Grandpa’s Comrade Launch Day!

Kelsey·November 11, 2025·0 comments

A boy who wants to be a hero. A girl who just wants to be lost in her books. And a Grandpa with a past that won’t leave him alone…

Today’s the day! Grandpa’s Comrade is officially launched! You can get your copy of Grandpa’s Comrade in paperback or e-book formats on Amazon or wherever you like to order your books online! You can find those links at kelseyleewrites.com/grandpas-comrade.

Want to know which character from Grandpa’s Comrade you are? Check out my personality quiz here!

Each book launch comes with its own set of emotions, of fear and hope and excitement and dread all rolled up into one beating heart that triple-checks Amazon to make sure my book baby is actually available to order.

This book has a special place in my heart. Granted, I say that about all my books, but Grandpa’s Comrade has a different special place. It has multiple passions of mine rolled into one: mental health, multi-generational relationships, and honoring military veterans. This was the book my professor helped me work on during my years at Corban. This is the book I had to set aside for a year because my characters weren’t behaving, and I wasn’t sure where this book was going (spoiler alert: it goes overseas! Which was nowhere in the original plan, lol!).

I wasn’t originally planning for this book to incorporate much in the way of a faith element. I think that stemmed from hearing over and over again that good writing means not being “preachy.” I thought subconsciously that maybe if I kept the faith part of the book more subtle, I’d have a better chance of getting a traditional publisher. But in the process of overcoming my writer’s block, I found myself writing in an element of faith that was unexpected to me. (Funny how much fiction writing takes on a life of its own, even for the writer! I know it sounds crazy if you’re not a writer, but trust me on this one!)

I’ve found that I like books that are blatantly Christian. I’ve never read a book that I found “preachy.” Maybe it’s because faith has just been so ingrained in me, but I could not write this book without Jesus being a part of it. It’s different from the Truth Squad Trilogy; there’s no outright gospel presentation or overarching spiritual theme to the book, but Jesus is there. He has to be. Jesus is my everything; and if that’s true in my life, that by necessity will come out in what I write. And I will not apologize about that, because this world needs more of Jesus, not less.

I found myself researching mission work in North and South Korea, learning about the Christian presence in these countries, and writing in what I’d learned to the plot of my story. Not because I was trying to force it, but because it’s what the story needed. This book explores the brokenness of PTSD, of countries at war, and of communities needing Jesus. This book doesn’t have the answers, but it required me to have eyes that see rather than eyes that look away from the pain. And I hope it does the same for you.

The last reason this book is so significant for me is that around the time I finished Grandpa’s Comrade and began editing, my honorary Grandpa Steve ended up in the hospital with some serious health issues. This book is dedicated to my grandpas and to the many veterans in my life who have influenced me as an American and as a Christian, and Grandpa Steve is both of those. He’s also a fellow military brat. My ice cream and cribbage buddy. One of those Christians that you look at and say, “I hope to someday be like him.” Editing this book while he was in the hospital was hard for me. Wondering whether I would be able to give my grandpa a copy of my book or not plagued my mind as I worked. So I prayed. I cried. I kept writing. And I trusted that God was at work, even in this.

In October, I ordered two proof copies of my book, one for me, and one for my Grandpa Steve. And I got to give him an early-release copy of Grandpa’s Comrade in person. That moment was an answer to my prayers. I don’t think I will ever forget his smile when he saw his name in the dedication of my book.

I hope this book does well. I have all the marketing stuff lined up for this book. If this book sells lots of copies, praise God. But honestly? This book isn’t about sales; it’s about the people to whom the book is dedicated. This book is here to bless my grandpas and my veterans: I hope this book shows you in a small way just how much you mean to me. Thank you for instilling in me a love for God and country and for passing on your legacy of faith. You guys are my heroes. I love you!