THE STORY BEHIND AFTER THE WAR// OR, THAT TIME I ACCIDENTALLY INSPIRED MYSELF WITH MY OWN WRITING

WARRIORS AGAINST THE STORM IS OUT IN THE WILD!

Yeah, I know. A totally not-chill intro to this post, but who cares?? Warriors Against the Storm is out!! (If you have no idea what I'm talking about, go read this post.)

To celebrate its release, I want to share a bit of backstory to my story in the anthology, After the War. 

A year and a half or so ago, I had this idea for a short story. I saw a guy, weary and broken from war, stumbling upon hope in the most unexpected of places. When all seemed lost, he found reason to believe it was worth it to fight on.

I wrote a couple of paragraphs of it (probably so I wouldn't forget the idea), then moved on to other things. That story went on the back burner, but stayed in my mind as something I definitely wanted to finish at some point. 

Fast forward to early this year, when Havok announced the Warriors Against the Storm anthology. They wanted stories in the category "overcoming the odds". As I was tossing back and forth ideas, I thought of that story, but I wasn't sure it quite fit in with the theme. The MC's journey is more emotional than anything, and I just wasn't sure it had the kind of punch they were looking for. 

But I also knew that this anthology was meant to benefit a family who had lost a lot and were figuring out a way to move forward. And that was what this story was about. 

And so the broken soldier came back out of hiding and his story came back to life.

Fast forward again to May. I was really discouraged. My job was getting to me (far from the first time), I was tired of my circumstances, and basically I just felt like one more day was too much to even attempt to get through. 

I woke up one Friday morning after a rough previous night. Getting up to go to work on Fridays after my day off has always been hard. That morning, I wanted nothing less than to leave my bed and endure the day. 

Amidst trying to wake up and feel somewhat alive, I checked my email and saw that my story had been accepted into Warriors Against the Storm. 

Cue immediate excitement. 

I hadn't even thought about it in a while. I'm sure y'all know how it is when you submit a piece of your writing somewhere and try not to wonder about it every second until you hear something. So, it had been pushed to the back of my mind and I had all but forgotten about it over the past few weeks. With that, and the doubts I had still had about it, I was simultaneously surprised and thrilled.

As I went about my day, excited about my news but still discouraged by work, I started thinking about the story's playlist. The songs I chose, though they acknowledged darkness and challenges, also spoke of hope and resilience, even when it's hard to keep going. They were songs of fighting on even when it's hard to believe it can get better. 

And with all of this fresh in my mind again, I remembered why I wrote After the War. 

It was written as a reminder that though things might look bleak right now, whatever you're going through, it gets better. Even if you can't see a light in the distance and feel like you're going to be where you are forever, you won't. Others before you have fought through to their "happy ending", and you can too. One day you'll find yourself standing on the other side, proud that you've stuck it out and wondering how it's possible that you're already here. 

This reminder, in the form of my own writing, came to me just in time. At a time when I was feeling discouraged and hopeless. A simple acceptance email early one morning served to remind me that the message I sought to send others through my writing, applied to me, too.

I'm still not okay. I'm not cured of hopelessness and have certainly felt it again and worse since then. But I've fought through, even though it might not have felt like I was being strong or brave. Fighting a battle doesn't mean you won't ever have to fight the same battle again. The victory is in believing there's a light at the end, though right now you can't see how it could possibly shine. 

So, no, it's not like this story has changed my life and taken away all my bad days. But sometimes when I'm discouraged I think about it and it helps me to believe in a light at the end of the tunnel. And I truly hope that when you all read it, it will do the same for you. 

I'm so grateful that this story gets to be told in the pages of this anthology. I knew it was a special idea from the moment I first had it, and it means so much to know that this concept so near to my heart is included in such a special labor of love. Knowing what Mary Weber and her family have been through, it warms my heart that this story gets to be a part of their lives in this small way. 

Friends, remember that a better day is coming. Maybe you will have to wait a while. But once you're there, it will all be worth it. Just trust God's plan and keep on fighting. 

I hope you'll all grab a copy of Warriors Against the Storm, not just for my story but all the others in it! I'm still waiting on my copy, so I haven't read it yet, but I know that there are a bunch of seriously talented authors in there and if you don't read it you are MISSING. OUT. And most importantly, we all want to support Mary Weber, right? HERE is the link to order on Amazon! (dooo ittt.) 

I hope everyone has a lovely weekend and is soaking up these wonderful days of fall! Until next time!