Have you ever read a story that has impacted you so deeply that you physically hurt when you think back on that story? Damon Suede's book Hot Head and the background on how that book came to be was that book for me.
The book was amazing, the flow, the setting and the words were all perfect for creating the visual of the story. I could actually see the book taking place in life or movie as I read. It gave you a true HEA at the end and you wished the characters well in their life ahead. I had a true closure when I finished and filed the book away to re-read again in the future. I commented to Damon and explained how much I adored this story then moved to my next read on the list. Closure, true story closure.
Then I had read a interview he did on the book and how he came up with the story. The background impacted me more than anything else I have ever read. It was a gut wrenching interview and it made me realize there is so much more to September 11th than what we have witnessed in the news. There was no true HEA that I embraced in the book. There was gut wrenching pain in the real life events that lead to that book. The character "Dante" died in September 11th and there was no closure for "Griffin". There was no recovery of a body to say goodbye and there was no acknowledgement from "Dante" of "Griffins" expressed feelings before those towers fell. I reached out to Damon to find out if he has heard anything about the real person behind his character "Griffin" and his reply caused that physical ache.
"Griffin" is alive but he is not living by any stretch of the imagination. He is breathing unlike "Dante" but that hole in his heart will probably never be filled and he is working a job that will almost kill him because of crazy risks he takes. He is a firefighter, a hero but he will never be whole person. He is a man who probably lost his soul mate in that tragedy and will never know what could have become. I tell everyone I know about that book and the story behind the book. It brings tears to my eyes when I think back and causes me, a person who has stopped praying years ago to say a little prayer that "Griffin" heals more each year that passes. If you havent read this book, I cannot recommend it enough.
