Derek Mitchell - US Army Ranger combat medic-turned paramedic. Lost his best friend on their final mission in Wayward Guilt.
He's not doing very well. Great guy, but so troubled. He just can't escape the nightmares. He self-medicates with alcohol, empty hookups, and disassociation. With all that... I have to believe he can make it, right? End of a New LifeI put the above text and pictures out on social media earlier today and received a response, suggesting I keep him alive because PTSD is stereotyped and it's easier to kill someone off rather than get them the help they need.
I won't share that person's full response, but part of my response included this:
He hits rock bottom and it’s bad, poor guy. I’m putting him through a lot. His best friend is already gone but this guy also has a great support network. That’s what’ll pull him through, I think.I don't even know why I'm questioning it, to be honest. I've already planned on getting him a service dog named Briggsy. He just has a lot of work to do to qualify for it. (More on that in a subsequent post.)
End of a New Life is the book that's resulting from part of my first-ever first draft.
Trust me, the original draft was an absolute train wreck, but it had the start of some beautiful scenes - many of which I've cleaned up (because I've learned a lot more about writing) and fine-tuned. But my biggest challenge is making sure this story is about Derek's journey.
It started out as a book with Derek Mitchell and Callie Thomas. He's been through a lot, and she's been through a lot. Each one could make its own story. Oh yeah, and I brought in another major issue, which could be a third story.
Like I said - it was a train wreck of a draft. That said, End of a New Life needs to be about Derek and what he's going through now that he's returned to civilian life.
You see - my character, Derek, enlisted at age 19. He's never before lived on his own. He had a semester of college at Ohio State, but it wasn't for him. It wasn't sitting well. So he dropped out and worked construction for his dad.
Then 9/11 happened, and he and two of his best friends enlisted in the Army and became Rangers. Thirteen years later, he attends his best friend's funeral. That's where my book, Wayward Guilt, begins.
And Wayward Guilt was originally supposed to be a prequel released after End of a New Life.
The funny part is that Wayward Guilt - the entire book - stems from one line in End of a New Life's rough draft where Derek opened up to Callie and told her his best friend didn't make it back from Afghanistan.
That was it. The entire inspiration for Wayward Guilt. That one line.
So yeah. Writing is hard. But PTSD is harder. I'm only writing fiction, but I can be supportive, too.
End of a New Life. Derek Mitchell. PTSD. What do you think?
Drop a comment below to let me know your thoughts on Derek or others like him.
Haven’t yet read Wayward Guilt, Heroes of Grant’s Crossing Book 1?
No problem. Click here to find it in print and digital on Libby / Hoopla or wherever books are sold online.
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