Bloodshed was born from my deepest wound—the death of my infant daughter, Everly. She lived only 10 days, her tiny body wracked with complications from a premature birth. I held her as she passed in the neonatal intensive care unit, praying desperately for God to give her the strength to survive. But the miracle I pleaded for never came.

In that moment, my faith—something I had begin to rebuild with my wife praying each night at her bedside in the hospital when she was bed ridden for more than 2 months from a preterm rupture. The faith I began to rely on during this trying time—crumbled. My sorrow mutated into rage, confusion, and a feeling of betrayal by a God I thought I knew. I couldn't reconcile the idea that a just and loving God would take something so pure from someone trying to live a good life. I was angry. I was lost. And so, I wrote.

Soren, the central character in Bloodshed, is me—a man devastated by loss, turned hollow with rage, seeking justice, purpose, and ultimately, a reason to keep moving forward. When Soren loses his daughter in the novel, his grief is my grief. His anger at the gods, his despair at the cruelty of fate—these are the emotions I lived every day in the aftermath of my daughter’s death.

But just like I was not alone in my real life, Soren is not alone in the novel. My wife, a woman of unparalleled strength and compassion, is reflected in Anna, Soren’s beloved partner. Her unwavering support is what helped me begin to piece myself back together. Her love reminded me that even in the darkest places, we are not alone.

The five clans of Tresibra—Nova, Hann, Bauman, Nodnarb, and Tann—are more than world-building devices. Each of the brothers who support Soren in the novel represents one of my real-life brothers. They were each instrumental in helping me navigate the dark forest of depression and despair.

• Keth (John Hann) is the embodiment of unwavering faith, even in the face of horror.
   
• Zain (Daniel Bauman) is bold and brave, a reminder that courage sometimes looks like simply showing up.
   
• Beckett (Brandon Walters), uncertain and scarred by pains of the past, he reflects the quiet strength in those who carry invisible burdens.
   
• Drutt (Tanner Walters) who might seem meek and quiet carries an endearing strength that many mistake for weakness until boldness is required. Together they form the symbolic scaffolding of family and unity, which ultimately allow Soren to fight and me to survive.
   

The villain Gummosis is not just a monster. He is a personification of what grief, rage, and corruption become when left unchecked. He is what we turn into when we let tragedy fester without seeking connection, love, or faith. Soren’s battle with Gummosis is the battle I fought internally—to not become bitter, vengeful, or hopeless.

The peach trees in the story are a direct reflection of Biblical parables—particularly the Tree of Knowledge in Eden. Like in the Bible, these trees represent divine gifts that can be either a blessing or a curse, depending on how humanity treats them. Their roots, which corrupt rather than heal, are a metaphor for the danger of unchecked desire, and a cautionary symbol for how even good gifts can be misused.

I wanted Bloodshed to speak not just to Christians, but to anyone who has been shaken by grief and left wondering why the world is the way it is. You don’t need to be religious to feel lost. You don’t need to know scripture to understand pain. My hope is that Bloodshed provides a sense of solidarity, and perhaps, even a path to peace.

The ultimate message of Bloodshed is this: Family is the purpose. We were put on this earth not to conquer or hoard or even to understand everything—but to love, protect, and create with one another. My daughters—both those still with me and the one I lost—are the greatest gift I’ve ever received. This novel is my tribute to them. 

These novels have changed my life and many who have read them. Films have lost meaning, depth and true emotional depth, this film is coming to life by an eclectic group, not all who are believers in Christ but who all believe in the message that the novels delivered.