This week I’m hosting Debra Clopton with Her Unexpected Cowboy, Ronie Kendig with Beowulf (US only) and Lenora Worth with Bayou Sweetheart. If you want to enter the drawings for the books, please leave a comment on one of the post during the week with your email address. I will not enter you without an email address (my way to contact you if you win). If you don’t want to leave an email address, another way you can enter is to email me at margaretdaley@gmail.com. The drawings end Sunday (Jan. 12th) evening.
Interview with the hero from Beowulf by Ronie Kendig:
1. Tony, tell me the most interesting thing about you. I’m the most likeable guy you’ll ever meet—well, that and a I give out candy gets makes me a favorite around town—or village, considering how much time I’ve spent in Afghanistan lately.
2. What do you do for fun?
Relax. No, seriously—when you’re deployed and in a constant state of vigilance during war, relaxing is a luxury.
3. What do you put off doing because you dread it?
Admittedly – sometimes, I dread going home, especially around 4th of July and New Years. The fireworks are awesome, but they are also loud and remind my father too much of ‘Nam. We have to batten down the hatches during those holidays to protect his mind from snapping. I gotta admit—sometimes, those flashbacks happen to me, too. Just can’t help it when you live and breathe war 24/7.
4. What are you afraid of most in life?
Ending up like my dad, which might seem contradictory considering how I answered #6, but I don’t want to be a burden to anyone—not that I see him like that, but I’m around enough to see what Mom goes through, taking care of him, protecting him, talking him down when he thinks she’s the enemy.
5. What do you want out of life?
Not sure I ever thought about that. I just want to do right by myself and others, to do what I feel called to do—protect those who can’t protect themselves.
6. What is the most important thing to you?
My dad. He’s my hero and the reason I signed up. That might sound stupid if you knew how my father ended up—half the time, his mind’s in the wrong decade—but the man had courage and raised a family in spite of all the trauma he endured in ‘Nam. When things get crazy, I try to remember that. Remember him.
7. Do you read books? If so, what is your favorite type of book?
Most of my reads are books by Oliver North—love his American Heroes series. I know some guys in his books. I also like Bob Hamer’s fiction titles because they’re a little more real-to-life than your average fiction read.
8. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
Sometimes, my fun side is a little too much for some people. I like to make people laugh and to keep things on an even keel, but sometimes that annoys the more uptight people. There are times, I wish I could be more reserved like Captain Watters.
9. Do you have a pet? If so, what is it and why that pet?
I’m often pounding the ground in other countries, so it wouldn’t be very smart for me to have a pet.
10. If you could travel back in time, where would you go and why?
Probably back to ‘Nam, maybe tip off my old man about what was coming. Save him—and my family—some heartache and nightmares.
