Some years ago when I was just starting out as a playwright, a seasoned theater veteran told me, “It’s all about the audience.” How true. What the playwright contributes is just words on paper that talented people turn into magic on the stage. But the words have to be right. If the audience “gets” what’s up there, the writer has succeeded. If they don’t – well, that’s what you call failure.

And that holds true no matter the audience – watching a play or movie, or reading a novel. The writer is asking the audience to take a leap of faith into the story, to believe that what they’re seeing or reading is grounded in possibility. To me, that means believable, genuine characters and a story that rings true. If I give the audience that leaping off point, they’ll go with me to places they might find surprising or even disturbing. I want the reader to say, “Oh, yeah.”

There’s my new novel Villages, which debuts today, April 2.

It’s the story of 21-year-old Jonas Boulware, a combat veteran from war in the Middle East, returning home wounded in body and spirit to try to salvage what he can of his shattered life. He suffers from PTSD – Post Traumatic Stress Disorder – from what he has seen and lived in battle. Of necessity, much of his story is internal – the things going on in his mind and soul that aren’t readily visible to the rest of the world. What we might think of as normal has been turned on its head. He is trying to understand and deal with a new normal.

As a storyteller, I have to understand what makes Jonas who he is. I’ve tried to do that by reading everything I could get my hands on about PTSD, but more importantly, talking to young men like Jonas who have been there. They have been bravely honest about it. If the story is authentic, I have them to thank.

I like to think of Villages as a story of courage, love and hope. It takes courage and the love of friends, family and counselors for Jonas to confront his demons and ghosts and begin to see a future in which he is whole, if altered.

See for yourself. If Jonas and I have given you solid ground from which to take the leap of faith, let us know.

Robert Inman