This is the first novel of its kind because its storyline centers on volunteer firefighters and emergency medical service personnel and not on the paid departments.
Scotrun, PA-- Tom Ward has a new book out, The Volunteer, just released by Cambridge Books whose advanced copies are available on Amazon.com.
In 1983, in war-torn Lebanon, Robert J. Doyle ordered the complete destruction of an unsuspecting village. As he walked through the carnage later, he vowed one day he would somehow pay off the loss of innocent lives.
Later, Doyle decides to become a volunteer firefighting paramedic. He feels that with each life and property he helps to save; he makes a payment on his debt. For years, as Doyle responds to his community's calls for help he ignores his own needs. To counteract flashbacks brought on by burnout, Doyle uses alcohol to keep going. Still, the memories of the destruction and dead villagers compel him to respond.
The Volunteer centers on one man's struggle with to find inner peace. And examines the question of what compels volunteers to respond no matter what time of day or night, to sacrifice their time, financial resources, their talents, and even their lives in the service of their communities.
"I am ecstatic at this time to finally have 'The Volunteer' published after all these years," said Tom Ward. "For the past 20 years this story has always been important to me because it shows one man's reason why he volunteers to serve his community. But his is only one reason out of 800,000 other reasons of those who serve their respective communities.
Hollywood always makes movies and TV series about the Paid Departments and not once ventured to portray the volunteer firefighter or emergency medical service personnel. These men and women willingly place themselves and everything they hold dear into harm's way for their communities and don't expect anything in return not even a thank you.
Hollywood's neglect and that of other authors was and always has been my motivation to get my novel published for it tells of one volunteer's reason why he is willing to risk it all for his community."
Cambridge Books is a small press located in Cambridge, MD.
"We are very proud to have published The Volunteer by Tom Ward," said Arline Chase, publisher. "We are a small company and choose our books carefully. We only publish work from writers we feel are talented and have a lot to offer."
Tom has a trilogy, The Volunteer, Volunteers: A Breed Apart which he is editing and Station 1260-1270 which he hopes to finish.
Tom Ward enjoys meeting fellow volunteers both firefighters and emergency medical service personnel, and may be contacted by e-mail at tmwardjr@gmail.com.
