Tumblin' Dice
A gritty novel about surviving after the war is over.
The war is over. The battle isn’t.
Tumblin Dice is a gritty, veteran-driven novel about what happens when you come home—but can’t leave it behind. Perfect for readers who want raw realism, not Hollywood endings.
Veteran-centered literary fiction
Paperback and Kindle Available
Independent release
For readers of gritty, voice-driven fiction
About the Book
The war doesn’t end when you come home—it just changes shape.
Tumblin’ Dice is a gritty, unfiltered novel about the aftermath most people never see. It follows a veteran navigating a world that feels smaller, quieter, and somehow more dangerous than anything he faced overseas. The structure is gone. The mission is gone. What’s left is the noise—memories that won’t sit still, relationships that don’t quite fit anymore, and a constant pull between who he was and who he’s supposed to be now.
Told with raw honesty and dark, cutting humor, this isn’t a story about heroism—it’s about survival. The kind that happens in silence. The kind no one trains you for.
As he drifts through late nights, chance encounters, and the slow unraveling of identity, the line between past and present starts to blur. Every choice feels like a roll of the dice—some reckless, some necessary, all carrying consequences.
Perfect for readers who appreciate the grit of The Things They Carried or the chaotic edge of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Tumblin’ Dice delivers a voice that’s both grounded and unpredictable—equal parts reflection and free fall.
This is not a war story.
This is what comes after.
Why it stands out.
Voice-driven, literary but accessible.
Grounded in veteran experience without feeling generic.
Dark, funny, wounded, and human.
Strong fit for indie bookstore positioning.
Read an excerpt
Over the course of the next month, Alex grappled with sleepless nights that weighed heavily on him. Each morning, he awoke with a surge of anxiety—his chest felt tight, and his heart raced uncontrollably. These feelings often sprung from vivid dreams—a turbulent mix of memories from Afghanistan, neither nightmares nor pleasant recollections, but fragments that haunted him. Now and then, he'd catch fleeting glimpses of the accident that claimed Fernando's life, but more often, he replayed memories of patrols under enemy fire, moments when he had to respond with lethal force, and the grim duty of detaining prisoners. Though it was a part of his job, the repercussions were now all too real, sticking with him long after his boots hit the ground back home.
Some mornings were better than others. On the rare, good days, sunlight streamed through the curtains, and he would sip his coffee while preparing Kate's brew, welcoming her with a warm embrace. But on the bad days—which were far more frequent—he felt a cold distance creeping over him, a dark cloud of frustration and anger. Those feelings pushed him to retreat from Kate, fearful of unleashing his turmoil on her.”
Excerpt From
Tumblin Dice
Westley B. Cornett
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