Available February 17, 2026
“A gut punch. A beautiful, essential work. There is healing in grief, and art in tragedy, but ultimately this vital and visceral novel is a meditation on the impact of a radical extremism that—as Balman warns—has already gained a foothold in America. Balman's experience as a war correspondent bleeds into his stark, often explosive prose. His descriptions are painful and true. There are times you will want to look away. Don’t!”
-James Wade, two-time Spur Award–winning author of Narrow The Road
Features & Advanced Praise
“The variety and complexity of Balman’s characters are testament to the many facets of the people who make up the state of Texas and America as a whole. . . . The Mural celebrates freedom of speech, artistic expression, and the power of love . . .”
—Jill Gibson, The Journal Of The American Association Of Texas Studies
“Boldly tackles sensitive subject matter. Deeply impactful, yet complex and nuanced.”
—Writers League of Texas
“A wakeup call that demands new thinking on how to deal with violent extremism.”
—Rob D’Amico, The Big Bend Sentinel
Sid Balman Jr.
A Pulitzer-nominated national security correspondent and Writer in Residence at Sul Ross State University, Sid Balman Jr. has covered wars in the Persian Gulf, Somalia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Kosovo, and has traveled extensively with two American presidents and four secretaries of state on overseas diplomatic missions.
