Today we’d like to introduce you to T. J. Erisman.
Hi T. J., it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Where do I begin? So many stories, so little space. I’ll start with the story that shaped me into who I am and why I do what I do. It’s a story of tragedy and grief that ultimately ended with my mess being my message.
I’ve kept a journal for a good bit of my adult life. I know what you’re thinking; ‘oh, how cute – a diary of heartbreak and heartfelt moments on the roller coaster of life’; which is the farthest from the truth. My journals aren’t about me but for anyone that has the intestinal fortitude to pick one up and start reading.
In one particular ‘season’ of my life, I journaled about my daughter and her physical, mental and spiritual challenges; the ups and downs of a life filled with turmoil. Then it happened – the diagnosis to an ongoing malady no one had answers for until September of 2016; stage 4 liver failure with six months to live unless she received a liver transplant. With only a few months left, we were turned down by four hospitals – the last one sending us home with hospice and in six days she was gone surrounded by her family. She was 29.
The story begins here, really. To describe a pain, that is quite honestly indescribable, is an understatement. It’s like describing what a strawberry tastes like to someone who’s never had one – it’s virtually impossible, as were the months that loomed ahead of us. I went before the Lord and grieved. I knew He grieved with me as peace would come where there was none – and it was a peace that no other could give. This happened on St. Patrick’s Day of 2017.
The grief my husband and I experienced didn’t go away overnight – it usually never does but through our relationship with the Lord and each other, we hung on for dear life to every thread of hope we could find. Then the call came.
Three years after Anna went to heaven, the Lord spoke. Now, mind you, I still kept journalling before, during and after she died. I had roughly four years of journals with specific pages that the Lord told me to asterisk and circle. in the top corner of the page. Remember, the content of the journal entries were always what God had to say and not me. When it came time to write the book, all the pages with the circled asterisks was the completed book. By the time I finished, the book was entitled “The Other Side of Grief”. A christian publishing company reached out and I sent them the MS – they loved it and published it.
I knew I was to continue to write but I told God I didn’t want to write another ‘sappy’ book as that’s just not who I am. Plus I didn’t want grief to be the only thing to define my life – but nevertheless, I was willing to do whatever He wanted. The next words I heard were, “ok, how’s this?” And He dropped a story line into my heart and I about lost my crap.
Being former military with numerous friends in places no one wants to talk about, I saw the perfect opportunity unfold with all the resources I would ever need to complete this monumental task that lay before me – “The Warrior Series”.
This story is a work of fiction, three consecutive books long – The Warrior, The Lost Patriots, Book II and The Warrior’s Blade, Book III; military, political thriller that brings an element to the story unlike most. This story is about a young man who faces extreme tragedy and decides to take matters into his own hands, as a result of ‘grief’ (yep…..and there it is – grief again but with a twist). What goes on behind the veil of the natural realm where demons haunt your dreams and angel warriors come to set you free? Though angels in my book are not depicted as such but rather the ‘Divine Task Force’ or the DTF; no wings but in full tactical.
There are two sides going on at the same time – the natural with the characters and all their idiosyncrasies and their counterparts in the ‘unseen’ realm fighting to protect them from the demonic.
Bottom line, this story was written in movie scenes and I’ve no doubt this will be in theaters or a series. Why? Because it’s a story of tragedy and hope, great loss and overcoming victory that comes with a price. It’s a story about one of the deepest areas of grief outside of losing a child; it’s grief that’s been given an acronym called ‘PTSD’. This story is for the combat vet crying out for help, trying to handle something he or she doesn’t fully understand and most times won’t admit. This is a series about grief and how to come back from a darkness so deep, where the only way to end the pain and misery is with a bottle of pills or eating a bullet.
My heart is to encourage such a people, no matter who or what they face – there’s always hope and that’s the underlying message of my stories.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It has not been a smooth road, by any means and it has come at the cost of losing my daughter. But if this journey has kept someone from taking their life or given them hope, even in the slightest, it will have been worth every tear.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Well, I think I can safely say, most, if not all of these questions were answered in the very first question.
I am a fiction thriller writer. It started with the death of my daughter. I am most proud of writing The Warrior Series. The third book is being published as of this writing. The other two can be found on Amazon under T. J. Erisman.
I am set apart simply by being who I am.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
I see these books, The Warrior Series, being three motion pictures. And I fully intend to continue to write of the ongoing adventures of several of my characters – natural and supernatural alike.
Contact Info:
- Website: Thewarriorseries.com
- Instagram: tj.erisman
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61561113028178
