WRITING AND RESEARCHING

November 4, 2023

Writing requires more than creativity. It also needs research to be accurate. I always do extensive research when writing about a topic I know little or nothing about. One day recently, by chance I came upon an email exchange from 2014 while writing VANILLA GRASS. At the time, I was unable to develop the story further until I spoke to someone at the Army Medical Center in Tacoma WA. From there, I was directed to call Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Pierce and Thurston counties WA. I explained I was an author writing a novel about a fictitious Vietnam War veteran who wanted to start a program for problem teens and have them visit the wounded soldiers at the Army base. I had questions about this and inquired who to contact. Once I received that information, I phoned the Army Public Affairs Office in New York City and got transferred to the proper authority. Success! I hope you find the following exchange between us interesting. Now, when you read VANILLA GRASS or give it as a gift to a veteran for Veterans Day, Memorial Day, or Christmas, you will know some of the backstory about what went into writing this book. 

 

• From: "Ebbeson, Jay J CIV USARMY MEDCOM MAMC (US)" <jay.j.ebbeson.civ@mail.mil>
  Date: April 2, 2014 at 1:12:18 PM MST
  To: Leslie Bratspis <xxxxxxxxxxxxx@yahoo.com>
  Subject: RE: Research questions for novel (UNCLASSIFIED)
  
  
  Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
  Caveats: NONE
  
  Leslie,
  
  Thanks for your e-mail.  Your first step is to contact the Army Public Affairs Office in New York City (Office of the Chief of Army Public Affairs--Northeast).  This Army Public Affairs Office is charged to assist authors on book projects.  If they can help you with your questions, they will then most likely direct you to the Office of the Army Surgeon General for specific assistance.
  
  Please call (212) 784-xxxx or (212) 784-xxxx.  You can also click on:  http://www.army.mil/info/institution/publicAffairs/ocpa-northeast/ for additional details.
  
  I hope this helps.  Good luck on your book project.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  Jay J. Ebbeson
  Public Affairs Officer
  Madigan Army Medical Center
  Tacoma, WA  98431
  (253) xxx-xxxx
  Serving to Heal...Honored to Serve
  
  
  -----Original Message-----
  From: Leslie Bratspis [xxxxxxxxxxx@yahoo.com]
  Sent: Tuesday, April 01, 2014 2:20 PM
  To: Ebbeson, Jay J CIV USARMY MEDCOM MAMC (US)
  Subject: Research questions for novel
  
  
  
  Hello Jay,
  
  I was referred to you by the public affairs office to answer some research questions for a novel I'm currently writing. In this book a Vietnam war vet is attempting to start an on-going voluntary service program for the town's unmotivated teenagers with a harsh reality check, thus giving them perspective they've been lacking and motivating them to do volunteer work. This solider rescues and trains a Golden Retriever to become a licensed comfort dog through Pet Partners to visit the ward of active military recovering from injuries. He wants to rescue and train more dogs with the teens' involvement, and then take trained dogs and teenagers to visit recovering solders once a week. Here are my questions:
  
  1. Is there a ward for wounded soldiers at the Madigan facility?
  2.  If so, what types of injuries would they be treated for? How many beds to a room/ward?
  3. Would there be a separate burn ward?
  4. Are the men and women soldiers segregated?
  5. Would licensed comfort dogs be allowed to visit? Would there be a limit to how many dogs allowed per visit? My thought was 2 or 3.
  6. Can the teens bring cookies for the soldiers?
  7. I have 4 troubled teenagers I hope to rehabilitate with this fictitious program. Would all 4 be allowed to visit with only 2 adults supervising, or would it require one adult per teen?
  7. Is there a physical therapy ward where visitors would be allowed to observe and interact?
  8. What kind of voluntary service program is currently in place?
  9. If this fictitious veteran wanted to start a program with local teenagers, what guidelines would they have to abide by?
  
  If there's any other information you think would be helpful as I write this novel, please include that with your response. Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. I hope to hear from you soon! Feel free to answer via email, but if you want to speak to me personally my phone number is xxx-xxx-xxxx.
  
  Best regards,
  Leslie Bratspis

BIRD SONG

 

 "Kill two birds with one stone.”

I’d sure like to flip the bird

to whomever thought of that one.

Do you suppose he–or she–

ate eggs for breakfast that morning?

A gift of nourishment from a

non-violent feathered friend.

 

Maybe it rained that day

and they donned a shiny blue raincoat

that made the drops fall like

water shedding off a duck’s back.

I’m no duck, but I prize my feathers

plain though they be,

and preen from time to time

though I’m no vain peacock.

 

I’m mostly gray, but

I wish my feathers were

white as snow,

yellow as the sun,

red as love, green as grass,

blue as the sky.

Sprinkles of color, like

wildflowers growing without a border.

 

At times, I’ve wished I had sleek black feathers,

elegant and important like the quill pen

that wrote the Declaration of Independence.

I’d have settled for black feathers

tipped with white; a feather duster

cleaning books and all the precious collectibles

gathered over years of travel and

searching for just the right thing,

the perfect accent on a table or mantel.

 

Or pink feathers to make a boa resting seductively,

light as a feather draped around a graceful

swan-like neck yearning to be kissed.

 

Once I dreamed of gifting

my feathers to a Native American chief:

Tecumseh, Sitting Bull, Tonto,

doesn’t matter.

Wild West movies with a warrior wearing

a war bonnet made from my feathers!

Each one a gift to signify an act of bravery.

 

What an honor to adorn the head of a warrior

instead of being one of thousands of feathers

stuffed inside a down comforter.

Lost in the fluff,

of no singular importance

other than naming a fabric softener.

 

Who am I, you ask?

I’ll give you some clues:

I’ve got a bird brain and bird legs.

Steve Miller can fly like an eagle

but yo no can do. I’m too old

to fly great distances.

 

From my perch in the tree

I’ve got a bird's-eye view

and one of me in the hand is

certainly worth two in the bush.

People sing a song and listen to me,

Harper Lee and Gregory Peck

immortalized me.

 

I’m a mocking bird

crazy as a loon,

wise as an owl

no harm, no fowl.

Birds of a feather stick together.

So, I think I’ll cross the road now

just like…well…you-know-who.

 

 

~ Leslie Bratspis

April 16, 2021

GOLDEN RING OF LIGHT AVAILABLE NOW!

YAY! After 12 months I completed the manuscript for GOLDEN RING OF LIGHT, the sequel to my first novel, GOOD FORTUNE. I never intended writing a sequel, but I received so many requests how could I refuse?

If you haven't read GOOD FORTUNE, now is the perfect time. Summer or winter, reading is a wonderful way to spend the afternoon. (That's me at the far end of the table at a book club meeting.) GOOD FORTUNE and GOLDEN RING OF LIGHT are available in both paperback and Kindle. 

While writing GOLDEN RING OF LIGHT, as before, I conducted extensive research into Chinese culture and customs. This time I added some additional information regarding Hawaiian folklore and beliefs. Otherworldly spirits also play their part in both Michael and Wu's journeys toward happiness.

Wishing you good fortune and light,

Leslie Bratspis

https://www.amazon.com/Good-Fortune-Leslie-Bratspis-ebook/dp/B0055AU4EC/

https://www.amazon.com/GOLDEN-RING-LIGHT.../dp/B078BQZT61/

DOGS HELP VETERANS AND CIVILIANS WITH PTSD

After Vietnam Vet, John Carrows rescues an abandoned puppy he starts to emerge from decades of self-imposed isolation. Here are some excerpts from page 112 "Vanilla Grass":

“Look at your new bed,” he said laying it on the floor. “Here’s a Nylabone and how about these biscuits?” He opened the box and offered her one, but she backed away. “C’mon, these are doggie treats. You’re gonna get them every day. Try it.” He held it toward her to tempt her. He watched her hesitate at first. She sniffed and finally grabbed the biscuit between her teeth. She finished it off, whined, and begged for another. “Oh, so you decided you like these? Okay, one more now, but you’ll have to wait till after dinner for dessert.” He held out another biscuit and this time she snapped it so eagerly she grazed his fingers with her teeth. “Ouch! You’ve got to learn some manners,” he said, rubbing where she bit him. “Sit, Sage.”

“Tomorrow, after you have your check-up, I’d better get a phone. What do you think?”

Sage continued chewing and he laughed at himself for thinking she’d have an answer.

He fixed himself a fresh pot of hobo coffee and put on one of the old scratchy gramophone records. He watched Sage laying on her new bed gnawing on her Nylabone. The fire was roaring and he felt content for the first time in forty years.

It's known that dogs are able to calm people battling PTSD when other attempts at conventional therapy have failed. Dogs have  heightened senses and know when triggers such as loud noises are about to cause panic and upset. They are trained to react by licking and being vocal to distract their human, and restore calm. Service dogs and comfort dogs are both emotional healers. Service dogs are trained to perform specific tasks. Comfort dogs are pets. To learn more about both, visit http://www.therapydoginfo.net/petpartners.html

Writing "Vanilla Grass" was important to me. There are two military bases nearby, and I often see military personnel walking around town in their fatigues. For decades the trauma of PTSD wasn't talked about. Things have changed and it's no longer a taboo subject. Also, where therapy for battle induced PTSD was only available through the VA and Tricare, new laws now make therapy available to see any licensed therapist in private practice contracted with the military.

To find some organizations devoted to matching veterans with trained service dogs, and resources for PTSD, visit my website and click on the Links tab.   www.lesliebratspis.com

"Vanilla Grass is available for Kindle download and is always free on KENP. Also available in paperback.

https://www.amazon.com/Vanilla-Grass-Leslie-Bratspis/dp/1611701961/

https://www.amazon.com/VANILLA-GRASS-redemption-Leslie-Bratspis-ebook/dp/B00PVFS15K/

Leslie Bratspis, Author

FEMALE SLEUTHS!

As a preteen I had the whole collection of Nancy Drew books. I'd settle in with one of her mysteries and read for hours, fascinated by the way a young girl about my age pieced clues together. That's why I featured female Detective Viola Hendricks in "White Dunes." What begins as a case to bring down a corrupt judge leads to several murders. Detective Hendricks doesn't stop digging for evidence until she arrests double-crossing thugs in the small desert town of White Dunes, California. As secrets are revealed through a combination of dogged sleuthing, coincidence, and fate, unexpected events emerge. Lives are changed in ways persons living on both coasts never could have predicted.

Page 133 "White Dunes"
Detective Viola Hendricks stood outside with her partner, Manny Santos, and a search team.

“Hello, Mr. Fielder. Good to see you again,” Manny said and the men shook hands. “We’re here to do an evidence search. Here’s your copy of the warrant.” He handed it over.

Josh glanced at the warrant. “Everything looks in order. Come inside, boys.” Josh nodded to Viola. “And you, too, Miss? I didn’t get your name.”

“Hendricks. Detective Viola Hendricks. And for the record it’s Mrs., not Miss.” She walked past him.

"GOOD FORTUNE" FEATURED ON BOOK OF THE DAY!

"Good Fortune" is being featured on Book of the Day!

http://bookoftheday.org/good-fortune-leslie-bratspis/

If you are interested in synchronicity, symbols, dreams, spiritual growth, life lessons, and even romance, you will enjoy reading this novel. All my books explore current social issues and share common themes of life lessons, compassion, personal growth, and the importance of service to others based on the Buddhist teaching that suffering and compassion are linked.

Chinese wisdom secretly passes through handwritten fortunes from Chow Lee Tong to an unsuspecting customer dining at Good Fortune restaurant. Tong is an aged scholar who, in his youth, was tutored by Grandfather in the small Asian village of Tong’s birth. Grandfather elicits a promise from his young grandson he will help others in need when they cross his path. “Good Fortune” is the tale of this promise kept. It chronicles the struggles Tong and his pupils face in their personal lives. When two men from different cultures unknowingly become connected by Tong’s wisdom, each must learn to overcome adversity through journeys of change. One pupil is an unsuspecting American stranger who never learns Tong is his secret mentor; the other is Tong’s obstinate son. Both men must learn in order to achieve happiness one must look beyond the obvious and have faith in a stronger, unseen source.

What readers are saying:

“The author completed extensive research into Chinese tradition and culture, and juxtaposes it excellently with the immigrant experience and transition into a new world. The idea and premise of the book sends an insightful and hopeful message about our past, its impact on our present and how we develop our own Good Fortune.”

“The author intertwines the lives and struggles of people from different cultures and generations in a memorable and heart-warming tale of love and hope. I particularly enjoyed reading about the Chinese culture/traditions and found the characters to be both interesting and authentic.”

“I love this book, bought randomly never expecting to enjoy its simplicity and lessons within. Good Fortune can make imagination soar and yearn for traditions that we often ignore and can be applied to our own life.”

“Ms. Bratspis melds two cultures into a story which reminds us that when times are the toughest, it may be a sign that it is time to change directions and abandon the path most trod.”

“Synchronicity, life lessons, multi-cultural, patience, acceptance and much, much more ... all woven together into a masterfully told story ...”

For more information about my books and to read free samples, visit my website: www.lesliebratspis.com and my Amazon author page https://www.amazon.com/Leslie-Bratspis/e/B005EJ438W/

May you have a wonderful day and be blessed with good fortune!

THE IMPORTANCE OF UNSELFISHLY SERVING OTHERS & EBOOK SALE!!!!

I wrote two novels about service to others from different perspectives. Service is so meaningful to me it's a theme I incorporate into my novels. My third novel (in editing stage) will continue this principle.

I volunteer for two organizations and donate to Disabled American Veterans and Golden Retriever Rescue. To be able to help those in need, humans and animals, is a blessing. By serving others, we are serving ourselves. Whether it be through volunteering, teaching, or donating money to worthy causes we believe in, it's all good.

"GOOD FORTUNE" is a novel about secretly helping others without expecting thanks. Tong, a wise, aged Chinese scholar helps anyone in need when they cross his path, and guides them on a personal journey toward happiness and success. This is a lesson instilled in him by his Grandfather when Tong was a lad.

Page 86 Grandfather instructs young Tong: "At least once in his lifetime, a man of conscience finds himself in the position of being a teacher to one in need of guidance. When faced with this duty, he is obliged to respond. Always remember, you are intimately connected from the moment you realize you have met one who is in need of a teacher and it is you who holds the knowledge they seek."

Tong devotes his life to doing good deeds. As an old man, when Tong overhears a stranger, Michael Hamilton, who has come to Good Fortune restaurant despondent over losing his job. Michael sits at a table outside Tong's office. Hidden from view, Tong listens to Michael's tale of woe and writes a guiding fortune that get switched into a fortune cookie. This is the beginning of the clandestine relationship with Tong as guide, and Michael his unknowing pupil. 

"VANILLA GRASS features John Carrows, a Vietnam Vet with PTSD who becomes a hero to the town's at-risk youth by teaching them perspective, responsibility, and important life lessons. In doing this, John begins the process of emotional healing and is able to rejoin society. He eventually meets a strong, independent woman named Colleen, and falls in love. The catalyst to all these changes in John's life is twofold.

First, John finds an abused one-eyed Golden Retriever puppy abandoned by his cabin, and saves her life. He recognizes Sage is another wounded soul. They each need each other and an immediate bond is formed.

Pgs 92-93, Outside he saw a bundle of red fur curled up beside his house. “What do we have here?” He squatted down and the bundle of fur sprouted four kicking legs. John estimated the female Golden Retriever puppy was nine months old and weighed only twenty-five pounds. She growled when he touched her and he quickly withdrew his hand. Shaking his head with disgust, he got up and walked down the path to the highway where he saw fresh skid marks and tire tracks in the dirt and assumed they were from the vehicle that dumped her. “Damn people,” he muttered, “dumping a puppy like she’s garbage . . . What should I call you? You’re still a pup, but you’ve been through so much already you’re wise beyond your age. Poor baby, abused and starving. Somehow you pulled through and survived despite everything. You kind of remind me of myself." 

Second, when three teenage boys attempt to rob John at gunpoint, he is forced out of hiding. Without planning to rejoin society, the years of self imposed isolation are over.

Pg 46, John took another step closer and Brent panicked. He reached behind, pulled his gun from his waist and pointed it at John. With one swift movement, John knocked the gun from Brent’s hand, got him in a headlock and held the wrist dagger aimed at his throat. Evan was so anxious he tossed his gun on the ground while his bladder released. John took another step closer and Brent panicked. He reached behind, pulled his gun from his waist and pointed it at John. With one swift movement, John knocked the gun from Brent’s hand, got him in a headlock and held the wrist dagger aimed at his throat. Evan was so anxious he tossed his gun on the ground while his bladder released.

“Don’t you boys know better than to pull a gun on a psycho like me?” John shouted. He kicked Evan’s gun aside with his boot and gave Brent’s neck a painful squeeze.

Pg 50, John took a breath and steeled himself before he walked into the police station with a small duffel bag. He removed his dark glasses and approached the front desk. “Can I speak to the deputy on duty?”

Pg 51“Have a seat.” The sheriff indicated an empty chair and went around his desk. He deposited his hefty frame into his chair and leaned back, placed a boot on top of the desk and crossed his ankles. He folded his hands behind his neck and grinned. “You surprised the hell out of me and not too many people can say that.” 

“I’ve been surprising myself lately.”

“So tell me, John, what brought you into town?”

“These.” John lifted the duffel bag and handed it across the desk to the sheriff. “There are two loaded guns inside. I took them away from a couple of punk kids.”

Both E-books are on sale this month for $2.99. Visit Amazon to read free samples and if you like what you read, please purchase and download! Thank you.

Leslie Bratspis, Author

http://www.amazon.com/Good-Fortune-Leslie-Bratspis-ebook/dp/B0055AU4EC/ref=pd_sim_351_1?ie=UTF8&dpID=41up9F0wLwL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR107%2C160_&refRID=1EW8C8JZ4VQGAK480REW

http://www.amazon.com/VANILLA-GRASS-redemption-Leslie-Bratspis-ebook/dp/B00PVFS15K/ref=tmm_kin_title_sr?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1454638955&sr=1-1

Visit my website: www.lesliebratspis.com

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