Kevin Wallace ’02 has written a novel, “Broken Soul,” the first of what will be a three-part series.
By Oliver Fischer ’20
Strong superheroes that can take on an army of bad guys all by themselves may be exciting, but they aren’t relatable to most people. So when Kevin Wallace ’02 set out to write—and publish—his first novel, “Broken Soul,” he chose a different kind of protagonist: a U.S. Marine veteran returning from a hellacious combat deployment.
In the book, Sgt. Jake Bedford returns home, struggling with severe post-traumatic stress disorder. His only comfort lies in the loving arms of his young wife, Michelle. Shortly after his return, Michelle is brutally murdered in a random gang initiation. Unable to cope, and unsatisfied with the broken judicial system, Bedford takes matters into his own hands as he embarks on a dark journey of revenge. “[Writing the book] was kind of just a bucket-list project that I wanted to see through,” says Wallace, who works as a district sales manager for medical device company Nevro. “When I started writing it, I didn’t expect to have the reaction from editors and the target audience. It’s really been taking off.”
Most readers, Wallace included, like a good revenge thriller, but he believes the main reason for the novel’s success is its relatable main character. “The main character in this book is not some muscle-bound superhero with super strength,” he says. “I wanted to create a storyline based around someone who was more realistic and believable.”
As Wallace was working on “Broken Soul” in his spare time for three years, he wanted to highlight how detrimental PTSD can be to men and women in the U.S. armed forces returning home after combat. The book also offers the reader the opportunity to follow someone on a dark journey who has experienced a terrifying, traumatic loss, providing an outlet for their emotions, as well as an opportunity to enjoy the adventure. This combination seems to have struck a chord with readers. “I think people are not only able to relate to the loss of the main character but also the sadness and emotions he has been experiencing,” Wallace says.
While he has been writing since an early age, writing a novel presented numerous challenges for Wallace. A book like “Broken Soul” requires a lot of research to accurately portray PTSD and combat situations. To accomplish that, he talked to active and retired combat veterans, discussed military tactics and researched how crime scenes are analyzed. All of this contributed to a believable storyline, Wallace says, though he makes sure to let readers know what they are in for. “This is a very dark thriller,” he says. “This book is for readers who want a suspenseful, dark thriller that might take them to some places that push their comfort zones, and it will be an emotional rollercoaster.”
Wallace believes getting thought-provoking reactions is the sign of a good story in any medium, something he’s keeping in mind as he works on a second installment of what will be a three-part series. He hopes readers enjoy the upcoming book as much as they did the first. “This entire process has been rewarding in so many unexpected ways,” Wallace says. “I’ve always been passionate about writing but being able to interact with readers has taken the process to a whole new level. I look forward to continue to build on that.”