“You came back…” she said, her voice trembling with disbelief.
He held her close.
“I never left,” Blake whispered, fire cracking in his chest.

“You came back…” she said, her voice trembling with disbelief.
He held her close.
“I never left,” Blake whispered, fire cracking in his chest.
In honor of EMS Week and Mental Health Awareness Month, read a raw excerpt from The Quiet After the Sirens—a memoir about trauma, silence, and survival.
Read MoreWalking the stage Summa Cum Laude was a moment of deep reflection, joy, and purpose—a signal that this story is far from over.
Read MoreWe don’t talk about what we see. Not really. We joke, we deflect, we survive. But The Quiet After the Sirens is about what happens when the silence breaks.
Read MoreThe first of May rises not just with spring’s fragile bloom but with the tremble of a war drum echoing deep within my chest. Today marks the beginning of Mental Health Awareness Month, and for those like me—those who wear their wounds beneath the skin …
Read MoreThere’s a silence most people never hear.
It’s not peace—it’s the sound after the sirens, when the adrenaline fades and the ghosts start talking.
After years in the military, fire service, and EMS, I came to know that silence too well. It isn’t quiet. It’s noise turned inward.
In that space, the heart races, the mind replays trauma, and the spirit aches under the weight of it all.
Crowded rooms became unbearable. Joy felt dangerous. And I couldn’t sit still without my hands shaking.
But healing began when I finally stopped running and listened to that silence. I learned to name the things I feared. I started writing again.
This memoir, The Quiet After the Sirens, is a testament to survival—not just in the field, but in the stillness that follows.
It’s about carrying the weight, honoring the ghosts, and learning how to breathe again.
If you’ve ever known that kind of silence, this story is for you too.
Writing takes dedication, but so does rewarding yourself! Whether it’s a glass of whiskey, a great indie author show, or finding the perfect new journal, celebrating the hard work we put into our words is essential. What’s your go-to reward after a long writing session?
Read MoreFrom a self-published dreamer to a professional writer, I’ve come a long way. Graduating Summa Cum Laude & soon pursuing my MFA—this is only the beginning!
Read MoreBy Richard White ~ @RWhiteAuthor AI—the elephant in the literary room. Some hail it as the future of creativity, while others see it as the harbinger of artistic doom. Wherever you stand on the issue, there’s no denying that artificial intelligence has stormed onto the …
Read MoreWe all need a reminder sometimes that we’re stronger than we think. A friend told me I never give up, and I’m passing that encouragement on to you. 💪✨ #MarchOfTheWriters #YouGotThis
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