To inspire hope and courage, I dedicate Monday posts through the months of March and April to authors and professionals on the subject of heroes, historically defined, and also the transformation in today’s society. I like to think of this term as the Everyday Hero. Here today, I have fellow author L. Nahay, answering three questions on the hero topic. I’ll also end this post with my Everyday Hero of the week.

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Her Story, “Breath Between Seconds”

A soldier makes a split decision on the three thousandth, two hundred and sixteenth day of her country’s current war, claiming the victory for her House and bringing an instant end to the fighting. In the stillness that follows, she watches her opponent die and questions the meaning of victory, and her claim to it.

The Interview

[Erika] What is your definition of a hero (historically or in today’s world)?

[L. Nahay] A hero is someone who instinctually acts in the best interest of someone else, regardless of the outcome to themselves. This could be a grand, death-defying endeavor, or as small as saving a spider from someone’s angry boot.

[Erika] How does your hero from “Breath Between Seconds,” fit the definition?

[L. Nahay] Logic would dictate that as she ended her country’s long-running war, singlehandedly and with odds against her, that she should be regarded as a hero.  But she comes to the realization that even if she is acknowledged, it would be a short, fatal concession.

[Erika] Why did she fall, the theme of the Hero Lost: Mysteries of Death and Life Anthology?

[L. Nahay] She fell because she was successful in someone else’s failure, and once she started thinking through her achievement, she began to question the rightness of it.

About L. Nahay

L. Nahay is an author of fantasy and an independent publisher through Midnight Tomorrow Books. She has always ever written. She is a mom to two monsters, and while she’d love to live the more wild way most of her characters do, she currently resides in Indiana. For reminders of life outside her stories, she enjoys reading, creating, camping, hiking, exploring, and time with those monsters of hers. To date, she has published the first book of her fantasy series entitled Red Moonglow on Snow, and an urban fantasy short story called The Dryad.  She has also recently stepped into the world of Steampunk and bought the monsters a telescope. Be forewarned.

Web | Blog | Twitter | Instagram

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My Everyday Hero this week: Preschool Teacher Miss M.

You enter a room full of four and five-year-olds who stare at you from a horseshoe table. They might be reviewing their letters and numbers for the week, learning to write and exploring basic identity conceptions like home address and phone number. Maybe they get up and sing, dance, or crash out on a mat at naptime. After chatting for an hour yesterday afternoon, I learned about the difficult topics of social and emotional balance with academics each individual child exhibits. How to use discipline and safe zones in the classroom. With the hugs, smiles and “good job comments,” also comes tears and tantrums.

The day is never a constant.

I am convinced, it takes a special person to handle the rapid shifts and yet, still, pulls the room of young children back together again.

What is her favorite part of her job?

Seeing the expression on a child’s face when he/she has learned something for the first time. Their eyes light up and they say, “I did it! I figured it out!”

Who is her Everyday Hero?

My mom. She’s my guardian angel. A woman who always had my back and supported me. My guiding light and my best friend.

And finally, what to remember?

Never give up on your dreams. Always believe in yourself. Learn to take criticism without taking it to heart. I didn’t know how to listen until I learned to listen to children. They know before we know.

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Question: Have you ever experienced a moment as an Everyday Hero? Smashed a spider when someone couldn’t? Calmed a child in a full on temper tantrum?

Thank you, L. Nahay for being here with me today. I can’t wait to read your story.