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Why did you write "The Heart Behind the Hero"?
Karen: With Curt being a twenty-six year veteran firefighter, he was always coming home and sharing stories about calls he had been on, and life at the firehouse. We had talked, for years, about someday putting these stories in writing, but became truly serious when we finally attained Internet access. The whole world seemed to open up for us, and we realized we wanted to include stories from firefighters and paramedics across the country.
The Heart Behind the Hero was written with the intent of taking some of the most dramatic and life changing stories of firefighters and paramedics and not only telling these stories, but sharing an inside look at how these events affected them and, in some cases, changed their lives. The stories and essays truly reveal the emotions, feelings and spirit of today's American firefighters and rescue workers.
How did you put "The Heart Behind the Hero" together?
Karen: We e-mailed fire departments all across the country looking for stories, and found some great stories in other publications, as well. We selected stories that would interest both firefighters and the general public … stories that either had an unexpected twist or would have some emotional value for the reader. We want our readers to walk away with something learned … a deeper sense about these brave men and women who are willing to risk their lives for others
Curt: We worked with each contributor to edit their stories, going back and forth until each story truly touched our hearts … then we arranged the chapters so the stories would flow comfortably for our readers.
Karen: The stories were selected to reflect the true spirit and emotions of today's American firefighters. Our first two chapters are stories about calls that deeply touched, and changed, the lives of these courageous men and women. The next two chapters, "On A Lighter Note" and "Rookies" are stories that reflect the lighthearted and humorous side of firefighters and rescue workers. Our final chapter, "A Tribute to Our Fallen" are essays which pay tribute to those who lost their lives in the line of duty.
How is "The Heart Behind the Hero" different than other firefighter books?
Curt: The stories included not only share the excitement and intensity of being in the middle of tragic events, but also offers a behind the scenes look at what goes on in the hearts and minds of firefighters and paramedics during and after their involvement.
It is also different in that each story was written by the actual firefighter or paramedic … offering a rare personal insight to their thoughts and feelings.
Finally, to our knowledge, it is the only book that has a collection of essays and poems written in honor of our fallen. It includes an everlasting tribute with a listing of all firefighters who lost their lives in the line of duty as recognized by the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation.
What do you hope readers will gain by reading this book?
Curt: We hope that firefighters and paramedics will enjoy the stories as they relate to their own lives, and realize that our brother/sisterhood has no boundaries-that firefighters and rescue workers go through the same emotions and experiences across the country and around the world.
Karen: It is also our hope that the general public will take the time to read this book and gain insight into the men and women who respond to their calls for help. Firefighters and rescue workers are emotionally involved in each call and they sacrifice their hearts each and everyday for the citizens in their community.
Is there a "Heart Behind the Hero: Part 2" in the works?
Curt: Yes, we are working diligently on collecting stories for a sequel to "The Heart Behind the Hero". We are looking for stories that respectfully represent the hearts and minds of today's American firefighters, ranging from life-changing calls (the difficult calls that never leave our memories or hearts) … to humorous calls, rookie stories and firehouse antics. The goal is to represent firefighters and rescue workers in an honest, three-dimensional, positive light.
Story submissions can be sent to: submitstory@firestories.com. We will work with contributors to edit each story that is selected to be included in the book. The deadline for submissions is December 20, 2001. The sequel is scheduled to be published in the Summer of 2002.
Do you have a website?
Karen: Yes, our website is www.firestories.com. There you can view newspaper articles, reviews, excerpts and author tour information. You can also purchase an autographed copy through our on-line bookstore!
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