Stories Around the Table: Laughter, Wisdom, and Strength in Military Life is an unprecedented collection of stories and essays from more than forty military family writers. From bestselling authors to compelling new voices, these military spouses, parents, children, and service members candidly start a conversation about many different aspects of military life.
The writers are listed here alphabetically by last name. To find out more about a writer, follow the link to his or her individual author page.
Anna Alexander* ~ “The Day Before the Wedding” (p 98)
Stacy Allsbrook-Huisman ~ “Dot to Dot, Friend to Friend” (p 15)
Samantha Andrew* ~ “Growing Our Family” (p 75)
Marna Ashburn ~ “Manners Still Matter” (p 195)
Terri Barnes ~ “First, You’re Gonna Hate It” (p 36)
Tanya Biank ~ “Having It All” (p 243)
Janine Boldrin ~ “Drawn and Quartered” (p 48) and “Coping With Serious Illness” (p 91)
Alison Buckholtz ~ “My Oxygen Mask” (p 218)
Amy Bushatz ~ “Something’s Rank” (p 19)
Angela Caban ~ “What Strength Looks Like” (p 226)
Randi S. Cairns ~ “Military Kids in a Civilian World” (p 189)
Tara Crooks ~ “Better With Battle Buddies” (p 28)
Judy Davis ~ “My Son’s Battle” (p 184)
Adrianna Domingos-Lupher ~ “Smart Money” (p 246)
Jacey Eckhart ~ “Smokin’ Hot Romance” (p 140)
Janet I. Farley ~ “What’s Missing?” (p 258)
Julia Gibbs ~ “Our Hearts Are Big Enough” (p 165)
Jacqueline Goodrich ~ “Strength of a Little Warrior” (p 160)
Jocelyn Green ~ “Speaking the Same Language” (p 150)
Mollie Gross ~ “Tale of the Meat Man” (p 210)
Diana Hartman ~ “Write in Pen” (p 12)
Artis Henderson ~ “Secondary Losses” (p 104)
Kristin Henderson ~ “Alive Day” (p 60)
Starlett Henderson ~ “Challenging My Normal” (p 41) and “Seven Things on the Table” (p 57)
Lori Hensic ~ “Stick Your Neck Out There” (p 31)
Kathie Hightower ~ “Dare to Dream” (p 252)
Jeremy L. Hilton ~ “Rules of the Road Less Traveled” (p 86)
Sarah Holtzmann ~ “Ready-Made Family” (p 170)
Sue Hoppin ~ “With a Little Help From My Friends” (p 262)
Sara Horn ~ “Where My Strength Comes From” (p 71)
Benita Koeman ~ “Home, Sweet Homeschool” (p 180) and “Friends in Need, Friends in Deed” (p 230)
Julie LaBelle ~ “Don’t Forget the Kids” (p 206)
Thomas Litchford ~ “Moving the Lighthouse” (p 134)
Lisa Smith Molinari ~ “Secrets of My Success” (p 234)
Brenda Pace ~ “The Perfect Move” (p 44)
Chris Pape ~ “Why I’m Off Base” (p 52)
Karen Pavlicin-Fragnito ~ “Star Light, Star Bright” (p 115) and “Buy More Underwear” (p 223)
Susan A. Phalen ~ “Our Roots: Not Deep but Far and Wide” (p 199)
Briley Rossiter ~ “Loving My Sister” (p 81)
Kristine Schellhaas ~ “Living for Griffin” (p 108)
Holly Scherer ~ “The ‘Ain’t It Awful?’ Club” (p 23)
Sarah Smiley ~ “Taking My Medicine” (p 66) and “Locations: Yours, Mine, and Ours” (p 147)
Chris Stricklin ~ “Love’s Tide Stronger Flows” (p 154)
Amanda Trimillos ~ “School Choices and Changes” (p 174)
Lori Volkman ~ “Marriage Pig Latin” (p 122)
*These two authors chose to write under a pseudonym due to the sensitive nature of their essays.