On Taking Dares and Bettering the World

So, a long time ago (back when dinosaurs walked the earth) I took a friendly bet. A bet that changed my life. I’m sure the conversation went something like this:

Me: I think I want to go to military school.
Friend: You wouldn’t last one week at military school.
Me: No, I’m serious. I think I want to go to a military college.
Friend: I’m serious, too. You wouldn’t last one week.
Me: I bet I would.
Friend: I bet you wouldn’t.
Me: Oh yeah? How much.
Friend: Twenty-five bucks. Twenty-five bucks says you can’t last a year at a military university.
Me: Oh yeah? You’re on.

So for twenty-five bucks and a lot of guilty-talk from my mom like:
*You’ll have to wear camouflage? Joy, people will think you’re a boy.
*Your kids (I was 19 at the time, remember!) will get picked on in school. People will say “Your mama wears combat boots!” (I’m serious. This was an actual argument against me attending military school.)

But I was not to be swayed. $25 was mine if I could just make it through a year of military school. While the experience was not all fun and games, and there were a lot of tears and threats of quitting on my part, I MADE IT!!!!!! I completed my Rook year at Norwich University!


FAST FORWARD TWELVE YEARS


I am still owed $25 for my military school victory. My "friend" says she doesn't even remember the bet, but believe you me, I still bring it up every time I can!


Now I live near another military institution and a few years ago my husband and I adopted a “rat,” a freshman going through all the rigors of being a first year in a military school. We took her to Wal-Mart, made her dinner, and did everything we could to give her a family away from her home. Silvia is now in the Army and serving in Afghanistan. She loves to read and devours anything I can get my hands on to send to her. I am running out of ideas (and money) to supply her with books and so thought I would throw the gauntlet to the publishing industry.


My goal is to provide books or ARCs to my “rat” and her company. I also have other acquaintances from Norwich who are serving overseas. If the outpouring of love is great, I will send books to other places as well. You don’t have to agree with the war or with the military in order to participate in this venture. I will accept books of any type (kids, YA, adult, genre)—it doesn’t matter!


I’m not asking for a monetary donation, just a book donation! If you are interested in helping, please e-mail me at joynhensley at gmail dot com. Thanks for thinking of Silvia and all the other people serving overseas!