A Transition from military to civilian lifestyle and beyond
by SFC RET William A Stephens Jr
A raw, unfiltered journey through the broken bond between a father and his teenage daughter, the relentless weight of PTSD, and the fight to lead, endure, and rise again.
Category: Leadership • Motivational • Survival • Mental Health
Winner – Military/Self-Help/Self-Development, International Impact Book Award (March 2025)
Nominee – Eric Hoffer Award for Excellence in Independent Writing (2025)
A continuation of The Mirror (2018), this book confronts the broken bond between a father and his teenage daughter, the relentless challenges of transitioning from military to civilian life, and the unshakable weight of trauma.
Part memoir, part mental-health survival tool, it delivers raw truths about leadership, resilience, and the fight to keep moving when the demons of PTSD refuse to leave.
The broken mirror images throughout are not decoration—they are an invitation to reflect on the fractures in your own life and how you’ve survived them.
“PTSD is like a life sentence without parole. The demons never leave. They live in your heart and your soul.”
From 1821 Productions – Voice of the Voiceless.
The Broken Mirror and The Mirror, Black Edition are collections of raw, unfiltered entries built as tools for your mental toolbox—created for anyone living with trauma, PTSD, or mental health challenges. Everyone carries scars, even me. If you’ve never been to hell and fought your way back, these pages will show you the view from the other side, reflecting the many “broken mirrors” of pain, resilience, and survival. The Mirror, Black Edition dives even deeper into the darkness, confronting the voices that tried to silence me and bringing the shadows into the light. 1821productions.com
William A. Stephens Jr. is a retired U.S. Army Sergeant First Class, decorated combat veteran, and award-winning author whose work exposes the raw realities of PTSD, trauma, and survival. Recognized with the International Impact Book Award and nominated for the Eric Hoffer Award, he shares unflinching truths through his platform, 1821 Productions – Voice of the Voiceless. His upcoming memoir, No Filter, continues his mission to inspire, lead, and give strength to those fighting their own battles.
✨ “No Filter isn’t just my story — it’s every veteran, every survivor, every person who’s ever stared their demons in the face and refused to back down.” 🎖🔥
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🛹🎖💥 “From skateboards to the battlefield, from breakdowns to breakthroughs — this is the journey of a man who lost everything and built it back, unfiltered.”
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🎃📖⚡ “Step inside the last chapter of my trilogy — raw, real, and dropping on Halloween 2025. This isn’t a book. It’s a reckoning.”
by SFC RET William A Stephens Jr
The truth isn’t always pretty.
In The Mirror: Black Edition, William A. Stephens Jr. takes you deeper into the darkness—where pain, resilience, and survival collide. Raw. Unfiltered. Unforgettable.