Columbine Memoir

How to Survive a Mass Shooting: A Columbine Memoir (Motina Books) chronicles the life of a Columbine High School mass shooting survivor during the days, months, and years that followed. Memories of school and friendships before the event weave through chaos and guilt that erupted in the wake of one of the most notorious mass shootings in the United States. How-to lists are employed throughout the book, borrowing from the self-help genre to break up the narrative and acknowledge the desperate and sometimes-fruitless search for answers and healing.

While our nation continuously faces senseless violence, the memoir aims to widen the discussion on our culture of violence and individual trauma. How to Survive a Mass Shooting addresses the losses and struggles of mass shooting survivors, and how turning towards art, sharing our stories, and empowering ourselves can bring resilience, recovery, and maybe even hope.