ONE PROMISE. ONE LIFETIME. ONE UNFORGETTABLE JOURNEY
The Complete Promise Trilogy
A promise made in childhood would shape the rest of Peter's life.
Through loss and belonging, friendship and family, Peter's journey is ultimately a search for something both simple and extraordinary—to be seen, to be loved, and to live as himself.
Struggling. Coming Alive. Comfort.
The Series
Book One
Struggling
An eleven-year-old boy makes a promise to his dying mother, believing it will last only two weeks. Instead, it becomes the promise that shapes the rest of his life.
The unforgettable beginning of The Promise Trilogy.
Book Two
Coming Alive
Alone for the first time and more than three hundred miles from everyone he has ever known, Peter begins again. Free from the expectations that have shaped him since childhood, he discovers that becoming the person he was meant to be may require a promise of a different kind—a promise to himself.
A heartfelt story of self-discovery, friendship, love, courage, and belonging — the transformative second chapter of the Promise Trilogy.
Book Three
Comfort
After a lifetime of keeping promises to everyone else, Peter finally discovers the extraordinary peace that comes from finding home in the heart of the one person who truly sees him.
The unforgettable conclusion to The Promise Trilogy.
About the Author
Steve believes stories have the power to change hearts in ways facts and arguments often cannot.
Through The Promise Trilogy, he explores how the words adults speak — and the words they leave unspoken — shape the lives of children in ways that are often invisible until years later.
People often say that children are resilient. While many are, not every child has the support, opportunity, or inner strength to overcome the burdens placed upon them. Some carry those wounds for the rest of their lives.
Peter's story is one of hope and resilience, shaped by the people who chose to see him when he needed them the most. It is the story of a boy who endured profound loss, overwhelming responsibility, and years of uncertainty, yet chose compassion over bitterness, perseverance over surrender, and love over resentment. His journey is not meant to suggest that every child can do the same, but to remind us that every child deserves the chance. Every child deserves to be seen, to be heard, and to know they matter.
Steve's hope is that these novels will encourage readers to look more carefully, listen more closely, and never underestimate the lasting impact of their words, their actions, and even their absence in the life of a child.
From the desk of
There is something rather extraordinary about knowing someone for a very long time. We become familiar with their habits, their expressions, the sound of their laughter. We know how they take their coffee, what makes them impatient, and which stories they will tell when old friends come to visit. We can sometimes finish their sentences before they've decided how to end them.
There is a particular kind of helplessness that belongs to being young. You can know exactly what you feel and still have almost no say in what happens next. Someone else decides where you will live, what school you will attend, or when it is time to leave. Adults may believe they are doing what is best. Sometimes they are. But their decisions can alter a young person's life in ways they will never fully understand.
There are people who spend so much of their lives being strong that they forget what it feels like to be anything else. They become the ones everyone depends upon. The ones who remember what needs to be done, who notice when something is wrong, who find a way to make things work even when they have no idea how. They learn to put their own needs aside because someone else's always seem more urgent.
A promise can begin in the smallest of places. For Peter, it began in Idaho, in a family and a world that seemed to have little room for anything beyond the next day. He was a boy when he made a promise to his mother. He could not have known how long he would carry it, how much it would ask of him, or how deeply it would shape the man he became.
A story can live quietly on a page for years. Then, one day, someone gives it a melody, and something unexpected happens. The words are still there. The people are still the same. But the feelings we thought we understood suddenly have another way of reaching us.
There are words we use so often that we sometimes forget how much they mean. Home. Family. Love. Belonging. We tend to imagine each of them in familiar ways. Home is the house where we live. Family is the group of people connected to us by blood or marriage. Love is something shared between the people closest to us. Belonging means finding the place where we fit.
When we think about family, we often think about the people whose names appear alongside ours on a family tree. Parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, and cousins. These are the people we grow up knowing, the people who share our history, and the people who, in one way or another, help shape who we become.
Most of us can remember a person who saw something in us before we were able to see it ourselves. Maybe it was a teacher who recognized ability we didn't know we had. A grandparent who listened when everyone else seemed too busy. A friend who somehow knew that “I'm fine” didn't really mean we were fine.
When Peter's story begins in Promise: Struggling, he is seven years old. He doesn't know where his life will take him. He doesn't even completely understand why he so often feels different from the world around him. He is simply a boy trying to make sense of his family, himself, and eventually a promise made when he was far too young to understand how long he would carry it.
There are places we remember not because anything extraordinary happened there, but because they quietly became part of who we are. A country road. A dock at the edge of a still lake. A favorite chair near the fireplace. An old desk where letters were written long after everyone else had gone to bed.
Some roads take us somewhere. Others change us long before we reach the end. If you've lived long enough, you probably have a road like that. Not because it was particularly beautiful or famous, but because something happened while you were traveling it.
I've often wondered why certain memories remain so vivid while others disappear. I can't always remember what I had for dinner last Tuesday, but I can remember the sound of rain against an old farmhouse window. I can remember the smell of fresh-cut grass drifting through an open screen door. I can remember the feeling of sitting on a front porch after the sun had gone down, listening to crickets announce that another summer day was ending.
When I began writing the Promise Trilogy, I spent a great deal of time thinking about houses. Not because the buildings themselves were important, but because so much of childhood happens within their walls.
Promises made. Promises kept. To a child this is what they expect.
Yesterday marked the beginning of an incredible journey. In this first blog post, I share why Promise: Struggling means so much to me, the heart behind the trilogy, and my hope that Peter's story will inspire readers to see the lasting impact adults have on the lives of children.
Find me in person
Amazon
The first book in the Promise trilogy launches in paperback and hardcover. EBook is also available. Coming soon in Spanish and as an audio book.
Amazon
We are ahead of schedule. The second book in the trilogy is now available on Amazon. It's available in paperback, hardcover, and as an eBook. The audiobook should follow soon.
Amazon
I'm in the final stages of Promise: Coming Alive. The anticipated launch date is August 14, 2026. It should be available on Amazon by that date.
Amazon
I'm in the final stages of Promise: Comfort. The anticipated launch date is September 11, 2026. It should be available on Amazon by that date.
Peter's journey is crossing borders. The Promise Trilogy website is beginning a new chapter, welcoming guests from around the world in their own languages. Spanish is the first of 13 languages that will become available as the international journey unfolds. Beginning October 20, Spanish-speaking guests can explore Peter's world through a fully translated website, including his story, the books, music, and the many places where his journey continues beyond the pages. Whether you're visiting for the first time or returning to spend another afternoon with Peter, you're always welcome. One Promise. One Lifetime. One Unforgettable Journey.
Beginning October 20, 2026, the Promise website will welcome guests in both English and Latin American Spanish. Guests browsing in Spanish will be invited to experience the website in their language, opening the entire world of Promise to a new audience. The Spanish-language experience includes the full website, Peter’s story, first-chapter previews, and all five Promise book trailers—all presented in Spanish. This is more than a translation of a few pages. It is the beginning of a multilingual home for Promise. As each new language edition of the trilogy is released, the website will grow with it, giving readers around the world the opportunity to experience Peter’s journey in their own language. And on October 27, that journey takes its next step with the release of the first Latin American Spanish edition of Promise. One Promise. One Lifetime. One Unforgettable Journey.
A story that began with one promise is finding a new voice. The Spanish-language trailers for The Promise Trilogy are arriving, inviting Spanish-speaking guests to experience the moments, emotions, and relationships that shape Peter's extraordinary journey. From the responsibilities of childhood in Struggling, through the discovery of himself in Coming Alive, to the love and belonging of Comfort, each trailer offers a glimpse into Peter's world. Five unique trailers introduce the trilogy, its three books, and Peter himself. Explore them whenever you wish. Peter's story will be waiting. One Promise. One Lifetime. One Unforgettable Journey.
Every journey begins somewhere. Peter's begins with a promise. As a young boy, Peter makes a promise to his mother, never imagining how profoundly those few words will shape the years ahead. On October 26, Promesa: Luchando, the first book of The Promise Trilogy, becomes available in Spanish. Spanish-speaking readers can now begin Peter's journey in their own language, discovering the family, friendships, hardships, and moments of unexpected kindness that shape his early life. The journey continues with the Spanish editions of Cobrando vida and Consuelo, arriving in November. Whether you choose to read the books, listen to the music, explore the website, or simply spend a little time getting to know Peter, you're welcome here. One Promise. One Lifetime. One Unforgettable Journey.
On October 27, 2026, Peter’s journey begins reaching readers in Latin American Spanish with the release of Promesa: Luchando, the first book in the Spanish edition of the Promise trilogy. Promesa: Venir a la Vida and Promesa: Consuelo will follow, completing Peter’s journey from a childhood promise through discovery, acceptance, love, family, and belonging. The Spanish edition is the first step in bringing the Promise trilogy to readers in languages around the world. New language editions will follow, each accompanied by a fully translated website experience and book trailers created for those readers. For the first time, Spanish-speaking readers can begin Peter’s journey in their own language. One Promise. One Lifetime. One Unforgettable Journey.
Amazon, Amazon Music, and Spotify
Promesa: Consuelo & Music of Promise: Comfort On November 10, two important chapters in the world of The Promise Trilogy come together in a special double release. Promesa: Consuelo, the Spanish-language edition of the third and final book of The Promise Trilogy, arrives alongside Music of Promise: Comfort, a 27-track musical companion to Peter's extraordinary journey. Promesa: Consuelo brings Peter's story to its conclusion for Spanish-speaking readers—a journey through love, loss, family, resilience, and the enduring power of a promise made long ago. Music of Promise: Comfort brings another dimension to that journey, expressing through music the emotions, relationships, and unforgettable moments that words alone cannot always capture. Together, these releases celebrate the world of Peter and Derek, the family they built, and the love that carried them through a lifetime. Whether you're discovering the story for the first time or returning to characters who have become familiar friends, you're invited to share in this special occasion. Two releases. One unforgettable journey. ONE PROMISE. ONE LIFE TIME. ONE UNFORGETTABLE JOURNEY — Steve
From our readers
Reading is personal. If Peter's story has moved you in some way, we'd love to hear how. This is a space for your reflection — not a review.
Write to the character
If you could say one thing to Peter, what would you tell him?
From the pages
Which line from Struggling stayed with you long after you put the book down?
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Say hello
Whether you've read the book, want to ask about events, or just want to reach out — Steve reads every message personally.
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