Two Steps Forward One Step Back by Jerry L. Bradley ISBN: 978-0-9985244-0-1 $10.00 + $3.00 P&H. Although primarily written for veterans, this book is for anyone who is going through or has a loved one who has been through a traumatic event. Physical, emotional, and mental stress and injury are often the aftermath of military service.

Nominated for a Pushcart Prize XLIII

To order send check or money order to:

Jerry L. Bradley
614 S. Parker Church Road
Raeford NC. 28376

About the Book
About the Author

About the book

The intent of this book of poetry is to help others and to help raise awareness. It was not intended to gain sympathy, but understanding. Not to increase one’s pain, but to show you that you are not alone. You must keep moving forward, even if you have to take a step back.

Jerry has widely received positive feedback and comments on his book. One of which came from Susann Kennedy, who’s husband was an active duty Naval Officer for 19 years, and on November 25, 2015, he was injured while conducting a weapons inspection. The injuries that he sustained resulted in his death on December 10, 2015.

Her comments read in part: "…I have been told that crying, embracing the memories of Chris and allowing myself to grieve will help me. But I avoid it. I feel like your book gave me permission to cry. The permission that I more often then not deprive myself of. Your words are very telling of many of the thoughts that pass through my mind and the feelings that overcome my body. I believe many people don't really quite understand the difference between empathy and sympathy. If you have suffered from PTSD (no matter the origin), I feel that the words in your book will pull on the empathetic strings of your heart. It did for me anyway…"

SAMPLE

Land of the Free Because of the Not So Brave

I once considered myself free,
as one of the brave.
Now, not so much, not so brave.
I startle at the slightest un-expectancy
A sudden appearance in my peripheral,
a loudness or quick movement
ignite an explosion of adrenaline.
Calm lost with the uncontrollable racing of my heart.
Emotions recoil, tighten
before change—seconds, minutes,
hours—as adrenaline dissipates—through
shaking—and oh so often, tears.
There are many of us “not so brave”
who do the best we can every day.
Some days—we just survive, just be,
just maintain. We hope and pray
each day for a day of peace, a day of calm.

 

 
About the Author

JERRY BRADLEY is a military veteran who completed 30 years of service, retiring in 2008. Throughout his career, he used writing as an outlet and later as a form of cathartic healing. As a creative writer, he has had his writing in fourteen anthologies published by Old Mountain Press in NC. He also had a prose piece in the reading play "Deployed," produced by the Touring Theatre of NC and one poem and a prose piece published in the March 2014 issue of Elite, a military related magazine produced by the Fayetteville, NC Observer. He had the honor of being a guest reader at the spring 2014, NC Writers Network Conference as part of the Methodist University’s Veterans Writing Collective. Since the 2017 release of his book, Two Steps Forward One Step Back, Jerry has been a requested guest on two radio talk shows; Depression Session, with Laura Milkins, on Tucson Arizona’s Down Town Radio 99.1 FM, and on a extended special addition of the talk show To Be Determined with Mary Roxx, on Armed Radio Global.