Her story is everyone’s and the only story ever told — the tale of light and shadow, death and rebirth, truth and duplicity — and a shot at redemption. Can one gain freedom from the pain of their past, without becoming the perpetrator oneself?

Introducing … Milly: a woman of the future. Her journey spans twelve birthdays, revealing an intricately layered and interconnected story. Succinct delivery belies subtext, clues and symbolism. The story sparkles with action and suspense, but is deeply character-driven by her.

In a harsh future not hard to imagine, Milly must find what it truly means to be human. When people are traded and subjugated, she walks the line where “have and have-not” means life itself, yet forges on with her dry humor intact.

Who can she trust? Who or what is watching her? What’s she thinking? Will she have enough time? How will Milly use her beauty, or will she be used for it? Is she a killer? Does she have some kind of power? Although incredibly lucky, like humanity itself, will one day even her luck finally run out?

From Val Stuart, this project began during the Hollywood writer’s strike of 2023 — but it’s not a screenplay. It’s become a novel, but it’s more. And this isn’t for kids. There’s swearing, drug use, violence, physical and psychological pain, abuse, divorce, and other difficult topics … even real estate.

This work draws upon your intuition, imagination, and emotion — that’s mostly the point. We don’t hold your hand but won’t slap you in the face, either. There are sex scenes, uncomfortable and unflattering, but they’re neither gratuitous nor explicit. You’ve certainly seen more on pay-cable TV shows and read worse in popular books.

The “antique” song titles and 🎵 musical artists mentioned throughout are inspirational, often relevant, yet supplemental. Music serves the character’s theme or moment, diligently researched — not necessarily the authors’ taste. We recommend listening if it’s not distracting for you. No lyrics are reprinted.

I appreciate everyone who showed interested in Who Will Save Her? and found it rewarding to take in. It was a joy to create. As this project enters the next phase, we will see what happens, won’t we? Just know, please, that it was a labor of love for the little Milly inside each one of us.

Credits

Amy Webber for her erudite editing.

Merci: friends, tolerant family, writers and readers here and on Critique Circle and Scribophile. And Louise Harnby for her wonderfully instructional book Editing Fiction at Sentence Level.