Author Jeff Keene II Draws on Personal Experience to Pen Powerful new Devotional Book, When the Other Boot Drops

Author Jeff Keene II and WordCrafts Press are pleased to unveil the award-winning author’s new devotional book, When the Other Boot Drops: Stories of Triumph Over Traumatic Injury, which released to retail today, July 12, 2024 in both trade paperback and all major ebook formats. The new devotional book follows on the heels of Keene’s BookFest 2024 Award for Under the Rainbow, his true crime exploration of the story behind the theft and ultimate recovery of the magical ruby slippers, worn by actress Judy Garland in MGM’s beloved 1939 film version of The Wizard of Oz. A multi-genre author, Keene’s latest novel, Yamin: A Novel of a Demoniac, also earned BookFest’s silver medal in the Christian Historical Fiction category.

“I wrote When the Other Boot Drops for several reasons,” Keene says, “all of which serve the purpose of helping others. However, I must admit that recording this story to share with those in need has been rewarding for myself, as well.”

“Jeff Keene writes of his line-of-duty traumatic injury with a clarity and understanding lost on most people who faced debilitating circumstances,” writes Paul Hashagen, retired Chief of the Freeport New York Fire Department, in the book’s Foreword. “Firefighting is an occupation that requires constant vigilance. Mistakes made on the fire ground are often lost in the smoke. Generally, the only people who realize a mistake was made are the other firefighters around you, and sometimes not even them. Most mistakes have inconsequential outcomes. It is hoped the worst outcome of firefighting would be the addition of a parking lot in place of the structure that was burning. Unfortunately, that is not the case.

“The human cost of our mistakes … can be life altering or even life ending. Burns and other traumatic injuries are sadly part of the story. Even the vigilant can still be injured. These injuries then must be dealt with by applying burn cream, changing bandages, and removing stitches. But injuries such as those suffered by Jeff (and several of my friends who’ve faced similar injuries) require a personal fortitude not learned in fire school or at the kitchen table. This inner strength comes from many places, but in Jeff’s case his faith in God has allowed him the clarity to deal with his injury.”

“Trauma has affected everyone, be it physically or emotionally,” says Keene, who lost his leg below the knee to a line of duty injury, and now styles himself playfully as the Pegleg Penman. “And firefighters, police officers, and other first responders have certainly been more exposed than the average citizen to traumatic experiences, both of themselves and witnessing others’ trauma. Post-traumatic stress disorder can sometimes go undiagnosed and untreated. By facing our own challenges head-on and coming to terms with them, knowing that success is indeed achievable, we may travel more confidently in this world and have the power to spread that confidence to others on the way.

“I believe that by sharing my personal experiences with the traumatic loss of my foot in the line-of-duty, readers will gain hope in their own lives, overcome their trials, and share their story of success with others.”

About the Author

Jeff Keene II holds degrees in biology, chemistry, and linguistics. His writing path began when his high school teacher assigned him the task of creating an original screenplay. Twenty-five years later, that screenplay was published as a short story in a Long Island newsletter. But the writing bug really began when developing a textual criticism about a New Testament story in a master’s level seminary course in 2012. Since then, Jeff has had the undying urge to write about unnamed characters in the Bible who’ve met Jesus.

He has served as a volunteer firefighter where he suffered a line-of-duty injury resulting in the loss of his right foot below-the-knee, worked on a NOAA research vessel for 17-days at sea, and even applied to the NASA Teacher in Space program. He currently serves as a public school teacher.

Jeff lives with his wife, Andria, in Central Florida. They have two adult children. Connect with Jeff online at:
peglegpenman.com