BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN

Martin County native Jordan Doyle has released a new novel, “The Girl Who Named the Fire,” a story of trauma, addiction and recovery.

Now living in Floyd County, Doyle launched the book in June 2025. The novel follows a traumatic fire and the aftermath of rebuilding a life.

“She didn’t just survive the fire,” Doyle said. “She learned to name it.”

The book is fiction, but its emotional core has roots in the world Doyle knew as a child.

“I grew up in Eastern Kentucky, a place that teaches you early how to be tough, independent and quiet about what hurts,” Doyle said. “It’s a close community, and that closeness can be a strength. But it can also make it harder to speak up when something is wrong.”

Doyle witnessed and lived around the reality of addiction.

“Drugs don’t just take over bodies,” she said. “They reshape trust, relationships and self-worth. They create trauma that lingers long after the high is gone.”

The story draws from real experiences.

“The story explores addiction and abuse not to shock, but to show what it actually feels like to be trapped in cycles you don’t know how to escape,” Doyle said. “I wrote this book for people in my community who are struggling and don’t yet see a way out.”

Healing, she said, begins with recognizing the problem.

“Change doesn’t start with perfection or certainty,” Doyle said. “It starts with recognizing the problem and taking the first step — whether that’s asking for help, leaning on someone you trust, or simply admitting you’re not OK.”

Martin County remains central to the story.

“Martin County influenced this book in every way,” she said. “Not as a place to criticize, but as a place worth fighting for. There are people here who care, who want to help, and who understand more than they say.”

Doyle hopes readers leave the book encouraged.

“My hope is that this book reminds readers that they are not alone, that their story matters, and that healing is possible,” she said.

“The Girl Who Named the Fire” is available through Amazon, Apple and other booksellers.