Blue Belt

Matt was a track star like his brother, but everything changed following his Junior year of high school. His girlfriend Kris along with one of her friends were killed in a head on car accident involving a drunk driver. Even though Matt was in the car with them he somehow survived. After the accident nothing seems the same for Matt, and despite finishing out his senior year, his motivation to move forward is gone. Desperately in search of something new, Matt turns to a martial arts school that his best friend had recommended.

Set in the beautiful beach town of Oceanside this first person narrative focuses on key experiences that Matt goes through during his first year of training. The novel takes the reader on a journey following him as he struggles with the demands of karate training, as he deals with new relationships surrounding him, and most importantly as he learns to live with the memories of the accident that while becoming more clear, still haunt and hold him back. The variety of people he meets as part of his training, some more eccentric than others, push him to try and answer the call; including the "beautiful" brown belt Cammie, who helps him try and fully face the memories of the accident.

The idea is to showcase the world of hard core martial arts and integrate it into the challenges of overcoming serious trauma. It highlights how the power of being a part of a community in the fascinating world of martial arts can be surprising, challenging, yet transformative. With the advent of a series like "Cobra Kai" I believe there is interest in coming of age narratives that are set within the sometimes bizarre and mysterious world of martial arts. I personally love John Green's work and hopefully there is at least a taste of what he offers in terms of intensity and depth of character. The following "tags" I think would fit well in trying to describe the narrative : coming of age, drama, tragedy, karate, kata, fighting, romance, and recovery.