A memoir in development
If Not for the Blast
This is not simply a compressed memoir. It is a memoir about compression.
If Not for the Blast begins as a mock attempt to reduce a full memoir to a haiku, expands into a ballad, fractures as the story fractures, and then compresses itself again through summary, limerick, haiku, one-word timeline, and final spark.
The physical 4×6 faux-leather format is part of the concept: a tiny memoir with an oversized sense of occasion, built to mirror the absurdity and seriousness of trying to contain a life altered by war, TBI, service dogs, fatherhood, public service, and survival.
In development
A small book carrying a much larger story.
The manuscript connects the 2003 Iraq blast, the difficult return home, Atlas, the founding of The Battle Buddy Foundation, fatherhood, memory, purpose, and the recurring decision to begin before knowing exactly what comes next.
It is being prepared for professional editorial review, design, production planning, and a publication path that protects the integrity of the work.
What support would help complete.
- Professional developmental and line editing.
- Final design and typesetting.
- Proofreading and production review.
- Physical prototypes and print testing.
- Publishing, distribution, and launch preparation.
- Rights-cleared supporting materials where appropriate.
Help build If Not for the Blast.
Support for this project will be used to move the manuscript from its current development stage toward a professionally edited, designed, produced, and publishable book.
$25
Help carry the spark
$50
Support the next chapter
$100
Help build the full memoir or project
$250
Founding reader
$500
Project supporter
$1,000
Founding patron
Custom amount
An amount you choose
Project support helps fund Kenny Bass’s independent creative work. It is not a charitable contribution to The Battle Buddy Foundation and is not tax-deductible. Unless a specific benefit is listed, support does not purchase a product, guarantee publication, create an ownership interest, or promise a delivery date.
The book remains in development. Support does not guarantee that a publisher will acquire it or that it will be released on a particular date.
Potential optional benefits under review
Exact benefits and eligibility by support level are still being finalized. These examples are not currently offered, cannot be selected, and do not create a fulfillment promise. When support opens, every available benefit will begin unchecked, and a supporter may select one or more eligible benefits or request no optional benefit.
Follow the project.
Receive occasional updates when the manuscript reaches a meaningful milestone. Project email is separate from payment and requires an affirmative opt-in.