I'm often surprised by my own characters; Rex Redondo's journey to his past was no exception. And then the loving way Viv and Sutton led him forward touched me deeply.
Years ago, I had the privilege of accompanying my husband to a Wounded Warrior event in Colorado Springs, CO. Each veteran had their own recovery story, filled with individual detail. I tucked away how I felt at the time, and to my surprise, Rex brought back my memory.
Each service member had a different approach to their healing. Many of those competing in the Warrior Games had experienced a limb amputation or orthopedic impairment. Many had visual impairments and severe neurological issues stemming from injury, stroke, or multiple sclerosis. I will never forget those with spinal injuries in wheelchairs, spinning around the basketball courts scoring points, bumping and scraping their way to victory.
I think those with severe traumatic brain injury inspired me the most. The injury is less obvious than a missing limb. Recovery requires a different approach entirely. With the help of recent studies about trauma and the brain, we've learned that reliving the traumatic incident isn't as helpful as once thought, and that recognizing triggers may be a better way forward.
We don't have to be soldiers, Marines, or sailors to know trauma. How many of us have dismissed our suffering as inconsequential, storing up layer upon layer of protection due to something that happened long ago. And then we're triggered, only to be told, "You're overreacting."
A trigger can come from anywhere. A scent. A sound. A memory. A feeling. And then we're thrown back to the original event, feeling trapped and victimized with no way out.
I'd like to thank my family and friends for supporting me while writing this book. I hope my cookie baking has made up for any hurt feelings that my, "Not now," words may have caused.
I'd like to thank my team, who help me get my books in front of the public. Ebook Launch for their creative covers, which do not involve AI, along with Christie Stratos and her team at Proof Positive.
Let's end with a quote from Bessel van der Kolk, from his book The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma.
“Imagination is absolutely critical to the quality of our lives. Our imagination enables us to leave our routine everyday existence by fantasizing about travel, food, sex, falling in love, or having the last word—all the things that make life interesting.
"Imagination gives us the opportunity to envision new possibilities—it is an essential launchpad for making our hopes come true. It fires our creativity, relieves our boredom, alleviates our pain, enhances our pleasure, and enriches our most intimate relationships.”
And because I'm able to share my imagination in writing, I dedicate this book to you, dear readers. And don't forget: the best is yet to come.
Bonnie Hardy
March 2024