Stolen is a collection of short stories that deal with the lives of people immersed in a world of conflict. Though the stories are not connected, the reader should notice that the people themselves are inherently connected due to the violent world that we are all a part of. The title was chosen because it echoes the tragedy that all of the characters must endure---their lives, at the emotional and mental level, are stolen from them because of what they have had to endure. In some cases, the people around them are stolen by conflict itself.
Although the stories in this collection are fiction, the reader should notice the connection to real world events that have engulfed the world over the past two decades. In creating these stories I have used my experience as a soldier, my knowledge of these conflicts, and through conversations with those who have experienced these conflicts first hand. By doing this I hope to capture a realistic view of war and allow my readers to understand its effects on humankind.
