Grant-winning author on gun violence, trauma and sharing her story
From ‘night terrors’ to healing: Kristen Renaud — author of ‘Moon, Milkweed, and Myth’ — shares her mass shooting survival story at Saratoga Arts tomorrow morning.
After surviving a terrifying shooting, Kristen Renaud turned to the writings of others who had experienced trauma and grief as her “guiding light.” Resiliency, she learned, was the common thread. “Surviving a shooting and experiencing PTSD,” she says, “felt like being dumped in the wilderness with a completely blank map as my only guide out.” As she made her way, she started to write — and won the 2025 winner of the prestigious Saratoga Arts Individual Artist grant to share her story. “While no one can chart someone else’s recovery path,” she says, “we can leave landmarks and reference points on a map.”
At 11 a.m. tomorrow, Renaud will read an excerpt from her book — Moon, Milkweed, and Myth: Reflections on Surviving and Healing from Gun Violence — and answer questions at a free event at Saratoga Arts.
AT: What is the “myth” part of your book?
KR: The book begins with an account of my own experience during the shooting — that’s the heaviest section and explains how my PTSD symptoms, such as night terrors, led me to develop a healing relationship with the symbology associated with the moon. In Part II, I explore the Greek myth of the abduction of Persephone and detail my own symbolic Underworld journey of finding hope in the darkness.
AT: How did sharing your story help you heal?
KR: A story of survival and healing is necessary in a society that demands we remain silent about the daily struggle of gun violence and trauma. I wanted to see more stories of healing, hope, and resiliency, so I contributed one to the world. The last section, Art and Beyond, explores my relationship with art as a healing modality, and the cathartic experience of writing this project.
AT: Why is your story especially timely now?
KR: I have three dire statistics from everytown.org:
Americans are 26 times more likely to be shot and killed than others in high-income countries.
Since 2017, guns are the leading cause of death of children in the United States.
In 2025, for the seventh consecutive year, the number of mass shootings outnumbered the days in the year.
But we can do something about this. There was a time in history before gun
violence, and there will be a time after. So I plant the seeds I can now.
This free reading and reception is Saturday, Jan. 31 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Saratoga Arts, 320 Broadway at Spring St.