Who helped along the way?

Almost every writer gets a helping hand along the way. Besides the friends and family who are always prepared to offer a bit of loving abuse, there are others who come along and join the party. Lisa Pietsch came to me through our mutual friend, Dave D.  He’s one of my beta-readers and he suggested that I might want to talk to Lisa.  She had already published several novels in her Task Force 125 series, and Dave thought she might be able to answer some of my 101 questions.

In the course of putting us together, Dave did what he always does, and made a smart a** comment.  It turns out that Lisa and I had both worked with Dave, just not at the same time. Probably a good thing for Dave. I had been Dave’s first sergeant and Lisa was once his flight sergeant.  Being the strong minded, kick a**, military goddesses that we are – we responded to his comment by abusing him as a tag team.  Brilliant man that he is, Dave quickly gave up after a parting comment to us, “I knew you were both cut from the same cloth, one is just older!”  I’m proud to be the older one.  The adage about “old age and treachery” should come to mind.  And yes – Lisa and I are cut from the same cloth – camouflage! Make us angry and you will likely see another cloth – your death shroud.

Lisa and I had hit it off immediately as you can tell. The first time I asked her to look at a chapter for me, I was so nervous and excited that I messed up the attachment.  Instead of getting the first two chapters of Protecting Parker, she received a later chapter that was of a much more intimate nature.  I was beyond embarrassed by my faux pas, but absolutely ecstatic when she told me I wrote “good sex.” Once I got over my embarrassment, I finally managed to send her the first two chapters. Lisa didn’t pull punches. She was both honest and encouraging, confirming what I already knew – she must have been a hell of a good flight sergeant!

Lisa’s a terrific writer!  Military, action, adventure, and romance combine to provide entertaining reads.  She’s now bringing that same energy and enthusiasm into the paranormal.  She has become a generous friend who has encouraged me at every opportunity.  I’m hopeful that when we finally get together for the dinner I owe her that Dave D. will be available to join us. First so I can thank him for putting me together with Lisa, but mostly so the smart a** can serve as our personal slave.  He freely admits to everyone that Lisa and I kept him out of a lot of trouble in our time – the least he can do is post our damn bond!

Please visit Lisa at her website www.lisapietsch.com.  She’s always entertaining, often over the top, always a good read, and as I said, a generous friend.