22 September 2026
Lisa Wakely has been writing since she was 12 years old. A lifelong storyteller, she has always been drawn to creating magical worlds and bringing characters to life.
Her newest novel follows Mordred, a young musician whose life is affected by challenges with drugs and alcohol before he begins his journey towards recovery.
Lisa wrote ‘I’m a Warrior’ from his perspective, using the song to better understand her character.
I’m a Warrior' began as a song I wrote for Mordred, the protagonist of my novel-in-progress. He’s a young musician whose life is affected by drug addiction before he begins his journey towards recovery. I originally wrote the song as a way of getting inside his head as a writer. I never imagined it would become a real release!
Bringing lived experience into the story
Lisa’s connection with WithYou began through the novel. WithYou’s Young Ambassadors read chapters from Mordred’s story and shared their feedback, helping Lisa make sure his experiences of drugs, alcohol and recovery were represented honestly and authentically.
Their input was invaluable, so when the song became a real release, WithYou felt like the natural charity to support.
The song has since taken on a life of its own, connecting with people who have personal experience of challenges with drugs and alcohol, as well as those supporting someone they love.
“Since its release, I have seen the song connect with people who have real experience of addiction, either personally or through someone they love. That has made the project feel much bigger than the fictional character who first inspired it.”
A song about hope
At its heart, ‘I’m A Warrior’ is about resilience and the possibility of a future beyond difficult experiences.
"I'm a Warrior’ is about hope, being bruised by what you've been through, but still having a future and getting stronger." says Lisa.
All proceeds from the song are being donated to WithYou, turning Lisa’s creative project into a way to support people affected by drugs, alcohol and mental health challenges.
Listen to ‘I’m A Warrior’ on Spotify and learn more about Lisa and her creative projects at lisawakely.com
