This Country I Call My Own

McCallister finds that sometimes it's dangerous to do the right thing. This is a story of betrayal, heroism and redemption - an environmental adventure and a love story.

This Country I Call My Own features an American officer who has served with distinction in the Middle East and then worked for various agencies in the region. Suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), he leaves the military and settles in the mountain country of the Idaho Panhandle, just below the Canadian border, to live off-grid in search of Eden and a nature cure. He builds a horse packing and hunting operation to sustain himself, but finds the ongoing interactions with members of the public troubling to his peace of mind.

He wins the love of two very unconventional women who share his love of horses and are prepared to join his fight to rid the state of toxic nuclear waste and the poisoning of the land and the water table. The seemingly pristine Panhandle turns out to be an environmental disaster area and McCallister fights for his sanity, his community and his ranch.

The book explores the desire of many people to opt out of our society to live a more secluded, off-grid life in nature. And it considers the power of nature and horses to cure mental illness. It looks at the dynamics of loving relationships when there are no barriers or rules. And it unpacks what it means to be a good man.