Reviews/Endorsements:
Praise for the First Edition
From military spouses:
"Must-read for military spouses! As a new military spouse, I had been struggling (like many) with an almost hopeless feeling when it came to pursuing my dreams. In my particular case, Southern Alabama is not the place an aspiring actress wants to be stuck! However, after reading Help! I'm a Military Spouse, my spirit was uplifted and I realized that there are soooo many ways to pursue my goals--no matter where the Army sent us! With my renewed drive and new insight, I was able to do some networking and get myself into a NYC acting class, as well as land a principal role in a local movie. The book is funny, inspirational, and shows you that there is a way! Since I've read Help! I'm a Military Spouse, great things have been happening for me. Go out and get this book now!"
-- Nikki C. Thomas, Ft. Rucker, AL
"Holly and Kathie's book is full of ‘you can do it’ stories from front cover to back. Not only do they have lots of stories of others that have been successful, they have included practical (and fun) exercises in the book to help you on your way. I especially appreciate the message of balance and establishing your priorities. Holly and Kathie have written a great book to help you see everything as an opportunity and discover your purpose in life. This is a must-read for all military spouses or anyone wanting to make big changes in their life. Life is an adventure . . . live it!"
-- Phyllis Ward, Ft. Leonard Wood, MO
"A must-have book! As a military spouse of nine years, I’m so happy to see a book like this come out. I have volunteered and worked for many Marine Corps programs, and I hear over and over again spouses complain about their circumstances and how life is on hold until the next duty station or until the Marine leaves the service. This book helps you to not only identify your goals with practical steps, but how to go about achieving them in this military life. Holly and Kathie provide an abundance of resources--Web sites, books, magazines, and inspiring testimonials of successful military spouses. No matter how long you have been with the military, this book is a must-have! An excellent read with easy steps to follow and loaded with helpful advice."
-- Lori Cleymans, Iwakuni, Japan
"An excellent tool for military spouses! I personally know Holly Scherer and can truly say she is the ultimate military spouse goddess. She served as my role model when I was a newlywed military spouse many years ago. When I first married, I didn't like what I saw for my ‘military spouse’ future. I was an Army brat but it’s one thing to be a child of a military member (and another to be) married to one. I had a career before I married and had to give it up in order to move along in my husband’s career. I thought that once you marry into the military, you become a second-class citizen and walk ten steps behind your husband. I also believed the only career you could have being married to the military was either a nurse or teacher because there was always a need for those positions and they were transferable. I found out through Holly’s wisdom, expertise, and love that that is absolutely not true. There are so many opportunities, volunteer or paid, or ones you create yourself that are out there for us. Spouses do have choices, and Holly ever so sweetly guided me in the right direction. And now her book she has co-authored gives all of us the tools we need to survive and thrive."
-- E. Feigenbaum, Missouri
"Military spouses need this book! I attended the workshop Holly and Kathie put on here in Japan. It was the best and most useful workshop I have attended. This book is based on that workshop and its information plus more resources, shared experiences, and other insights I was thrilled to read! I read the book from cover to cover in two days (which is quite a task with four kids and a part-time job!). I believe that every command should present this book to its service members’ wives when they marry, as well as offer it through Family Team Building Offices worldwide!"
-- S. Ealy, Iwakuni, Japan
"In the ten years I’ve known Holly and Kathie and attended their workshops, there are no two women who have offered more practical tips for self-growth that are actually doable for me as a military spouse. Spoken from the heart and from their own trials, this book will speak to everyone who reads it and is in pursuit of their dreams."
-- Cathy Sterling, Army spouse
"There has never before been a book like this for military spouses. Fifty years ago as an Army bride, my husband presented me with a copy of a book called The Army Wife. It was full of such intimidating, impossible rules that I nearly hit him with it. Now comes Help! I'm a Military Spouse crammed full of help, encouragement, and practical tips. Just a glance at a few of the hundreds of headings includes ‘Start your Heart’s Desire File,’ ‘Get Help for Your Dreams,’ and ‘Ask for Help, Offer Help, Accept Help in These Challenging Times.’ All of these tell you that here is a chance to stretch out and reach for a life that is uniquely your own while still living up to the challenges of a military life. Holly and Kathie, just one question. Where were you fifty years ago, when I needed you?"
-- Dorothy J. Wilhelm, military wife, widow, and mother, Tacoma, WA
"This book is a must-have for all my friends who have a spouse deploying and for any new spouse I come in contact with."
-- Connie Fullerton, Army spouse
"Hoo-ah! Or, as we say in the Coast Guard, Bravo Zulu for a great book!"
-- Elaine Wilhelm-Hass, Coast Guard spouse
From other authors:
"This book is based on the workshops that Hightower and Scherer give to military spouses. I attended one of their workshops and it was great, but the book is even better. Like the workshop, it’s giving me step-by-step instructions on how to make my life more exactly what I want it to be. I may not have much control over my husband’s career and where it takes us, but this book reminds me that I still control the rest of my life. And since it’s a book, I can refer back to it again and again. It’s also filled with resources, lists of other helpful books, and Web sites."
-- Kristin Henderson, Navy spouse and author of While They Were at War, www.kristinhenderson.com
"The definitive self-help book for military spouses! Authors Kathie Hightower and Holly Scherer have crafted a military family resource book that comes at a time when this kind of self-help literature is greatly needed. Their book, Help! I'm a Military Spouse: I Want a Life Too! is the best book of its kind on the market today. It takes on real concerns and issues that face modern military families. Although this book deals mainly with issues related to female spouses (only 6 percent of military spouses are male), I think some of the information contained could apply to both genders. This book is an upbeat, proactive approach to life. This is a MWSA 5-star-rated book! It is a must-buy for all military families! This is best book of its genre--period!"
-- Bill McDonald, president of the MWSA (Military Writers Society of America), www.militarywriters.com
"This book is a welcome and long-needed addition to the resources available to military spouses. Help! I'm a Military Spouse: I Want a Life Too! recognizes that many military spouses want and deserve the chance to pursue their own personal and professional goals and gives them the tools to do it. Military life necessarily involves sacrifice and comprise, but Kathie and Holly show us that, with a little ingenuity and determination, it need not be an obstacle to having a full and meaningful life on every level."
-- Jessica Redmond, Army spouse and author of A Year of Absence, www.survivingdeployment.com
"Hightower and Scherer have crafted a fine tool for military spouses that will help people make their dreams come true! This great resource is full of practical advice as well as real-world examples that will empower spouses to have a life of their own while supporting their partners in the military lifestyle. This book belongs on the shelf of every military family who wants to get more out of their new life!"
-- Ellie Kay, Air Force spouse, international speaker, media personality, and best-selling author of eight books including the Gold Medallion Book award finalist, Heroes at Home, www.elliekay.com
"Help! I'm a Military Spouse will help you rediscover dreams and talents, and even create a few new ones. Most important, it teaches that your dreams are just as important as your husband’s, and it trains you to start thinking that way. It’s not about rebelling against military life; it’s about taking advantage of military life and using some creativity to fulfill your own dreams. In essence, the authors have finally articulated the lessons of experienced military wives in a way that brings peace of mind. What took me seven years as a military wife to learn, Kathie and Holly explain in concise and very funny chapters full of wonderful anecdotes."
-- Meredith Leyva, Navy spouse, founder of CinCHouse.com, and author of Married to the Military
"What a treasure trove of cutting edge information, soul satisfying comfort, and inspiring stories. Kathie and Holly have used their considerable life experience and amazing research to design a basketful of tools perfectly tailored to the challenges of military life."
-- Jennifer Louden, creator of www.comfortqueen.com and author of Comfort Secrets for Busy Women
"I love this book! Kathie and Holly have created a resource for all women that will make you laugh, cry, and most of all, know that you are not alone. Even though the book is focused on military spouses, it is filled with creative ideas and heartfelt advice that will touch everyone who reads it. I marked at least twenty pages to use in my own life! Thank you, Kathie and Holly, for helping us all find our way in this oft-confusing world."
-- Barbara Glanz, author of Care Packages for the Home and Balancing Acts, www.barbaraglanz.com
"Reading this book is like having a heart-to-heart talk with your best friend. In it, you’ll find wisdom, support, humor and understanding. Accomplished authors Hightower and Scherer are proof that it’s possible to enjoy all the rich adventures of military life and to follow your own dreams, too."
-- Susan Wiggs, author of Oceans Between Us, a New York Times bestselling novel about a Navy spouse, www.susanwiggs.com
"Military spouses have unique challenges of their own and this book shows you how to handle them with dignity, class, enjoyment, elegance and panache."
-- Mark Victor Hansen, co-creator of the No. 1 New York Times bestselling series, "Chicken Soup for the Soul," and co-author of The One Minute Millionaire
". . . .thow who seem to have the best outlook on military life are those who share the outlook these authors exemplify in the resource-rich pages of this book. Highly recommended for all military spouses, and spouses new to military life in particular."
-- Michael Haaren, www.ratracerebellion.com
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