Brave the... what?

14 August 2024 I realize that there may be some questions raised about why my publishing company is called “Brave the Pall Publishing, LLC” The questions are valid, but so is my reasoning for this denomination.

The term pall (pronounced “pawl”, sounds just like the name) is not one frequently used; apart from a particular definition pertaining to funeral homes. However, there is more than one meaning for pall. My affection for this word is derived from multiple facets of my life.

“Pall” can also be defined as dense, black smoke; or a heavy shroud of fog, with low visibility.

I’m a firefighter by profession, and I hold the title very guardedly. The responsibilities with the job are immense! The expectations my community has for us who wear “Fire/Rescue” on our backs and the American flag on our sleeves weigh heavily on me. I am constantly reminded to consider what image I present when in the community, but more importantly, what knowledge/skills/abilities I will bring to the scene when someone’s life hangs in the balance.

One of the most dire circumstances in which someone of my profession can be placed is a structure fire. One thing that continually surprises people is that when you run into a burning building, your sight is greatly inhibited. Unless you are directly upon the fire, your world is black and you are unable to see your hand in front of your face.

Some read this and probably shudder to think about being abandoned in that veiled environment. That’s justified. Something you have to learn in the fire service is to stay low and calm your breathing. Steady yourself. Feel the heat. Let it guide you to your target. As a firefighter, you are trained to operate by feeling, so that you can move and accomplish what you must, even if your sight fails you.

Despite that training, when you first plunge into the void for your debut structure fire, it will stop you in your tracks for a moment. It is then that you must decide whether you will let fear guide your next actions, or you will hold fast to what you know is necessary and how you must accomplish it.

In this way, it is imperative that (for the sake of others) firefighters must brave the pall.

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As an author, I have given countless hours to creating stories with layers of significance. There are times where the flow of writing is a steady, experiential stream that fills pages of content. Other times, the writing has to steep like french press coffee (which is a beverage that certainly encouraged inspiration, at times). There were periods in writing Id that I steeped on a scene for a week or two straight. I didn’t merely want to generate a linear narrative, but I wanted the symbolic ties to interweave across the breadth of the story. Now, I may not have actually been widely successful in that effort (I’ll leave that up to you, dear reader), but most of the information presented in the story carries multiple levels of implications. Literary analysis is something I get giddy talking about amongst fellow enthusiasts.

All that being said, I have taken a risk. So have many dreamers before me. My style of literature may be broadly cherished, or it may be rapidly discarded. I would love for many people to enjoy and promote my work, but the future is uncertain. I commit, regardless. I believe in the work. I believe in the meaning behind the stories, and I want to bless other people by it.

So, whether or not my work takes flight, I will brave the pall of uncertainty and continue to produce works with purpose and passion.

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Finally, to marry two themes that perhaps seem entirely incongruous: Faith and Thrillers.

Why would anyone broach the religious crowd with scary stories of mind-bending, spine-chilling thrills? Why would anyone waste time discussing religious themes in the midst of thriller novels? Seems like those genres should be unrelated. Perhaps there should be some affixed delineation…

Or… The uncertainty many feel about eternity, ghosts, demons, angels, and the supernatural is at the fundamental core of their internal tension. What if we explore these haunting questions through tales of dark mystery, twisted villains, resilient survivors, and spiritual warfare?

What if we plunge into the suspense and exhilaration of a frightful story, feel the fear well up as darkness encroaches, and yet we endure? Thereby, we might find a worthwhile reward for having crossed through the shadows.

Perhaps… to arrive at hope and to possess a lasting sense of peace, we must first brave the pall!