GOING OVERBOARD chronicles the life of Sarah Smiley, a young
Navy wife whose husband Dustin goes to sea for a
longer-than-expected deployment once the war with Iraq begins. The
daughter of an admiral, Sarah grew up in and around the Navy. She
really thinks she knows what to expect from military life but feels
ill-prepared for the many ups and downs she experiences while her
husband is gone. She writes about her problems (real and imagined)
and successes with disarming candor as she matures when he is
away.

Dustin is a Navy pilot whom Sarah had known her entire life. As she
is quick to point out, this doesn't make living together any
easier. Often they seem out-of-synch, unable to communicate
effectively with each other while living under the same roof. This
lack of communication is only aggravated by Dustin's absences. When
things get tough Sarah gets going --- to the comfort of a closet
with her phone to call one of her good friends and discuss her
problems.

Sarah writes with humor and unflinching honesty about being totally
responsible for a two-year-old and a newborn. She feels like a
single mother, even though she isn't. Dustin always took care of
such things as mowing the lawn and balancing the checkbook, which
Sarah now obsesses about. And she has a crush on her family doctor,
an eligible bachelor, which leaves her by turns bewildered and
excited, wondering if the doctor feels the same way about
her.

While all of her friends are in France visiting their pilot
husbands (she stays home because of her fear of flying), Sarah gets
bitten on the leg by Courtney's cat. Since the cat had never been
vaccinated, Sarah is informed that she may need a series of rabies
shots. Being a bit of a hypochondriac anyway, this makes for a
worrisome situation for Sarah, who doesn't even like cats to begin
with.

Sarah shoots from the hip, lives in the moment, and is perplexed by
her mother's listmaking and efficiency. Whenever Mom visits, Sarah
reverts to being a needy child and is more than happy to let
another adult take charge of the young children and the
household.

Sarah's best friend moves out of her Florida neighborhood and clear
across the country to California. Tanner, the much-loved dog Sarah
grew up with, dies. The emails and phone calls to and from Dustin
are less than satisfying, and she wonders where her marriage is
headed.

Though she often feels like the Rock of Jell-O, Sarah is helpful
and a good neighbor. She takes Melanie to the hospital and stays
with her during a medical emergency and personal tragedy. She also
takes in Melanie's daughter, Hannah, who is used to a very calm and
orderly home environment. When Hannah asks why there are no
vegetables on her dinner plate, Sarah realizes that not all
families exist on hot dogs and macaroni and cheese.

People seem drawn to Sarah and willingly help her out. Her neighbor
Brent mows the lawn without even being asked. Jody, Courtney and
Melanie give her constant moral support, whether via late-night
phone conversations or in person. Her frailties and quirks make her
human and very likeable. Though her life seems to have a Lucy
Ricardo quality about it, she is definitely the product of a
younger, hipper generation.

Sarah writes a syndicated column about what she knows best --- life
in and around the military. GOING OVERBOARD is her first book;
hopefully there will be more to come.