EBOOK
About
"Gripping." "Scarily accurate." "Unputdownable." "Powerful." "Beautiful & shocking."
He was perfect. At first. The summer before senior year, seventeen-year-old Chloe starts an internship at a local newspaper. While on assignment, she meets Kieran, a quirky aspiring actor. Chloe is smitten with Kieran's charisma and his ability to soothe her soul, torn over her parents' impending divorce. As their bond deepens, Kieran becomes smothering and flies into terrifying rages. He confides in Chloe that he suffered a traumatic childhood, and Chloe is moved to help him. If only he could be healed, she thinks, their relationship would be perfect. Her efforts backfire, and Kieran becomes violent. Chloe breaks up with him, but Kieran pursues her relentlessly. Chloe must make the heartrending choice between saving herself or saving Kieran, until his mission of remorse turns into a deadly quest for revenge.This novel was inspired by my own experience. I got involved in an abusive relationship and managed to get myself out of it after a year and a half or so, but it was difficult. This happened to me well into adulthood, but I wanted to write a book aimed at teenagers because the signs of an abuser are clear -- once you know what they are! Trouble is, no one tells you what they are! So Chloe's story lays out the red flags in a way that I hope is entertaining and suspenseful, as well as educational. Since writing this, I've written several essays and short stories about my experience and I've spoken at women's groups about it. I've also spoken about it at writers' groups as an example of how I wrote an autobiographical novel. Last year, I took a training course that certifies me as a domestic violence counsellor in California and I now volunteer as a facilitator for a DV support group in the Los Angeles area. My goal with this book is to make teenagers aware of intimate partner abuse and violence. Sadly, it's incredibly common all over the world in all cultures. I hope that by sharing my story I have helped someone somewhere. This book is my contribution to the overall goal of ending intimate partner violence.
He was perfect. At first. The summer before senior year, seventeen-year-old Chloe starts an internship at a local newspaper. While on assignment, she meets Kieran, a quirky aspiring actor. Chloe is smitten with Kieran's charisma and his ability to soothe her soul, torn over her parents' impending divorce. As their bond deepens, Kieran becomes smothering and flies into terrifying rages. He confides in Chloe that he suffered a traumatic childhood, and Chloe is moved to help him. If only he could be healed, she thinks, their relationship would be perfect. Her efforts backfire, and Kieran becomes violent. Chloe breaks up with him, but Kieran pursues her relentlessly. Chloe must make the heartrending choice between saving herself or saving Kieran, until his mission of remorse turns into a deadly quest for revenge.This novel was inspired by my own experience. I got involved in an abusive relationship and managed to get myself out of it after a year and a half or so, but it was difficult. This happened to me well into adulthood, but I wanted to write a book aimed at teenagers because the signs of an abuser are clear -- once you know what they are! Trouble is, no one tells you what they are! So Chloe's story lays out the red flags in a way that I hope is entertaining and suspenseful, as well as educational. Since writing this, I've written several essays and short stories about my experience and I've spoken at women's groups about it. I've also spoken about it at writers' groups as an example of how I wrote an autobiographical novel. Last year, I took a training course that certifies me as a domestic violence counsellor in California and I now volunteer as a facilitator for a DV support group in the Los Angeles area. My goal with this book is to make teenagers aware of intimate partner abuse and violence. Sadly, it's incredibly common all over the world in all cultures. I hope that by sharing my story I have helped someone somewhere. This book is my contribution to the overall goal of ending intimate partner violence.