This anthology from New Wings Press is all for charity. All proceeds raised will be donated to Voices of Children in support of children affected by the Russian war against Ukraine. This anthology is heart-wrenching and a must read. There are memoirs, literary short stories, and fantasy short stories, and each one pulls at the heartstrings.

I am proud and humbled to be included in this important work.

My story crosses the line between literary and fantasy and tracks the experience of an abandoned child left to scavenge for survival. If you read it, and I hope you will, Let me know if you follow the significance of the tarnished key.

My story cover by J.C. Seal, and it really captures the emotion in the story. Thank you!

A future torn apart by war… Adolescence lost to battle… What becomes of those who lose their childhood to armed conflict?

In this anthology, a diverse group of authors from around the globe bring you a multi-genre collection of short stories about children trapped in war. Includes literary fiction, fantasy, historical fiction and memoir. Set in fantasy worlds, Ancient Greece or India, and even historical and modern-day Ukraine, these stories explore the lives of children touched by warfare.

All proceeds of this anthology will be donated in perpetuity to Voices of Children Foundation in Ukraine or another similar charity.

Stories include:
Through Vira’s Eyes by MJ Krause Chivers

Not Dead, Just Sleeping by Darrah Steffen 🌟🌟🌟🌟1/2 … I read this one twice, and it carried significantly more meaning the second time around.

A Child of Minidoka by Joan T. Seko

Jonah by C. Borden

The Prince and the Flute Player by C. Phillip

The Tarnished Key by Susan Stradiotto

A Mermaid’s Tears by J.C. Seal

The Dragon’s Demise by Daan Katz

The War Legacy by Nandita Pant Joshi

A Vampire’s Heart by I. Vélez

The Curse of Blood by Lauren Lee Merewether

Child of Destruction by Astrid V.J., USA Today Bestselling author 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Through the Eyes of a Child by Pam Floyd

The Borrowed Life by Elena Shelest 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

The cover for this anthology was donated by Pallabi Pattanaik as a contribution toward this project. The anthology includes illustrations by Ukrainian-American author-artist Elena Shelest.

Content Warning:
Due to the nature of the subject matter explored in this anthology, this book is not suitable for sensitive readers with past experiences of trauma. The authors have not shied away from the atrocities committed during wartime and how that affects children because we wanted to honor the experiences of this most vulnerable of population groups whose trauma so often is brushed under the carpet by the adults playing war games. This anthology is suitable for stable individuals 16+ who are willing to step out of their comfort zones to glimpse what is known about how children are affected by violent conflict, whether they are forced to flee their homes, witness atrocities, suffer injuries or lose loved ones.