HAVING FINALLY BOILED DOWN MY 80,000 word memoir into a manageable 250 word back-cover hook, I'm presenting it to you. I still don't have a definitive publication date but it should be early to mid 2013. I will keep you posted. Major thanks to my publisher All Things That Matter Press and to all of you who have been so gracious and encouraging. I'm stretching my arms in a big, wide hug.
With a father’s violent temper and a mother’s senseless apathy, Grace Peterson braves the turbulence of childhood by embracing her adventurous love of the outdoors. Her rough-and-tumble scuffles with nature don’t always end well, however, and often heap more turmoil on her already shattered soul.
Following her parents’ brutal divorce, her mother relocates nine-year old Peterson and her siblings to rural Hawaii where as minorities, they are repeatedly threatened by the pervasive racial violence. Eventually banished by their mother and violent stepfather, Peterson and her sister forge independence when their father considers them an intrusion to his new bachelor lifestyle.
At nineteen, Peterson marries her high school sweetheart and experiences love for the first time. Together they discover a cautious sense of belonging in a fundamentalist Christian church. Soon however, Peterson is no longer able to contain the trauma of her past. Seeking a remedy from what she perceives as a spiritual problem, she enlists the help of Brock, a charismatic exorcist and cult expert. Shocked by his findings, she tumbles into a world of esoteric rituals, Luciferian doctrines and New World Order conspiracies.
Set in Hawaii and Oregon, this gripping narrative illustrates how children adapt to a hostile environment and stumble into adulthood while misreading their untreated traumas. And by searching for answers, they can become prey to unscrupulous charlatans who heap more damage onto an already wounded soul.
Phantom’s Murmur: From Raw Nerves to Reality is a sobering, real-life tale of trauma, brainwashing and recovery narrated by a gutsy and resilient heroine.
I can't wait to read this! This back-page overview is well-written and gripping enough to pull in the reader, definitely. Excellent work. I am really looking forward to reading the whole book. Congratulations again on your accomplishment!
ReplyDeleteOh my Gracie! You just really never knows what goes on in a persons life that influences them and the paths they take...looking forward to reading all of it. Congratulations my friend, well deserved.
ReplyDeleteHow is it I'm just discovering your "Writing Blog"!? Wow - I mean really, WOW!
ReplyDeleteThe summary is great Grace but what an incredible tale...thank God for resilience. Thank you for sharing and sending you cat love. xx
ReplyDeleteLady you are my hero!
ReplyDeleteBravo. Well written and I am hooked. Cannot wait to read it!
ReplyDeleteCongrats, Grace!
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh Grace. This is gripping.
ReplyDeleteCongrats to you.
Hugs ~ FlowerLady
I am not usually drawn to memoirs, but you had me at "rough-and-tumble". Can't wait to see your brave account in print. Way to go, Grace!
ReplyDeleteI have no words....I am blown away. I cannot wait to read it
ReplyDeleteWhat a well-crafted back-cover synopsis, Grace! Very intriguing and I'm hooked. I 'm looking forward to reading your memoir. Congratulations and best wishes on your book launch. Let me know if you'd like to do a book tour when you are ready. I'd love to have you!
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Kathy
What a well-crafted back-cover synopsis, Grace! Very intriguing and I'm hooked. I 'm looking forward to reading your memoir. Congratulations and best wishes on your book launch. Let me know if you'd like to do a book tour when you are ready. I'd love to have you!
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Kathy
What an engaging back-cover synopsis, Grace! Very intriguing and I'm hooked. Looking forward to reading our memoir.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes on your launch. If you decide to do a book tour, I'd love to have you include Memoir Writer's Journey in your travels.
Blessings,
Kathy
You know how excited I am to read your book. Seriously, I can not wait.
ReplyDeleteCan I be the annoying voice of constructive criticism? I hate people like me, but it stood out to my ears, so I'll mention it with the risk of sounding like a snot.
You have shattered soul and then, wounded soul a couple paragraphs down. The double soul rang out, so this is me pointing it out.
Ugh, now I feel like an ass. lol
That being said, I'm so, so anxious to learn more about the voice behind the blog.
Very intriguing! I can't wait to learn more of your story and to read your book! Huge congratulations and please let me know when you're doing a blog tour. I would be honored or have you at A Slice of Life Writing.
ReplyDeleteThat is one great synopsis! This is a book to look forward to, and I'm sure you'll keep us posted when publication happens? Thank you for sharing this!
ReplyDeleteHi Grace-
ReplyDeleteA few ideas regarding your highly engaging book jacket copy:
There might be too much information here. If anything, I would condense the first two paragraphs into one shorter one.
Also, I would open the synopsis with the crisis: a woman seeking spiritual guidance for untreated traumas tumbles into a world of esoteric rituals, etc.
You should lead off with this part of the story because this is what will catch the reader's attention and draw him or her in. Start with the crisis and work backward to her childhood, keeping an emphasis on what it is that makes the heroine gutsy and resilient. (Show, don't tell.)
I may be wrong but I get the impression that the memoir's focus is on your recovery from the cult experience and that should therefore be the focus of your jacket copy.
What does your publisher say?
I hope my perspective can be helpful to you in some way. Good work, Grace, you should be proud. I know how hard it is to boil down 80,000 words!
Martha M
WOW! I will buy it! Where can I get it?
ReplyDeleteGood job!! Thanks for sharing, and do keep us posted on the publishing date! : D
ReplyDeleteDear Grace, neither do I have words except to say I want to be among the first to read. You, my friend, are a brave and wonderful soul. I'm proud of you!
ReplyDeleteYou have managed to put into words what I have spent my life struggling to explain-"stumble into adulthood while misreading their untreated traumas." I'm in awe of your abilities.
ReplyDeleteThe editor in me noticed the word 'violent" used in descriptions of both your father and stepfather. In the interest of a smooth read perhaps you could use a similarly powerful synonym.
Gracie girl ... I knew you understood that there was a huge black wall in my life from my childhood on to almost present day.
ReplyDeleteIt truly takes another soul that has suffered to recognize another that has been robbed of the childhood and on wards .. until they can stand up for themselves.
I know this book will be exceptional!
Joy