order my copy of Kill Shot so that I could do my small part. I also posted on my FB page and Twitter about the $1 going to the Prevent Cancer Foundation.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to read your book!