Shot: A couple, a country, and the stubborn quest for hope

A dual narrative of both a couple and a country, SHOT is a true story about making peace with the parts of life we can’t control, finding hope in the aftermath of trauma, and wrestling with the messiness of faith.

Peter and Dara DeSoto have a cozy, comfortable life in Southern California when they choose to take a major risk. The couple sells everything they own and relocates their young family to work as missionaries in El Salvador, a country plagued by gang violence and still recovering from a 12-year civil war.

While Dara struggles to assimilate to her new life in Central America, Pete has few problems immersing himself in his job and planting roots in the community. Until one fateful day when a mysterious gunman stops Pete’s car in the thick of the Salvadoran jungle, shooting Pete in the throat. After an intense fight to save him, complicated and heartbreaking questions emerge. Saving Pete’s life is just the beginning.

Christy Krumm Richard is a writer, dreamer, teacher, and storyteller. She has a master’s degree in American Literature from California State University, Long Beach. Her work has appeared in RELEVANT, Woman’s Day, Los Angeles Magazine, and various other online publications. Christy lives with her husband in Long Beach, California where she can be found biking through the streets and frequenting local coffee shops. This is her first book.