A project close to my heart

Four years ago I wrote a book. I then kept that book in a folder on my computer convinced it was too dark and too personal to try and publish. Six months ago I dusted it off, updated it and edited the crap out of it. It's still dark and personal, but it's also polished.

Sending it out to beta readers was incredibly hard for me. I was worried about their reactions, but was very pleased with the overwhelming support and love for the book and the characters. Now it's being edited, and I plan on publishing it at the end of November.

The story focuses around Tyler, a veteran who was wounded in combat and has been struggling with PTSD, and Kenzie, a survivor of domestic abuse who has been in survival mode since her abuse began Both have been waging their personal battles for the past five years. They meet during a violent and traumatic event that catapults them on a turbulent and emotionally charged journey as they try and find themselves again so they can feel ready to be with someone else.

Both Kenzie and Tyler carry a piece of my life in their stories, and creating them was both cathartic and terrifying.

I joined the military when I was 24. I served for 5 years and am very proud of my time in and the organization itself. I am still a part of the military family as the spouse of a serving member, and have lived in the community for a long time (not giving specifics because a lady never reveals her age-at least this lady doesn't!).

I never saw combat, but I know people who have. I've seen friends come home from war broken and battered, and I've seen the effects it has on their lives, families and health. PTSD is too common among vets and those who are still actively serving, and it's something that's very hard to understand. It's a complicated condition and can manifest in many ways, and show up in the most mundane/unexpected circumstances. It's not always as it's portrayed in pop culture and there's no one-size-fits-all treatment. Suicide among veterans has reached crisis level, and I've lost friends to a war they came home from but never stopped fighting.

I am also a survivor of domestic abuse. A previous partner was emotionally, psychologically, physically and sexually abusive towards me, and it took me far too long to leave him. It also took me a long time to realize that my past was negatively impacting my present and I struggled with depression and an eating disorder for years before seeking help.

Thankfully all of that is behind me, but I know it's still a reality for too many people. With this book I'm hoping to shed some light on the effects of PTSD from combat related trauma, as well as the lasting effects abuse can have on someone.

As a way to give back to those who continue to suffer, I am going to be donating the profits of my book sales (for the first year) to charity. I'm going to be splitting it between charities that help veterans in both the US and Canada (depending where the sale is made) in hopes of helping to stop the epidemic of suffering and help ease the hardship on families. It's not much, but it's my way of giving back, and I hope I'll be able to do some good with my writing.