One of the most noticeable things about The Road to New Hope, my new novel, is that each of the primary characters is essentially a “good” person.  they are trying to be true to themselves in living their lives, and, simply wishing to get through each day in a painless and productive manner.

Despite such a goal, turmoil and strife develop naturally for each of them due to the circumstances of their lives, and it is likely a situation to which the reader relates.  No matter how we try, outside factors intrude upon our circumstances and have some effect through our reactions.

Charlie Odel, the protagonist in the story, finds help coming from the last person he ever would have expected, and is turned back to himself to look for the true answers to his problems.  That is truly the crux of the problem, stripped down to its most-basic form.

Our problems may seem to stem from the outside world, but our reactions to those problems come from inside ourselves.  Thus, despite surface appearances, our problems stem not entirely from the outside circumstances affecting our lives, but from our reactions and devised solutions to those problems.

A large part of what we do each day stems from our adherence and obedience to our egos.  If we can leave self-pride in check, the first step to solving our problem is accomplished.  Simply put, take the selfishness of the ego out of the equation.  Forget the other personalities involved and look truthfully at their actions and our personal reactions.

With the ego removed, the nature of our problems can be largely resolved, as discovered by Charlie Odel in The Road to New Hope.