Born and raised in New Jersey in a small country town full of horses, farms, wide open fields, and mountains as our backdrop, I never imagined how much bigger my world would become. I got my Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice and Associate of Science Degree in Crime Scene Technology and worked as a crime scene technician. I married the love of my life as he entered the US Marine Corps. Now, I'm a military spouse and a mother of two beautiful children. And I found my niche in writing.Experiencing the many outlooks, challenges, and hardships of military life and seeing not only my children but also my friends' children struggle with specific issues within that life, I have made it my mission to write about those issues and open a dialogue for conversations about them. I am the author of the children's books Daddy's Deploying, Kali's Travels, and My Star-Spangled Friend. This series means a lot to me.

I thank my son Deklan and daughter Kali for their compassion and understanding. They entrusted me with their feelings, which I could use to write these books. I hope it will help connect you with your child and show them that others feel the same. It's okay to feel as they do and to know we can do something about it. We can talk, share, and make sure they feel safe and loved wherever they are. -Marlene Norgard.