Group Blog

The Researcher’s Treasure Hunt: Finding the Heart of "The Secret War"

By Todd Burleson

If you looked at my Google Drive right now, you wouldn't see a neat folder for a published novel. You’d see a decade-long archaeological dig.

Writing The Secret War wasn’t a straight line; it was a 13-year journey of uncovering the "wrong" stories to eventually find the one that truly mattered. As authors, we often feel like we’re on a long road trip where we’ve been pulled to the side with a flat tire or a busted radiator. There were even long stretches where it felt like the car had broken down entirely and I simply abandoned it—only to find it still there a year later, waiting to be repaired and driven again.

But in those moments of being "stuck," we notice the horizon at sunrise even more. Inspiration is everywhere if you are looking for it.

From Identity to Authenticity: The Shift from Jamie to Jamie

In the early versions of this manuscript, the protagonist was a 13-year-old Black girl. I spent months lost in the fascinating history of the Coffey School in Chicago and the incredible WASPs (Women Airforce Service Pilots). I loved learning about these pioneers, but as a new writer, I began to feel a deep responsibility toward representation.

Black and female characters have, for too long, been written through the lens of cis white men. I felt that as a debut author, I wanted to focus on an identity I "knew" from experience to ensure the story remained authentic. Jamie eventually became the boy I wish I could have been in 1944—someone who would have given anything to look Orville Wright in the eye.

The Heart vs. The Blood: Centering the Young Reader

Orville Wright was the inspiration for this entire project and has fueled my lifelong fascination with flight. In my initial drafts, the adult characters were front and center, but I realized I needed to bring the story back to a relatable reader audience.

I shifted the adult storylines to the background to ensure the boys remained the heart and soul of the book. If the boys are the heart, Orville is the blood pumping through their veins—his presence is felt everywhere, even when he is pushed into the shadows as a 72-year-old recluse in chronic pain.

From Trope to Truth: Trading "Green Goo" for Reality

As an educator and librarian, I’ve read thousands of middle-grade books, and I’ve learned that young readers don’t need "kid gloves". They need empathy and truth.

In my early drafts, the antagonist, Billy, was a cartoonish bully whose father suffered from a sci-fi version of "radiation sickness"—complete with glowing green goo. I eventually realized that by leaning on lazy tropes, I was robbing the story of its power. I traded the "goo" for the terrifying reality of the Dayton Project. In the final version, the tragedy is real: Billy is a victim of the system he’s trying to protect, carrying a warm, gray piece of Polonium-210 like a treasure while the adults look the other way.

The "Magnesium Glow" of the Future

The adult story that I "killed" in The Secret War hasn't actually vanished. It has become my next project, currently titled Magnesium Glow. This book is a narrative non-fiction biography of Colonel George Hatcher, the man who gave Orville his final flight on April 26, 1944. It explores the "Venn diagram" that brought these two amazing men together in Dayton, and I am incredibly proud to finally give Hatcher’s story the focus it deserves.

Looking Toward the Horizon

It is tough to give writing the time it deserves when you are working, raising kids, and simply surviving. But with retirement from my 34-year career in education now on the horizon, I am overjoyed. I’m looking forward to building more efficient routines while still allowing myself the time to wander the lakeshore and soak in the beauty of Kenosha.

The "Writer’s Math" of my journey—writing 500,000 words to find the 35,012 that mattered—wasn't a waste. It was the fuel.

What "scraps" are sitting in your own files waiting to become their own story? How have you balanced the "survival" of daily life with the need to wander and find inspiration? I’d love to hear about your own creative path in the comments.