This month is a real treat because we get to know Kaci Curtis who recently published her debut novel! Great ready Oregon Trail fans because you will love this Historical Fiction novel! Kaci is a military spouse, mom, and fellow homeschooler! We are so excited to get to know her!
What branch of the military are you affiliated with?
Navy
How long have you been a military spouse?
I’ve been a milspouse since I married my husband in 2015, but we dated in High School and even lived on the same street - we’ve known each other since we were 15 years old.
What is your favorite part about being in a military family?
I love the community of military spouses and families that we’ve met and bonded with along the way. It’s a wonderful feeling to know and love people all around the world. We miss those we can’t see very often, but with every new duty station, I grow as a woman, wife, and mom, thanks to the wonderful spouses who’ve supported and encouraged me along the way. I’ve learned so much from them, and I’m incredibly grateful.
What would you say is your biggest challenge being in a military family?
My biggest initial challenge was just the fact that I was an introvert and dealt with quite a bit of social anxiety. As a new spouse and mom, it was hard for me to approach others and make new friends. But now that we’ve moved 5 times in the last 10 years, I’ve gotten a lot better at putting myself out there. I’ve learned that we’re all just looking for someone who’s genuine & honest – someone who can be vulnerable about the messy parts of military life. I try to lean into that whenever I have to go out and create a new community at a new duty station (again).
What is one piece of advice you would like to share with our current military families?
Our military lifestyle has more than its share of challenges. Don’t try to tackle them all alone. Be the friend who helps others, but also be willing to accept help when you need it, too. I made things so much harder on myself in the beginning, thinking I needed to handle it all on my own. If I’d reached out to friends sooner, & worried less about being a "burden," I’d have had an easier time, & realized that I wasn’t a burden at all.
How or why did you decide to become an author?
I’ve wanted to be a writer since I was in elementary school. It was one of the interests that never wavered as I grew up.
What book has been your favorite that you have written so far?
Along the Trail is my first traditionally published book - it taught me so much about editing, publishing, and promotion!
Do you have more books planned for the future?
I’m currently doing research for the sequel to Along the Trail! After that is completed, I hope to start work on a couple of books that I’ve already outlined: one is a fantasy book in a historical frontier setting, and the other is pure fantasy, set in its own world with mythical creatures.
What author inspires you?
Any author who writes full time while also being the default parent is my hero, haha. It’s so difficult for me to find that balance! I’m also homeschooling my son this year (fourth grade), which adds to the craziness.
What’s a random fact about you we should know?
We lived on Guam for two years, from ’23-’25, and it has been our favorite (& farthest) duty station so far!
Anything else you would like to share?
Whatever your dream is, pursue it like there’s no plan B. Persistence is like a superpower, especially if you want to publish a book someday. Be prepared to hear “No thanks, it’s not for me,” a lot…and understand that if you’re writing, editing, or submitting, and getting rejections, that you’re doing exactly what you need to do to be a published writer someday. Don’t give up!
Book Titles:
As a self proclaimed Oregon trail fan, I'm really excited to get my hands on this new book. I'm so grateful that Kaci took the time to share her story with us and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next!
If you are interested in being a featured author, please email us at info@mymilitarylifestyle.com.
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