Paige Landry I finally made it. I graduated nursing school, and I found the perfect job. Things were great until a tornado blew through the emergency room, turning my life upside down. I don’t know if I can ever go back to the way things were before. Tornado survivors have a choice to rebuild, or pack up and move away. I’m twenty-two, and I know that one day I want the American dream: a husband, 2.5 kids and a white picket fence. But that’s the thing with rebuilding. What happens when the next tornado hits? Will I be blown away again? DH Rhoads Adrenaline. It’s fueled me since I was thirteen. It’s what I discovered while I chased tornadoes across Oklahoma. It’s what I craved on combat missions in helicopters in Afghanistan. It’s what I lived for, until one day when everything changed. Now, adrenaline is my drug. It numbs me when the memories become too much to bear. It reminds me that I don’t deserve a wife, 2.5 kids and a white picket fence. I’ve seen what tornadoes do to white picket fences. It’s ugly. I’m the tornado. I’ve already destroyed one family. Don’t chase me.
Author
Hazel James owes her writing career to her 12th grade English teacher, who wrote, “You should consider a career in writing” on the top of her short story. As a kid who grew up bringing books to the dinner table, Hazel took that advice to heart and became a journalist in the Army. Years later, Hazel read four books that gave her the courage to begin writing her own novels: Divergent by Veronica Roth, Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell, Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover, and Bright Side by Kim Holden. Hazel is best known for her military romance novels, which weave in pieces of her husband’s Army career and journey with PTSD. Connecting with readers and promoting the importance of mental health awareness will always be the biggest highlight of her career. Hazel lives in Tampa Bay, Florida with her husband and three children. When she’s not writing, she can be found knee-deep in a DIY project (usually accompanied by 90s music and a Diet Coke). For a list of upcoming events, go to www.authorhazeljames.com. Instagram and TikTok:@realhazeljames Facebook: www.facebook.com/realhazeljames Reader group: www.facebook.com/groups/hazelsnuts Professional Inquiries Hazel is represented by SBR Media. For inquiries regarding foreign rights, audio, and other media outlets, please contact Katie Monson at katie@sbrmedia.com.
