Rebecca loved her life and everything about it. She loved the sounds of cadence in the morning and reveille when she went to sleep. She loved the feeling of safety and comfort emitted by the presence of soldiers in uniforms and heavy combat boots. She loved the constant visual reminder of their environment by seeing the high and tight haircuts that Carl and every other soldier sported. She especially loved the patriotic feeling of being a part of this unique community. She knew that it all eventually had to end, but she never expected it to end like this. Carl had left on a Routine Training Exercise eight months ago. Routine Training Exercises were supposed to be just that, routine. If that were the case, why was it that Carl had t returned? They were telling her that they didn't kw where he was, but she suspected that wasn't true. She didn't kw which to believe, them or her own instincts. After fourteen-years as a military spouse, there were only two things she never got used to. One was sleeping alone, and the other was moving day. She'd been sleeping alone for eight months w, and moving day was today. Where she would go, she didn't have a clue, but she knew she would figure it out. Eventually, she hoped she would figure it all out. What had happened to Carl? How would she manage to go on? Where would life take her next? For w, all she could do was let the breeze guide her through this, one day at a time.
Marianne A. McDonald lives in Goochland County, Virginia with her husband and children. She grew up in New England the youngest of six children. In 1989, she married a soldier and began experiencing a somewhat nomadic lifestyle before finally settling in Virginia. It's the Gentle Breeze that guides us is her debut novel and although it is a work of fiction, it is also deeply personal to the author. I hope that you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. -Marianne