The pandemic did more than wreak havoc. It changed my trajectory and forced me to operate outside of my usual modus operandi – to take control of my potential and create according to God’s instruct. With this, the experiences of the pandemic were translated to about thirteen pandemic-related poems. At last minute, I decided that these poems would not be included in my first anthology but would, instead, be placed in a separate publication. This was me, once again, following a leading greater than myself. I listened. In March 2021 my first anthology of poems was published.
Fast forward, to June 2022, and I published my very first book of not-so-short stories; seriously though, they are more like five novellas in one book, since the stories range from 50 – 60 pages each. Peace Hunting, as it is called, came about because I had a premonition – a leading – a nudge – a voice that instructed me to write poetry-infused short stories chronicling the pandemic, in some way. I had no idea the direction the stories would take. At first, I thought I would have written ten stories, but then I decided that five would be enough since my imagination was leading me down a different road than what categorizes “short story.” Interestingly, I didn’t look at any of the poems while writing the stories, but as fate would have it, they somehow fit, and the book, PEACE HUNTING, was born.
One of the overarching themes about the book is each character’s quest to find some sort of solace – to become better human beings – to escape their old self/life and pivot in a better state of being. Simply put, they were all searching for peace of some kind. This notion of peace hunting is something that I have also observed in real life. Everywhere you turn, every guru who seeks to motivate and change lives, every human who is going through the hardships and the challenges of the pandemic, are all advocating the same thing:
WE WANT PEACE! WE WANT PEACE!! WE WANT PEACE!!!
Admittedly, this is something that I have been advocating for myself in the last four years – relentlessly so. As I discussed the title with the team a few months ago, it occurred to me that the most suited would be PEACE HUNTING, since I, too have been talking about it, advocating for it, and trying to live it. Even so, what made the title choice even more serendipitous is the fact that one of the poems, written a little over two years prior, “Force Faith” actually has the phrase “Peace Hunting,” which is the core of that piece. This, I only realized after I had decided on the name and was finalizing the book. Amazing!!!!
As I promote this passion project, I encourage all readers of this blog AND the book to find ways to navigate those “life-disrupters” and “pleasure-hurters[1]” that interfere with your peace. The book’s preface provides an in-depth explanation of peace-hunting as a concept; this (preface) can be read in its entirety on https://www.amazon.com/Peace-Hunting-not-so-short-self-discovery-survival/
Get this: In our own peace-quest, we must also be mindful that we, too, are sometimes causing grief to others and disrupting peace. Therefore, it is important to TRUE peace-hunting to introspect as well as change course and become better to others, so that they too can experience the PEACE THAT WE ALL SEEK AND NEED!
NamaStacey.
[1] From the poem, “From Fear to Hope” in the book PEACE HUNTING by Stacey A Palmer
PARENTING, ADVOCACY AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN 