Why Did I Write Reborn In Shadows?

That's a loaded question. I never imagined myself as a writer. Yet here I am, writing. I have always enjoyed telling stories, but it has always been spoken word form. I never thought that I could write anything that people would want to read, especially a book.

Well, I was wrong. I can write, and people DO want to read what I have created. It's surreal.

But why did I choose this particular story to tell as my debut story? It really boils down to one thing: I love making up stories about how I lost my leg. My daughter asked me if I had ever made up a story about losing my leg to the mob. I hadn't. But it turned into a book idea in minutes.

In all of my stories about why I lost my leg, they are about me. But this story was such a grand story that it needed a true protagonist. That protagonist is Miriam Ryder.

Of course, Miri shares a LOT of my traits and characteristics. She is also a below-the-knee amputee, she's also transgender, and she smokes like a fiend like I do. She shares many of the same daily challenges that I do. But she's stronger than me. She's how I wish that I could be.

It's both cathartic and liberating to bring Miriam to life on the page. Through her, I get to explore not only my own challenges and triumphs but also the strength I aspire to. Writing her story has been like giving a voice to parts of myself that I didn’t realize needed to be heard.

Miriam’s journey is deeply personal yet universal. It’s about survival, resilience, and finding power in your own narrative, no matter how difficult or unconventional it may be. For me, Reborn In Shadows isn’t just a story about losing a leg or going into hiding—it’s about reclaiming who you are when the world tries to define you.

Miri has become more than just a character to me. She’s a reminder that, even in the darkest shadows, there’s the potential for strength, transformation, and hope. I hope her story resonates with readers as much as writing it has resonated with me.

Thank you for letting me share a piece of myself through Miriam and Reborn In Shadows. Writing this book has been the most surreal and rewarding journey of my life so far, and I can’t wait for you to meet Miri and walk this fiery path with her.

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