The Meaning of Alive Day
The first time I heard the term “Alive Day,” I was sitting next to my husband’s hospital bed. He’d been hit by an IED in Iraq. A nurse came in to take his vitals and, before he left, tapped on the hospital room’s door and said, “Happy Alive Day, man.” Later, I’d learn that Alive Day was what servicemembers called the day they almost died at war but were given a second chance at life. It was taken pretty seriously at Walter Reed. We celebrated my husband’s Alive Day every year.
He was wounded 18 years ago and has since died. He was 25-years-old. I was 24. It’s been 14 years since I buried him. Even after he was gone, the term Alive Day stuck with me, though it has taken on a broader meaning. Now, I consider any day I’m given a second chance in life—a total do-over despite my past—an Alive Day. I’ve been lucky enough to get a few of them.
What This Newsletter is All About
So, why am I naming this newsletter Alive Day? Well, it’s also the name of my forthcoming memoir, which shines a light on the reality of a generation of young Americans whose lives were swept up in the “Forever Wars” and centers the (often poor) kids the United States military preys upon.
My hope for this newsletter is to create a closer-knit community with my readers, as well as with fellow writers, editors, and teachers. Here, I’ll be sharing book updates, behind-the-scenes insights on my writing, Q&As, book and essay recommendations, scenes that didn’t make it into the book, and more. I also plan to highlight nonprofits I love and discuss issues related to the military, poverty, mental illness, disability, the opioid crisis, and other issues touched on in my memoir.
I hope you’ll join me!
For now, I’m keeping it all free unless you’re feeling generous and want to opt for the paid subscription. Regardless, you have my deepest gratitude, and I’m just so excited you’re here.
What You Get When You Subscribe
Alive Day memoir updates and news
Personal life updates and random musings
Book recommendations
Scenes that didn’t make it into the memoir
Writing prompts
Grants and other resources for writers and military families
Q&As
Pictures of my cat, plants, and adorable child
I’m certain this will change a bit as time goes on. Please bear with me as I learn to navigate this new-to-me platform.
About Me
I’m an author, editor, and mom. My debut memoir, Alive Day, is forthcoming from The Dial Press sometime in Spring 2025. I’m a contributing writer for the Economic Hardship Reporting Project, and my work has been published in The New York Times, The Washington Post, TIME, Vox, Romper, and various smaller literary magazines. You might also remember me from the blog I wrote back in the Blogger days: Wife of a Wounded Marine.
I’m a progressive living in Alabama. Yes, it can be hard, but this is my home, and I love it despite its many flaws. In my free time, I like growing things, reading, crocheting, and traveling. But let's be real: my best friend is my toddler, and I spend most of my time with her these days.
You can find me on all the social media platforms @KarieWrites
Praise for Alive Day (the book)
"Karie Fugett's harrowing account is the part of war we never discuss: the lives of spouses who are left in the dust of deployment and suddenly realize they are now caretakers of the person who returns. As the wife of a veteran, I feel especially close to what Fugett experienced. It also helped me see what my husband had to endure. This book is vital to gain understanding of how the acts of war affect the lives of countless military families and should be required reading. Written in a voice that's raw yet tender, Fugett's intimate story is one that should be lifted." —Stephanie Land, author of Maid
“Her writing is an excoriating, bright-eyed indictment of a system built from the bones of mostly poor boys and girls who are promised they and their families will be taken care of if only they sign on a dotted line and are then left to rot. . . Fugett's words shine humanity on those of us who volunteered before we understood the actual cost, all while she stands before us an open wound, not begging for aid, but demanding we bear witness to the grotesque, the intimate, the absurd, the tender without averting our eyes. A small penance for our forever sin.” —Matt Young, author of Eat the Apple
"Karie Fugett's private war only began after her husband came back from Iraq. He was horribly wounded both mentally and physically, ultimately dying from an opioid overdose. This searing memoir depicts the suffering of men like him and of those who love them, all with the darkest humor and the most compelling fury." —Barbara Ehrenreich, author of Nickle and Dimed
“Gutsy, tightly written, emotionally powerful without an ounce of cheap sentiment.” —Phil Klay, author of Redeployment
“The only thing worse than war is waiting for someone you love to return from it. Karie Fugett’s Alive Day is as true a war story as any I’ve read. Like war itself, it’ll break your heart.” —Elliot Ackerman, author of Dark at the Crossing
