When Tragedy Finds Us
By: Chloe Papadakis
From the fictional town of Cedar Valley, where characters from Quiet Echo continue to respond to real-world events.
When I read the news from Michigan this week—the shooting in a church where families had gathered to worship—I felt that familiar ache in my chest. The one that whispers: it could have been us. It could have been here, in our own small town, in the spaces where we think our children are safest.
Bishop Jeffrey Schaub, who leads a congregation of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc, stood before his people on Sunday, September 28, 2025, and spoke words that reached far beyond his meetinghouse. He said he was grateful for the way people were holding one another up, leaning on their faith in Jesus Christ, finding strength in a testimony that doesn’t falter even when the world does.
Those words traveled here, to my kitchen table in Cedar Valley, where my son’s half-finished homework sat beside a basket of unfolded laundry. And I thought: how do I explain to my children that tragedy finds us in places where joy and peace should be the only guests?
As a mother, my first instinct is to shield. To scoop them up, to promise, “You’re safe.” But children are sharp; they see the news, they hear the sirens, they notice the candles flickering at vigils. Safety feels less like a guarantee and more like a prayer whispered every night before bed.
What Bishop Schaub reminded me is that we are not asked to face heartbreak alone. Communities hold. Faith steadies. When life feels splintered, it is the quiet act of standing with each other—bringing casseroles, folding hands in prayer, listening without rushing to solve—that gives us the courage to go on.
I think about Cedar Valley, about how easily we let our differences turn us into strangers. And then I picture that Michigan congregation, holding tight in the darkest hours, remembering what matters most. It makes me wonder what would change here if we chose unity before argument, kindness before suspicion.
For my children, the lesson I want them to see is this: the world is not always safe, but love is always stronger. Evil can disrupt, but it cannot define us. And when tragedy does find us—as it will, in different forms—faith and family become the shelter we run to, not the walls we hide behind.
May we, like the people in that Michigan chapel, learn to stand together. May we hold to the hope that no bullet, no headline, no fear can outmatch the strength of a community bound by faith and compassion.
This editorial is part of the fictional Cedar Valley News series. While the people and town are fictional, the national events they reflect on are real.
It’s free, it’s fresh, and it’s waiting for you on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major platforms starting October 6. We’re launching Quiet Echo—A Cedar Valley News Podcast! Every day, you’ll hear a short editorial straight from the fictional newsroom of the Cedar Valley News. Join us in Cedar Valley—you’ll feel right at home.
Author Campaign Method (ACM) for Authorpreneurs
This is Publication Consultants’ motivation for constantly striving to assist authors sell and market their books. Author Campaign Method (ACM) of sales and marketing is Publication Consultants’ plan to accomplish this so that our authors’ books have a reasonable opportunity for success. We know the difference between motion and direction. ACM is direction! ACM is the process for authorpreneurs who are serious about bringing their books to market. ACM is a boon for them.
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Cortex is for serious authors and will probably not be of interest to hobbyists. We recorded our Cortex training and information meeting. If you’re a serious author, and did not attend the meeting, and would like to review the training information, kindly let us know. Authors are required to have a Facebook author page to use Cortex.
Correction:
We take the quote by Marcella Smith, Small Press Business Manager, Barnes & Noble seriously: “The author is essential to the success of the book, giving energy behind the book to make it something that a customer will come in and ask for. That is what makes the difference in a book that sells, that develops legs, and has a life of its own. Otherwise the book goes on the shelf and stays there for three months. Then it gets returned.”
This is Publication Consultants’ motivation for constantly striving to assist authors sell and market their books. ACM is Publication Consultants’ plan to accomplish this so that our authors’ books have a reasonable opportunity for success. We know the difference between motion and direction. ACM is direction! ACM is the process for authors who are serious about bringing their books to market. ACM is a boon for serious authors, but a burden for hobbyist. We don’t recommend ACM for hobbyists.
We’re the only publisher we know of that provides authors with book signing opportunities. Book signing are appropriate for hobbyist and essential for serious authors. To schedule a book signing kindly go to our website, <
An Author Page on Amazon Author Central is a serious author ACM requirement and desirable for the hobbyist. Author Central is a free resource designed to help authors become more active participants in the promotion of their books. In Author Central you can manage an Author Page, update information about your books, and view Customer Reviews and sales information for your bibliography. If you don’t already have an Author Page on 
We hear authors complain about all the personal stuff on Facebook. Most of these complaints are because the author doesn’t understand the difference difference between a Facebook profile and a Facebook page. Simply put, a profile is for personal things for friends and family; a page is for business. If your book is just a hobby, then it’s fine to have only a Facebook profile and make your posts for friends and family; however, if you’re serious about your writing, and it’s a business with you, or you want it to be business, then you need a Facebook page as an author. It’s simple to tell if it’s a page or a profile. A profile shows how many friends and a page shows how many likes. Here’s a link <> to a straight forward description on how to set up your author Facebook page.
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Mosquito Books has a new location in the Anchorage international airport and is available for signings with 21 days notice. Jim Misko had a signing there yesterday. His signing report included these words, “Had the best day ever at the airport . . ..”
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