Kaye Michelle's Return of the Heroine Rich in History of Joan of Arc With Merge to Story of West Point Cadet...

"Dearest Archangel Michael, why is
it I find myself in this horrid
situation? What did I do wrong?
"Archangel Michael's deep voice
resonated clearly in my head.

"All the clergy in France could not condemn me," I shouted back at him proudly; I would not be bullied or tormented by a priest. "I completed a mission authorized by God. My wish is to return to Him. I am finished here..."

"I had not even a counselor assigned to assist me in this farcical trial. I realized that only a situation as absurd as this would be created by God for some reason beyond my simple understanding, so I honestly answered, "It is God's affair whether or not I am in a state of grace. With all humility, it is my wish to be in God's grace...always. For I would be most unhappy if I were not." God's opinion of me was a serious matter. Nothing mattered more...

"Archangel Michael, one of my three guardian angels, whispered in my ear, as he did frequently, offering counsel and instruction when I needed it. His presence, more important to me than break and water, always offered an insight to the situation at hand. Dearest Jehanne, the question was a scholarly trap. According to church doctrine, no one could be certain of being in God's grace. If you answered yes, then you would have convicted yourself of heresy. If you answered no, then you would have confessed of your own guilt. Well said..."

~~~

"Dearest child, you are so brave. You have done nothing wrong. Just as you were born to lift the siege of Orleans and deliver the crown of France to the dauphin, you were born for this...
Archangel Michael continued in a soothing resonant tone, Jehanne, you are a magnificent brave soul who has come to assist in the growth of humanity. You have come to illustrate two things. First by example, you have chosen to lead a life inspired by God, without an intermediary. Your life as a spiritual warrior will inspire many far into the future to follow the divine voice within. Second, your life as a prisoner will, by contrast, illuminate those out-of-balance seats within the royalty and hierarchy of the church.

~~~

Return of the Heroine:

 The Modern Legacy of
  Joan of Arc

By Kaye Michelle

Michelle has done an outstanding job in fleshing out the story of Joan of Arc so that it could be effectively used to create a "modern legacy" to a young woman who lives in today's world. Jane Archer might have faced a much more comparable situation than many of us have, but the story rings true so that women, and men, can see how the strength, the wisdom, the faith...and the knowledge can be gained through opening ourselves to guidance.

Jane Archer almost didn't make it when she was born. Although it is not specifically stated that way, there is an implication that she was miraculously touched that day--a day that was exactly 545 year later, May 20, 1976.

..."Never in her wildest dreams growing up in the
little state of Rhode Island did Jane ever think she
would be honored with the role of battalion
commander for her firstie year at West Point. In
her charge were three companies, D-1, E-1, and F-1,
consisting of three hundred and fifty cadets, their
leaders, and a small staff.
~~~

"Mary opened her mouth to let out a wait but before she could utter a round, a deafening clap of thunder tore at the sky over the barn. It felt as though the roof of the barn ripped open. The ground shook. Blinding lightning charged and illuminated the air all around them. The horses reared and bellowed and pulled at their restraints. They pounded the earth with their hooves.

"Mary felt electricity surge around her daughter's body and pass into her own heart, making it flutter, before it spread outward through her limbs. She swooned momentarily from the sheer force of it.

"Movement under her hands drew her gaze downward just as Jane's gold-speckled eyes flew open. For a moment the look in those familiar golden eyes appeared wise, ancient, knowing. Jane took a gasping breath in, sputtered it back out, then radiated her usual smile at her mother..."

                                                                     ~~~

As most times happen, nothing more was said about what had happened the day Jane was born. Did Joan even then, come to save her charge, so that she would be prepared to one day lead? Because it was not until later, after Jane had already become a cadet at West Point that she first heard Joan speak to her...

In her research, the author had read that Joan of Arc had been at one time separated from the commander to whom she reported. It is not known why, of course, but Michelle used it to created a romantic interest between the two. He was married, she a virgin who had pledge her innocence. But they did fall in love.

Now here is where I had at least an initial question, but the more I thought about it, the more I remembered where God had used human love in a plan... Essentially, the voices reminded her of her chastity; however, they did encourage her love, noting that in learning to love someone, she would learn to open her heart to the people of France, for whom she would be fighting, and to the thousands of men with whom she would spend time with in battle. Given her family background, this hypothesis seemed to ring true.

As Joan earned the respect of the men with whom she fought, Jane had been able to stand strong and earn recognition and respect of the leaders and cadets...

But that had not prepared her for what she learned was happening. One of her many meetings with cadets who needed assistance and guidance was with one of her former roommates, Sophia Michaels, who was now a company commander, and who brought a female yearling cadet. She had been assaulted.  "The cadet's body language put her on alert--hunched shoulders, drawn face, clenched fists. Jane's heartbeat kicked up a notch... This is Cadet Katherine Gage and she wants to report a rape. Sophia said and lifted her doe-shaped blue eyes skyward. As if to say, I can't believe I'm doing this again. The year before, another one of her charges had been raped and beaten. Sophia had taken it hard.
"Jane said, "Cadet Gage, do you wish to formally report  this rape to your chain of command?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"First, I am sorry this happened to you. Second, you need to know that this process is not simple and may not bring the results you may be looking for. Not many incidents of rape get reported because the chain of command is famous for letting the perpetrator go unpunished and instead questions the integrity of the victim.

~~~

Another addition to Joan of Arc's story was that she was raped by three men while she was held in prison. I don't doubt this one bit. But Joan knew that she must keep the maid image for the men--that she could never reveal that she was no longer a virgin.

While we may understand this need on Joan's part, after all this was taking place in the 1400s, to me and to all living women, keeping quiet about rape is just not an acceptable alternative, even though individual girls and woman might decide to do that for their own reasons. But at West Point? In any military installation?

It was then that Jane received guiding help from Joan of Arc and acted to do what she knew was right...

konigsberg.centerblog.net

www.flyingcircusofphysics.com

Joan of Arc was burned at the stake because of the evil men who hated her for what she represented.

The women who banded together at West Point symbolically fire walked in honor of a woman who had once died by fire...

This is of course a story of fiction that Kaye Michelle presents to her readers. It is, however, based upon her own personal, short stint at West Point... And you will see that she has conducted much research in support of her novel. She presents a list of her favorite references as well as contacts at the end. Jane Archer may not have actually done what she did in fiction...but I am sure that there are many untold stories of other women who have and will continue to speak out about the need to crush sexual violence within military actions--by all nations!

The author's signing of this novel to me shouted her own fight cry to others to "Live Courageously..." I applaud her for her own courage in writing this much-needed expose in novel form... May her novel reach the hands of those women across the nation and across the world who need to know there are still women fighting for freedom from evil men's abuse! Please open yourself to allow you to see and know who should read this book. It may be students, it may be wives, it may also be our cadets and soldiers now fighting... God be with you all... And if you have a female friend or relative in the service, send her copy--it might be exactly what she needs to read...


GABixlerReviews

KAYE MICHELLE is a teacher, author and healer who works inspiring others to find their courage within. She co-founded Franklin Yoga, has been published in the 2009 Chicken Soup for the Soul-Power Moms, and 2012 Stay at Home Moms.
Kaye also founded a nonprofit for environmental and human relief. Her experience being appointed to West Point as a young woman was a catalyst for her novel, RETURN OF THE HEROINE, and she is currently penning two more books.

An excerpt from RETURN OF THE HEROINE won an Honorable Mention in the 2009 Writer’s Digest Writing Competition and placed as a finalist in Hay House’s Visions Fiction Writing Competition in 2012. She published a short story released in March of 2009- Chicken Soup for the Soul-Power Moms, and 2012 Stay at Home Moms.

I believe everyone is more powerful than they think they are and that anything can be healed. Helping people experience their own infinity fills me with great joy.

Learn more about the author at her web site!

Joan of Arc dictated her letters. Three of the surviving ones are signed. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I'd never heard of this group or the song, but, somehow,

I wanted to finish this article with a joyful song...

Darcia Helle's Novel, Killing Instinct, Not for Squeamish But Excellent Story of Revenge and Justice...Haunting Characters Indeed!

"Sean glanced over at the workbench with what looked like longing in his eyes. Then he told Michael what

Jake had requested. Slow torture. Lots of suffering. Photos. Audio recording. Video.

"Audio and video?" Michael repeated in disbelief. "He wanted you to record the torture?"

"As unbelievable as that sounds." Sean said. "He wanted shots of her suffering. Close-ups of the wounds.

Essentially, a snuff film without the sexual content.

"Okay, that's beyond twisted. Did he say why he wanted these extras? Or why he wanted her to suffer?"

"...Sean got up, picked a screwdriver off the workbench and tapped it against his thigh....She's at my house."

"Who is?"

"Maria. The woman I was supposed to kill."

~~~ 

Violence In FictionI write suspense. Topics I’ve covered include domestic abuse, religious cults and hired killers. The nature of my chosen genre requires a certain level of detail to the violent scenes. But how much is too much?No doubt, if I asked ten people this question, I’d get at least five different answers. Each of us has our own limit, and tolerance varies widely. Maybe a better question would be, how much is enough? Read more...

"Over the past few hours, with prodding
from the remaining sewing needles, a
well-placed hammer, and his knowledge
of pressure points, he learned all about
the inner workings of Morpheus..."
~~~

Killing Instinct:

A Michael Sykora Novel

By Darcia Helle

If you get queasy when reading some scenes of murder,
please know that this is a graphic violent novel. I have
linked you to an article by the author so that you can learn
about her issues in writing her novels.

I admit I got squeamish at some of the scenes. so, frankly, I went looking on her site to see if there was anything related to the inclusion of torture details... I must say that I understood what she meant about the characters driving the acts, and It was persuasive for me, so much so that I wanted to read the first two books in the Michael Sykora series, so quickly downloaded copies for some weekend reading...

"William nodded as he passed, turning left only the
wide hallway leading toward the holding area. Jake
would have been spending his time in one of the many
soundproofed seven-by-five cells they'd built on this
wing. They housed all their stock separately. The
isolation kept them more manageable. Compliant.
Desperate. Terrified.
"Stock. That's how he thought of them. Merchandise.
Inventory. Their humanity rarely entered his mind.
"Jake had been brought to the intake room on the
near end of the holding area. Adam, one of their
long-time and most trusted employees, stood outside
the door. He straightened slightly when he spotted
William. "Hey, Boss," he said. "Lenny's inside with
the prey. Jake."
"William almost corrected Adam's choice of nouns.
Prey irritated him. The word sounded vulgar, somehow.
Made him think of pedophiles, which he serviced but
didn't want to associate himself with. He was aware,
though, that most of the men working the factory
referred to their stock this way. And this wasn't the
time to make a stand on that issue. He'd mention it to
Lenny. Dealing with the help wasn't his job.
"Adam pushed the door open and William stepped into
the room. The first thing he noticed was the repugnant
smell of fear. Hot and sour, it made William recoil
slightly..."
~~~

I liked the cover. No pictures could portray "killing instinct" anyway, right? Yet there were four male lead characters who could be classified as having that Instinct (many more, in fact) and Darcia Helle did an excellent job in creating the psychological background so that readers can quickly understand exactly what type of individual these four men are.

Michael Sykora, the lead character, got involved after his fiancee was murdered. All he was able to feel for any type of justice was through revenge...

He took it...

And now he is in the business of helping others when someone they love have been brutalized or murdered...

He's very good at it...

So is Sean, his partner. He was an assassin who somehow got hooked up with Michael (haven't read the how of that yet--LOL). But as you will see from the narrative, Michael has been influential in teaching Sean to first stop to think about what he's being asked to do. Especially for Maria. He fell for her immediately, but it was more than that... He could not grasp a need to torture and film somebody unless...

Yes, the man who wanted her dead wanted to have a snuff film for his vast collection and, of course, to sell as well... This man is the Sandman...

He's runs a business something like Fantasy Island--except it relates to providing the "right individual" for what your fantasy is... And that leads to the fourth man, Lenny, who, like William, considers those individual his livestock...he's in it for the money and has no feelings for that stock as people for whom he should care...

Since Sean had saved Maria rather than killing her, as soon as he had shared what had been planned for her, she wanted to be involved. She had been a bounty hunter and worked security, so was well prepared.

Michael was now involved with Nicky. While she didn't have the same background and training, after meeting Maria and learning about what these men were doing, she demanded to be involved too. Michael was afraid, given his major loss in the past, but Nicky wouldn't back down. So all of them were involved, trying to track down who the Sandman was, why he wanted Marie dead, and then as the two groups knew about each other, a friend of Marie's who worked for the bounty hunting office, was taken...and tortured... Michael and Sean gambled that they would not really harm her, pending a potential trade for Marie...or at a minimum, adding her to the stock--after all, anybody still alive can help fulfill "somebody's" fantasy...

I don't know about you, but given the "real" atrocities that happen every day in America--murder, kidnapping, human trafficing, rape--it has become more acceptable to read about vigilantes, revenge and justice (payback).
If the government and law enforcement cannot take the real criminals off the streets, would we be happy to encourage men like Michael and Sean to act? It's a scary thought...

And too easy to understand...

Darcia Helle writes to entertain us...
But she also says the characters await us...

Murder as Entertainment. I write about murder - gruesome murder, bizarre murder, murder for hire and murder as revenge. What I write is fiction. Mine is a make-believe world of murder as entertainment.
I'd like to take a noble stance and say that I don't enjoy writing the murder scenes. But I do. That's creepy to admit out loud, I know. I kill people on paper and I like it. How did this happen?
The truly odd thing is that I am a total pacifist. I even feel bad when I kill a mosquito and I despise mosquitoes. So why is it that I enjoying writing murder scenes? Read more...

I liked the fact that she provides info on her "gruesome" writing. LOL! And I have to say that her characters and their actions were sometimes edgier than I could handle--so I read those parts quickly, but those needles stuck in my mind through the night...excuse the pun...Funny how one scene bothered me, but when it was the man getting the needles, it didn't...hmmm...

"The room was in shadows, and Michael didn't want to direct his flashlight in their faces. He heard soft murmurs and what sounded like sniffles. "Is someone crying?"
"Maria"
"Why?"
"She's been reading about that that psychiatrist did..."
"Dr. Eric Wilkinson needs to pay for what he did."
"She stared straight at Sean when she said this. Something invisible passed between them, an unspoken understanding. Sean nodded and said, "Consider it done."

Obviously if I went out and got the first two books in this series, I "got past" the fictional torture. But what sold me was the ending. When it comes right down to it, I'm willing to agree, at least in fiction, it is not just black and white...There's an awfully lot of gray, isn't there? I think the author did an exceptional job in working within the gray area and even coming out white in some ways... I know what I mean by that--I hope you do too...

Highly recommended.


GABixlerReviews

About the Author
Darcia Helle lives in a fictional world with a husband who is sometimes real. Their house is ruled by spoiled dogs and cats and the occasional dust bunny. Suspense, random blood spatter and mismatched socks consume Darcia’s days. She writes because the characters trespassing through her mind leave her no alternative. Only then are the voices free to haunt someone else’s mind. Join Darcia in her fictional world: http://www.QuietFuryBooks.com The characters await you.

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• Author Spotlight no.259 - Darcia Helle
• Giveaway of 3 eBooks Coming Soon!
• Enemies and Playmates by Darcia Helle
• Book Giveaway Coming Soon!!!

Sharing More from Dr. Anderson...

An oil lamp, the symbol of nursing in many countries (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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Wishing and Hoping...

By far the best summary of violence against ED nurses was published in the Journal of Nursing Administration July/August 2009 by Jessica Gacki-Smith MPH, et. al. Their documentation of the scope of the problem, their identification of the causes, their identification of the barriers to change, and their documentation cannot be faulted, in my opinion. I would like to quote from their conclusions,

“Most important, federal and state laws to protect ED nurses from violence are needed to address this issue. Whereas some states have made assault of a nurse a felony, other states do not have such stringent laws in place to adequately protect nurses. Unfortunately, legislation such as this is often passed only after a tragic incident against a nurse takes place. To make this a legislative priority, leaders of nursing organizations need to use their government affairs departments to heighten legislator’s awareness. Without legislative action at the state and federal level and innovative strategies at the hospital and department level, there can be no realistic hope of significantly decreasing ED violence.”

As helpful as this summary position is, it lacks an action plan. Without an action plan, nothing happens. It’s second flaw is it fails to set priorities. We are not going to solve all the issues of ED violence with a list of everything that needs to be done by somebody else. Unfortunately, almost nothing has changed since the publication of this landmark study in 2009. Healthcare violence is at an all-time high. Let me ask you a simple question. Would you rather have strict laws punishing someone who assaulted you, or would you rather not be assaulted in the first place? Prevention is more important than punishment. That is why you should concentrate on armed guards, metal detectors, and bullet proof glass first.

I believe that it is time to make decisions and stop expecting a state by state solution. This is incredibly time-consuming and requires a patron saint in Congress from most states. Changes usually do not come about that way in medicine in this country. There are so many agencies in our government that could have taken a leadership role with this violence problem, but they failed to do so because we, the healthcare workers, would not agree on an action plan. It doesn’t help that all of these agencies are filled with people who represent the groups that the agency is supposed to be regulating.

To solve a problem somebody or some group must take ownership of it. They must make it their priority and single-mindedly push for its implementation. Let me give you one example. Emergency nursing organizations and emergency physician organizations have been sitting on the fence over the issue of armed guards, bullet-proof glass, and metal detectors for a decade. Every position paper calls for an evaluation or consideration of these basic steps at preventing violence. I have already covered in a previous post the irrationality of saying that anyone or any group of people can predict where the next disaster will occur, or where a mentally ill person with lots of bullets will want to share his pain. In short, all hospitals, big and small, need the same protection for their staff.

Doesn’t it make sense, after an entire decade of evaluation by Homeland Security, that we accept the reality that physical barriers, metal detectors, and armed guards are remarkably efficient at preventing violence and loss of life? If these measures are good enough for every airport in the country and every government building, shouldn’t they be proficient in hospitals? We need these measures to prepare for those unpredictable disasters, when the lights go out, more people carry guns, and local anarchy breaks out.

The argument that having an armed guard somehow causes violence has been thoroughly discredited by a decade of safe air travel in America. The concept of controlling bad behavior by showing strength has been verified years ago. Hospitals, of course, do not want to pay for such alterations or three shifts of certified, uniformed armed guards. They don’t want employees to sue patients. They don’t want to be sued themselves by patients. They want to pretend that the waiting room and treatment area are safe places when statistics say just the opposite. Their position is entirely motivated by their view of the financial implications of installing these security features, not by concern for employee safety.

Physicians have fears that their contract with a hospital will be in jeopardy if they support something that will cost their hospital millions. They are concerned that having stretcher patients checked with a wand and having everyone who enters the waiting room pass through a metal detector will slow down patient flow. I would say that the national average waiting time of several hours leaves plenty of time for patients to be screened.

The nurses want protection but they will not endorse the only tools we have that have proven effectiveness for the job.

Is there anyone out there who doubts that JCAHO and CMS could have forced these changes if the nursing organizations and physician organizations had demanded them? Medicare is the major facilitator of patient-safety improvement in hospitals. Because hospitals must be accredited by JCAHO and undergo regulatory review by the CMS to participate in Medicare, and because Medicare accounts for at least 40 per cent of hospitals’ total revenues, hospitals must meet JCAHO’s requirements.

Part of JCAHO’s mission statement says “To transform healthcare into a high reliability industry by developing highly effective, durable solutions to health care’s most critical safety and quality problems in collaboration with health care organizations by disseminating the solutions widely and by facilitating their adoption. “Facilitating” means they fine a hospital for not conforming to their regulations.

CMS pays the bills. Because it pays the bills it can enforce just about any change that it wants onto every hospital in the country. Have you forgotten DRGs? Years ago Medicare began adopting regulations that reduced the payments to hospitals under certain conditions. Perhaps you recall the program to reduce certain hospital infections and medical errors which began in 2007. My point is two fold. First, hospitals should bear the financial cost of making their workplace safe. OSHA says that they are responsible for the safety of their employees. They have failed miserably at this because no one has given them an offer they could not refuse.

Second, CMS and JCAHO already have in their mission statements the authority to make new regulations that affect safety. It is the job of doctor and nursing organizations to be specific about what we want, and have the data to back up why they must have it. We have the data to back up our need in this case, but we have not taken a stand for specific action. First we need a list of those things that we believe are minimum requirements for a secure working area. Then we must sell this list to JCAHO and CMS. They must refine our work and produce their own list in the form of new regulations. Hospitals could be given a period of time to present their plans to meet the new regulations and a period of time to make the changes. If these changes do not occur, CMS can withhold payments to any non-compliant hospital.

Are you waiting for your hospital to spend big money out of the goodness of their hearts to protect you, the employee? Without question, hospital resistance to change has been the major factor in our arrival at the point where our workplace is the most dangerous in America. We, those who work in the pit, need the leverage that only these two agencies can apply.

Boarding admitted patients in the ED has been a constant thorn in the ED for decades. Hospitals save money by dumping the management of admitted complex ICU and floor patients onto an already overburdened ED nurse. This causes delays in the treatment of new ED patients, often resulting in confrontations and violence. The ENA has got to say “No more” loudly. All it takes is one JCAHO or CMS regulation making boarding patients illegal and punishable by fines and there would be a huge decompression in EDs. We can’t be all things to all people all the time.

At the present time, hospital marketers seem to look for ways to make the ED more difficult to work in. Without a thought about the potential violent consequences of relatives and friends wandering in and out of the treatment area without armed guards or metal detectors, hospitals are forcing more lenient visitation practices on overstressed EDs. Do any of these marketers realize that this policy needlessly exposes people to the largest collection of the most deadly and resistant organisms in the community? Do they know that most people who are murdered are killed by someone they know? Hospitals are not going to stop doing these things until someone with the muscle to back it up forces a visitation policy that recognizes both infectious disease risks and violence risks. We now have boyfriends insisting on sitting in on their girlfriend’s pelvic exam. This prevents the doctor from asking about abuse. Medical directors have less and less to say about how their ED is run. The marketers have taken over. They do not have a clue regarding the implications of the policies they are shoveling.

In previous posts I have plainly outlined how EMTALA, diplomatically immune alcoholics, and the loss of funding for addiction, homeless, and psychiatric programs continue to concentrate potentially violent patients in the ED. Boarding patients is no longer defensible. It is not safe for the patient, whose ED nurse does not have time to complete all of the admission orders and do her primary job at the same time. JCAHO and CMS should have ended this practice a long time ago, but they won’t as long as emergency nurses are not willing to stand up for what is best for the patient. Hospitals want to continue doing this, and they will fight it tooth and nail. For them, it is a financial decision. Emergency nurses should seek what is best for the admitted patient and new arrivals. If you insist, CMS and JCAHO have the authority to promulgate and implement regulations against boarding. They can force your hospital to support your case for assault by a patient. They can change the attitude of hospitals toward safety for their employees.

If there was a way to insure a safe workplace for nurses without armed guards, metal detectors, and bullet-proof glass I would certainly endorse it. But there is no such thing. I wish that people didn’t try to steal babies from the nursery. I wish that half of all the patients in the ED after midnight were not intoxicated. But wishing and hoping are not going to produce any results with violence toward healthcare workers. The old days of allowing visitors nearly unlimited access to patient areas are over. We must accept the reality of violence lurking everywhere and stop wishing that things were like they were thirty years ago. Nothing is going to change unless nursing leaders get together with CMS and JCAHO and have a list of specific things that they endorse in hand.

Do not expect that every member of your delegation will like the final list. But once the list is produced, those who cannot support it should resign from the delegation. You will not convince an agency to act by bringing a bunch of bickering people to the table. While I think that physician input would be an important part of redesigning patient flow with physical changes in every department, I would not count on physician organizations in general to be your ally with regard to JCAHO and CMS. They just have too many incestuous relationships with hospitals and hospital corporations. The physician organizations have had decades to stand up for you, and they have failed to take any effective leadership role.

I believe that we must act before your situation gets worse. I have no dog in this fight. I’m retired. I can’t be fired. I owe nothing to any organization. I don’t want money. I want to see emergency nurses and all healthcare workers receive the kind of protection they deserve. They stood by me through thick and thin for 38 years. I’ve got a lot of flaws, but one of them is not lack of gratitude.

Charles C. Anderson M.D. FACP, FACEP

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Doctor's Tell-All Receives Praise!

Want to learn more, BRH has been authorized to give a PDF copy of The First to Say No...just leave a comment that you are interested. You can comment each day an article runs at BRH.
If you have already read The First to Say No, ask for The Farm...both by Charles C. Anderson. Let us know what you think about this issue!

The Reality Behind the Book...


WHAT DO REVIEWERS OF MY BOOK SAY?

(Please note that I've added more reviews here - I've told Dr. Anderson to let people know what others are saying...so I'm starting here!)

May 16, 2012
"Reveals a dirty little secret...how really unsafe it is to work in an ER!", May 29, 2012
By Linda Whitt (Virginia Beach, VA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The First To Say No (Hardcover) I am an ER nurse, and have been assaulted several times at work; most of my coworkers realize the danger in our job, that we are more likely than most professions to be assaulted at work. This story of an ER staff who received neither aid nor protection from their hospital administration, has a Charles Bronsonesque flavor, in that they did what they had to do to eliminate persistent violence. The book opens with the descriptive rape of an ER physician, and the surprising retaliation by her as she brings justice to her assailant before leaving the room! The ongoing methods are intriguing, and as the teamwork of staff members and other locals comes together to clean up the ER and the neighborhood... I was OK with it! I just love a good comeuppance, and as I turned the pages, I got one! Looking forward to reading the other book by this retired ER physician!

A Must Read, June 7, 2012 
Shirley Priscilla Johnson "Author/Reviewer -... (USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE) (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

This review is from: The First To Say No (Hardcover) I was quickly drawn into this read by author, Charles C. Anderson. The story, if you will, is set in Parkview Hospital emergency department in Virginia. It is here that we meet Dr.Kate Taylor as her story and so many others begin to unravel. It seems many of the doctors and nurses are being raped and other acts of violence are occurring that are not being dealt with. People come in and use the hospital to 'get fixed up' so they can go back out and do their drugs, stealing and killing, all at others expense.

Kate lost her father at a young age and the one tender memory she had was with him at the local park. Now that memory has been tarnished by a gang called the Plagues who are overtaking the city. The danger or going to the Park, or anywhere alone is wide spread. This gang kills, steals and rapes at will, not being stopped, even by the local police, who are now on their payroll. In this story Kate decides enough is enough and gathers those she can trust to fight back. She does not have the backing of the hospital, or the police, but she has behind her what is right.

I was amazed at this read and upset. I suppose I do not want to think that there are so many who will turn their heads not to stop evil just for the mighty dollar. I was also upset to finally understand how much of our nations finances are being thrown away just to help heal druggies who will not accept help to stop their habit. There are so many needy elderly people that are not receiving help or just the poor that are turned away, this truly is not fair and should be stopped. This is a great book, although troubling, the truth that is brought forth should be read by every American. Thank you Dr. Anderson.

Inspirational Eye Opener!, June 14, 2012
By InGodITrust - See all my reviews

This review is from: The First To Say No (Hardcover) This book helps start the very necessitated [sic] conversation surrounding emergency medical professionals in today's society. More often than the general public would like to believe, scenes from this book are the reality for many nurses, doctors, EMTs, and techs. "First To Say No" astoundingly illustrates the emotional and physical dilemma involved in working in the medical field.

It is my hope that this book is read and regarded on a grand scheme to help those who have the heart to CARE for others. Great read, quick read, informative read. We should distribute this to all politicians, socialites, administrators, and board members.4.0 out of 5 stars 

What people don't want to believe - A jaw-dropping medical thriller May 11, 2012
By The Paperback Pursuer
Format:Hardcover
Description:

Doctors Kate Taylor and Elita Romanov are sick and tired of the constant abuse the community suffers at the hands of a local gang - the Plagues. The vicious gang members not only cost the hospital hundreds of millions of dollars in unpaid medical bills, but they are notorious for abducting, terrorizing and raping staff members on and off the property of Parkview Hospital. The local police are paid to look the other way, and hospital management refuses to acknowledge the problem, but the gang's victims are ready to fight back; ready to finally say, "NO!". Can Kate, Elita and the people they care about find a way to "cleanup" the streets without getting themselves killed? Will risking their own lives and reputations save the place they call home?

Review:

I think I have found my new favorite genre! I am in the medical field, so it should come as no surprise, but until recently I had not found a modern medical thriller that lived up to my expectations. Maybe it is because I define a thriller as 'action-packed', 'suspenseful', 'gritty', 'compelling', and, I daresay, 'thrilling'. I dislike when a book is labeled as as a certain genre and doesn't deliver - especially when the book ends up being sleep-inducing instead of heart-pounding. The First To Say No is one of a string of medical thrillers I have read recently that stands behind its cover blurb. It started quickly and unexpectedly, the problems the characters faced immediately evidenced; I was slightly appalled, but the rough reality immediately caught my attention. Elita's character is introduced in such a way that the reader can't help but wonder about her abstruse past, and Charles C. Anderson does a great job leading to the answers; (no spoilers). The same is true with Kate and Margaret - complex, realistic and well-developed characters that the reader can't help but cheer for. The plot definitely encompasses my definition of thriller, particularly in the levels of action and suspense. I knew what was coming, especially the ending, but I was still excited to read it! The dialogue was also appropriate and believable; I really appreciated the medical terminology. However, I do find it horrifying that there are places in America where violence escalates to the heights discussed in the book. Recommended to adult readers into the medical thriller genre, or those in the mood for some well-deserved vengeance.

GREAT read!, May 29, 2012

By 

Kinder (CenTex) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The First To Say No (Paperback)

It is a shocking look into the world of medicine that I never thought existed. After reading the book, I decided to do some research and found out that it is actually more common than you would think!

Back to what I thought of the book. Sexual abuse against nurses and doctors run rampant in Parkview Hospital, and with the police being of no help at all, tension is high while Romanov and Taylor decide what to do against the local gang, the Plagues. The Plagues pretty much run the city- even turning what was once a beautiful park into a place for drug dealers, drug users, and gang members. Citizens are afraid to go near the park for fear that they may end up hurt, or worse.

But once Taylor comes up with a plan, it is a race against time to rid the city of the gang and help the hospital from closing while not getting caught. Will their plan work or will it backfire?

So next time you're at the hospital, you will see everything in a different light. I finished the book about a week or so before Mom ended up in the hospital. I saw things a little differently this time.


NO BETTER FRIEND, July 11, 2012
By
HIS BEST FRIEND - See all my reviews

This review is from: The First To Say No (Paperback)I am a personal friend of Dr. Anderson's; trained with and worked with him for many years. Everything that he has written is TRUE. Chapter 9 sums up our health care system so so well. For those of you who can not believe what he has written, then please visit any Emergency Room in our large Metropolitan centers. These places are not for the faint of heart. Assaults on healthcare workers continue as I write this review. I too have been a practicing Internest, Pulmonologist, Intensivist, and Emergency Medicine doctor for over 40 years including medical school. I have witnessed what he describes in this book. It will continue unless we as a society are the "FIRST TO SAY NO!"
Charles, Great JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!!
AMERICA "WAKE UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Dr. Ted Georges

Enough Is Enough; You NEED TO Read This Book!, May 13, 2012

Glenda A Bixler “Glenda” (Pennsylvania) – See all my reviews (VINE VOICE)

This review is from: The First To Say No (Hardcover)

You may have noticed that, upon reading the first few pages of this book, I stopped and put out an advance notice in my blog and declared it a must-read. I feel even more strongly that it is, now that I’ve finished reading!
I recognize that Dr. Anderson has dramatized his novel by using many samples of what he’s seen as an emergency room doctor, within just one novel. (Or maybe not?) The timing is not important, rather it is the fact that I believe that every shocking example case that he has used is real, in this agonizingly realistic story …
All you have to do is read a newspaper or watch the news! America has become a violent nation! Violence of one type or another happens faster than can be reported!
Dr. Kate Taylor, head of the Emergency Department, in a small Virginia city, had lost her father too early in her life. One of her fondest memories was his walking with her to a local park where a beautiful fountain with fish was her favorite place to spend time with her father, sitting along side, looking down at all the wishes that had been made by visitors throwing in pennies…
Now that park could no longer be used by the town’s residents…
It was filled with drug dealers, prostitutes, and a place where anybody who wandered in might be brutalized or worse. It was owned, now, by the Plagues, a gang of violent criminals…
And they routinely paid off the majority of the police officers to stay away from that once-beautiful park…

Would You Ever Become A Vigilante??!!!

Fountain in the park (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
"After each attack on a member of her staff, Dr. Katherine Taylor had begged the hospital administrator for better protection. She wanted 24-hour armed and uniformed policemen, metal detectors, "panic buttons" in every room, and male EMTs on every shift. Despite suffering three physical assaults herself and being groped in the ED four times in the past year, Dr. Taylor's pleas to hospital administration had fallen on deaf ears.
"There are practical and philosophical obstacles to locking down the ED..."We must accept that the people who lash out at healthcare workers are sick. They are patients. I have to be concerned about the image of the hospital.
"Many of our violent patients are high on drugs and alcohol," she usually countered. "Some are demented and psychotic. The point is that they outweigh us and are stronger than we are. We can't handle them alone.
"I don't want our emergency department to look like an armed camp. It would scare away customers. There is liability when our security officers restrain patients..."

The First To Say No


By Charles C. Anderson






You may have noticed that, upon reading the first few pages of this book, I stopped and put out an advance notice and declared it a must-read. I feel even more strongly that it is now that I've finished reading!

I recognize that Dr. Anderson has dramatized his novel by using many samples of what he's seen as an emergency room doctor, within just one novel. (Or maybe not?) The timing is not important, rather it is the fact that I believe that every shocking example case that he has used is real, in this agonizingly realistic story ...

All you have to do is read a newspaper or watch the news! America has become a violent nation! Violence of one type or another happens faster than can be reported!

Dr. Kate Taylor, head of the Emergency Department, in a small  Virginia city, had lost her father too early in her life. One of her fondest memories was his walking with her to a local park where a beautiful fountain with fish was her favorite place to spend time with her father, sitting along side, looking down at all the wishes that had been made by visitors throwing in pennies...

Now that park could no longer be used by the town's residents...

It was filled with drug dealers, prostitutes, and a place where anybody who wandered in might be brutalized or worse. It was "owned," now, by the Plagues, a gang of violent criminals...

And they routinely paid off the majority of the police officers to stay away from that once-beautiful park...

Kate Taylor had another memory from that park. When she was 13, a man had tried to rape her there in the park...and he was still trying to hurt her...but, now, as head of the Plagues, he "owned" that park! And the doctor who she had never told she loved, was murdered!

You will start reading this novel as a young doctor is being raped. She has no idea how many have used her, but it was definitely more than one. This was her third gang rape... But, she knew more now, and the man who was raping her did not live after she was through with him... She and the medical emergency worker who now had to talk by holding a finger over a tube in her throat, after she was hurt bringing in a patient, both joined Kate as they began to take back their town!

Did you know that medical care workers can be violated by criminals in an emergency room, and cannot file criminal charges because it happens during the time the criminals are considered patients? Do you know that since many are homeless as well as criminals, they do not pay...for anything...except their drugs or alcohol...or sex (perhaps)...

The author has retired from his medical career. He may never have become a vigilante, but he has become a whistle-blower... One that I admire greatly for having written this book! If you feel right now that there is NO reason why criminals, drug dealers and prostitutes roam the streets of America's towns (Note that the homeless are not necessarily included), then I encourage you to support one man's efforts to reveal what is going on. It may not be so rampant in every town, but I can guarantee you, that similar single incidents are happening everywhere...like I said, just read the news!

This book is not easily read because of the number of violent acts one right after another, although the author has done a wonderful job in writing it as a thriller. I did get bogged down a little with the medical issues terminology that were efficiently described, but that's my own limitation, not the author's.

You will be amazed and excited about what a few people, and then a town did! And I would have been in there, in some way, if it happened somewhere near me! Would you? Enough is Enough... Read this book!



GABixlerReviews

Charles C. Anderson is a 38-year veteran emergency physician, critical care physician, and trauma specialist who has directed multiple hospital EDs and emergency medical transport systems. He is the author of original medical research articles and has patented several medical devices.

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• The First To Say No - Not Just Another Thriller... (gabixlerreviews-bookreadersheaven.blogspot.com)

A Must_Read for Court Officials, Police, Legislators...Those Concerned About Domestic Violence!

THE CYCLE OF VIOLENCE...
A WOMAN IS BEATEN EVERY NINE
SECONDS IN THIS COUNTRY... SPOUSAL
MURDERS ACCOUNT FOR ONE EIGHTH
OF ALL HOMICIDES IN THE US...
NEARLY ALL THE VICTIMS OF
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ARE WOMEN...
BATTERED WOMEN COME FROM ALL
RACES, CLASSES, AGE GROUPS,
EDUCATIONAL AND RELIGIOUS
BACKGROUNDS. (p. 2)

The Safehouse




By T. Thomas Ackerman

It’s been several days since I finished The Safehouse and yet the dramatic irony of this novel haunts me. It is unsettling that I cannot find a satisfactory conclusion, a feeling that this story has ended. Perhaps it was that the author wrote in what might be used in a true crime novel—concise, straight-forward, factual manner, with little strong emotional impact at appropriate times...

In the midst of anguish and turmoil, the fear and h

ate that develops during violent attacks, there is only time for emotional reaction. But once away from the abuse, what then?

"No!" Alison shouted as she put one arm
over her eyes and started to cry.
Then he slapped her face. "Don't let me find
out that you are!" he hollered as he got up...
"Please God, no," she said as she continued
to cry. After a few seconds she turned and
opened the drawer to her nightstand. Out of
it she took the card that Jessie had given her.

Detective Jessie Warren is a cop assigned as liaison for all domestic issues. Having her own personal history of an abusive relationship, she has become a vigilant advocate for women and children and faithfully attends to their needs.

Domestic violence normally is an ongoing activity. Often Jessie has been called to a home a number of times, and becomes familiar with the families involved. She helps make arrangements and provides everything necessary to get women and children to a shelter, to court... But, sometimes she gets there too late...

Sometimes after a wife has left, the husband will begin to follow until they find where they are staying. It is at that time that Jessie discusses the need to move on to The Safehouse...

Domestic Violence, as shown in these drawings that are now in the public domain has been going on for ages...This crime is not new. "With all of the increased public awareness, the domestic violence occurrences never seemed to lessen. It always seemed...that the number of incidents increased. The laws and all the promises weren't working, at least not for the victims. It was clear...that if any of these women were ever going to have a chance at a normal life, she [Jessie] would have to help them find it, no matter what that would involve." 

The Safehouse is not the normal type of shelter. Few people ever stay there. Anybody who follows visitors there will never abuse anybody else... 

Is this the only way to end domestic violence? Many may think so...

This book should be considered must reading for all court officials, police officers, and legislators. Do we, as a nation, as a world, want to see The Safehouse truly being the only answer? I hope not...

But...you and each person reading this book will have to decide... You know, I watch Law & Order, SVU all the time and have often sympathized with the officers who must deal with this issue day after day... Until I read this book, I never knew that I could not, though, empathize with them...I hope I would not be Jessie...but...

After studying Alison's face for a few seconds
more and then running a finger down the deceased
woman's cheek, Jessie left. On her way back to the
station she kept seeing Alison's face. It was obvious
that this case was bothering her more than usual,
more than other cases had bothered her. Maybe
John Larsen reminded her of her husband. A man
she once loved. A husband that she had to get rid of
before she ended up like Alison...

GABixlerReviews