Praise for The Sodium War

"... A story of both the brutality of humans when pushed to the extremes and the power of the morally-just to persevere in times of oppression.... Themes of anti-racism, peace, and loving, religious faith pervade the book’s every page." — IndieReader

"Wow — this is more than a book, it's a work of art. I read a lot and, truly, I'm blown away." ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

"This was an interesting and thought-provoking book." ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

"A good read and managed it one session, always a good sign of a good book if you ask me." ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

"A modern-day classic and highly imaginative..." ★ ★ ★ ★

The Story Behind the Story

In August 2019, 38 people were killed in mass shootings in the United States. These included the El Paso, TX shooting at a Walmart, where 22 people lost their lives. The shooter had written an anti-immigrant manifesto and believed in a conspiracy theory that the "white race" was being replaced in the United States.

A close friend challenged me with the idea of writing a screenplay about combating gun violence, and after brainstorming, I settled on telling a story about fighting racism. After a lifetime of hearing racist speech, listening to countless stories from victims, and reading about horrid acts in the news, I felt compelled to help in any way I could.

Unfortunately, I found it hard to tell someone not to use racist speech, especially if they were a friend or a family member, and I was sure that I wasn't the only one. I created a character, Bri Gilchrist, in the story that is willing to stand up to anyone that uses racist speech, and the process was very helpful, but I still have a hard time, even today.

My hope is that this story helps others to step inside their neighbor's shoes, to seek out a peaceful and loving relationship with everyone, regardless of their skin color, religion, political beliefs, or character.

-Nathan Merritt