The feat of surviving is directly related to the capacity of the survivor.

I like situations that push a character to the edge.

Many of my favorite survivors in fiction show that it may not be the most muscled, macho or mighty people who pull through. A strong mind and body arent always enough. You might also need a resilient heart.

The feat of surviving is directly related to the capacity of the survivor.

The body needs food, warmth and water, but your heart needs more.

Parents spend a lot of time talking over kids. My son went through a vocabulary burst as I was writing The Bear. I thought, What if I just stopped and listened?

A young woman hiking alone in the mountains sounds dangerous. In the pre-cell phone era maybe it was, but Ill stop short of calling it foolish.