What does it mean to survive when the odds-and sometimes the people closest to you-are against you?
In Not Ideal and Other Stories, N.C. Thompson presents a stunning collection of ten unforgettable tales. Each story offers a glimpse into lives shaped by trauma, heartbreak, and resilience. A little girl faces the shadows of her darkest fears. A father risks everything to protect his child from harm. A young woman longs for love but finds herself surrounded by loss.
These stories, inspired by real-life experiences, capture the fragile, painful beauty of human connection in the face of suffering. Raw and compassionate, Not Ideal and Other Stories reminds us that while no one escapes life unscathed, no one has to endure it alone.
Content Warning: This book contains depictions of abuse, child abuse, sexual assault, addiction, and violence.N.C. Thompson was born and raised in small-town Iowa. While serving in the USAF, she began pursuing her education and completed both her BA in English and MA in Humanities at American Military University. She entered her literary career as a critic, an educational writer, and a literature analyst. She expanded her career into fiction writing and editing in 2021 after the birth of her daughter.