Story Behind The Book
In Branded, there is a scene where Ali runs through a field of canolas to draw the attention of the enemy soldiers. This scene, although about two thirds of the way through the book, was the very first scene for the book. Back in eleventh grade English, our teacher hung several pictures up on the board and asked us to write a short story based on one of them. I remember the image clearly; a field of yellow flowers, blue sky. So, I through carnage into it. Dead bodies, a girl being hunted while only wanting to find her husband from whom she’s been separated because of the war. Add some guns, explosives and grenades, some graphic description and I’d finished. I remember my teacher reading it and being concerned about my mental state. Over the years, other scenes formed; her first capture and branding, the “gang chain”, the four horsemen and the bushfire. Then for NaNoWriMo of 2012 I put it all together. Several years in the making and here you have it.
Media Links
Reviews
<p><span style="font-family:Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:14.44444465637207px;line-height:20px;">This was an exhilarating read, full of suspense, action, romance, and heartbreak on so many different levels. A very powerful and emotional read for people of any religion. ~ Amazon Review</span></p>